13 Sep 2016

Govt gets tough on former students now overseas

From Afternoons, 1:31 pm on 13 September 2016
Student loan sign

Student loan sign Photo: 123RF

Student debt has doubled since 2005 to 15 billion dollars...the biggest proportion of which is owed by people working overseas. And the NZ Union of Students Associations says students who've gone overeas to get valuable work experience and skills may be in too much in debt and scared to come home. 

IRD is teaming up with the Australian Tax Office next month to get the contact details for New Zealanders who aren't paying back their loans. Repayment holidays were cut from three years to just 6 months in 201

The National President of the NZ Union of Students Association is Linsey Higgins.

The Wireless spoke to several students who are overseas - see their report here