Keep up with
Newstalk ZB

Fri, 24 May 2013, 15:34

Have Your Say

Talkback 0800 80 10 80
Overseas +64 9 307 1080
Text 9292

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • RSS
  • Sign Up

Site Search

Search Search

Select your region:

Student visa fraud uncovered in NZ

Share |

Student visa fraud uncovered in NZ

By: Newstalk ZB staff | New Zealand News | Wednesday July 11 2012 13:49

 

Two agents in China are being blamed for a massive student visa fraud.

Random sampling by Immigration New Zealand has found 279 student visas issued at its Beijing branch were fraudulent.

The hunt is now on for 231 of these students believed to be in New Zealand.

Immigration minister Kate Wilkinson says she's been briefed regularly over the last few weeks as the investigation progressed.

"We do a regular audit and that is part of the process to make sure that our systems are robust."

Ms Wilkinson says she's pleased to see the illegal activity detected and acted on quickly.

An operation has begun today to contact and interview all those implicated in the country implicated in the fraud.

Head of Immigration Steve Stuart says each case will be considered on its merits but those implicated are liable to be served deportation orders or notices.

Compliance Operations manager Dean Blakemore says the fraud predominantly involves fake qualifications and falsified bank statements.

He says all are believed to be enrolled with education providers in Auckland.

"We're now in a process of assessing how that happened and trying to locate some of those students that have come down to New Zealand off the back of these applications."

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce says the irregularities were discovered about a month ago.

"What they have done is effectively gone out and done a full sweep, not just in Beijing but in Shanghai and other offices in the area as well, and analysed a whole range of visa applications and ... got it down to these 279 which they know to be fraudulent and the others they've cleared."

Photo: stock.xchng

 

Related Subjects

student visas |

 

New Zealand News

Advertisement
Mike Hosking Breakfast
Advertisement
  • League: Biological passports for NRL

  • Major bridge collapse in Washington

  • League: Ben Henry out for season

  • Posthumous knighthood announced for Supreme Court ...

  • Mum on couch for three years, daughter charged

  • Skipper injured as ferry collides with water taxi

  • Police Academy's Motor Mouth coming here

  • Kiwi websites targeted by hackers tonight

  • Dave Dobbyn sings

  • Tim Fookes talks to Dave Dobby ...

  • Tim Fookes talks to Dave Dobby ...

  • Leighton talks to Prime Minist ...

  • Friday-Bashing Banks

  • Wednesday-Twister

  • Tuesday-Things People Do Not W ...

  • Friday-Budget Passion

National Convention Centre

Do you support the Government's deal with SkyCity over the National Convention Centre

Vote Now

View Results