Thousands of students from New Zealand will get the access to the student loan program of Australia under the new government plan which will make it easier for them to study in Australia, but New Zealand has also vowed to continue fighting for the access to many other benefits and the entitlements.
Malcolm Turnbull on his first overseas trip to New Zealand as Prime Minister announced that his government is going to introduce legislation next week in the Parliament; this will make almost 2600 students eligible for loans for pursuing education in Australia, at the Australian Universities or other institutions.
The changes will be applied to the visa holders of Special Category who come for visiting Australia as the dependent children and have stayed there for minimum ten years. The changes will come into force on 1st January 2016 if the bill passes this year.
Turnbull said that this bill will represent the major opportunities for the students from New Zealand who had long called Australia as home and providing the citizens of Australia on visa categories access to student loan scheme of New Zealand.
People from Australia in New Zealand can access to entitlements that the New Zealand citizens in Australia cannot, which includes unemployment benefits.
Prime Minister of New Zealand John Key has welcomed the announcement but also made it clear that more needs to be done.
