Spending in New Zealand by foreign students will jump by $100 million this year on the back of rising enrolments.
An international education conference in Wellington has been told today there are nearly 6000 more international students than at the same time last year.
The eight percent jump in student numbers is driven mostly by enrolments from India and China, but growth is coming from all around the world and in all types of education provider.
The good times have people talking of the early 2000s when there were 120,000 foreign students - nearly double the current number.
The government agency responsible for the international student sector, Education New Zealand, says that figure could be exceeded by 2025, doubling the value of the industry to more than $5 billion.
Chief executive Grant McPherson says new growth in enrolments shows a goal of doubling the value of the international student sector is achievable.
