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New Zealand Announces Major Hike In Student Visa Fees For Nigerians, Others

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The New Zealand Government has revealed a 90 percent increase in student visa fees for applicants from Nigeria and other non-Pacific countries.

Starting October 1, 2024, the cost of a student visa will jump from NZD395 (approximately $238) to NZD750 (around $452).

This fee adjustment is part of a comprehensive overhaul across various visa categories aimed at aligning charges more closely with processing costs.

Read Also: UAE Denies Imposing $10k Bank Balance, N640k Fee On Nigerian Visa Applicants

The visa application process is categorized into three bands: Band A for New Zealand residents renewing visas, Band B for Pacific nation citizens, and Band C for all other countries, including Nigeria.

Under the new fee structure, Band C student visa applicants will face a significant rise.

Previously, fees for Band C were set at NZD395, while Band A and Band B fees were NZD375 and NZD315, respectively.

In addition to student visas, other visa categories will also see increases. Post-study work visas for Band C applicants will rise by 139%, from NZD700 ($422) to NZD1,670 (around $1,006).

The fee for skilled residence visas under Band C will increase by 16%, from NZD2,480 ($1,494) to NZD2,880 ($1,735).

Further adjustments are anticipated for other visa types, including the Entrepreneur Work Visa.

The New Zealand Government has defended the recent visa fee increases as necessary to align with the true costs of processing applications.

To support regional neighbors, the government will continue to offer subsidized visa fees for applicants from Pacific countries.

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford stated, as reported by Indian Travel Times, that despite these fee hikes, New Zealand’s visa costs will remain competitive with those of Australia and the United Kingdom.

Additionally, updates have been made to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme.

Although the AEWV application fee will decrease from NZD540 to NZD480, the immigration levy will see a significant rise from NZD210 to NZD1,060.

The Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) is pivotal to New Zealand’s strategy of prioritizing local workers while enabling employers to recruit skilled migrants during genuine labor shortages.

Recent updates to the AEWV scheme include new requirements for migrant workers.

Applicants for low-skilled roles classified under ANZSCO levels 4 and 5 must now meet an English language requirement.

Employers will also be required to consult with Work and Income, New Zealand’s welfare agency, before they can hire migrants for these positions.

Furthermore, the maximum continuous stay for most roles at these levels will be shortened from five years to three years.

 

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Music Icon Quincy Jones Passes Away At 91

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Quincy Jones, the legendary music producer, composer, and cultural icon whose career spanned over seven decades, has passed away at the age of 91.

Jones died peacefully on Sunday night at his Bel Air home, surrounded by family, according to his publicist, Arnold Robinson.

“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” his family said in a statement. “And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”

Renowned for his unmatched versatility, Jones collaborated with some of the greatest musical talents of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, and Will Smith. He played an integral role in producing Jackson’s groundbreaking albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad, which catapulted the pop star to global superstardom and earned Jones worldwide acclaim.

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Born in Chicago in 1933, Jones’ journey into music began early. His childhood introduction came from a neighbor’s piano playing and his mother’s singing. After moving to Washington state following his parents’ divorce, he honed his skills in his high school band and began playing with a young Ray Charles in Seattle’s vibrant club scene.

Jones’ career took off in New York, where he played trumpet in Elvis Presley’s early TV performances and worked with bebop legends like Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. By 1958, he was working with Frank Sinatra, arranging for the singer’s band at the request of Princess Grace Kelly. Their partnership flourished, spanning several projects including Sinatra’s final album LA Is My Lady in 1984.

Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Jones’ talents extended into film and television scores, composing music for films such as The Italian Job, In the Heat of the Night, and the acclaimed The Color Purple, for which he earned three Oscar nominations. He also scored hit TV shows including The Bill Cosby Show and Roots.

In 1985, Jones produced and co-conducted the charity anthem “We Are the World” alongside Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, raising millions for Ethiopian famine relief. Despite personal and professional challenges—including surviving a near-fatal brain aneurysm in 1974—Jones’s career continued to thrive.

Jones’ influence wasn’t limited to music. In 1990, he founded Quincy Jones Entertainment, the company behind the popular sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which launched the career of Will Smith. His media ventures also included the creation of Qwest TV, an on-demand music streaming service, and the magazine Vibe, which celebrated Black music and culture.

Over his career, Jones earned 80 Grammy nominations, winning 28—making him one of the most decorated artists in the award’s history. Tributes poured in following news of his death. Actor Michael Caine, who shared Jones’ birthdate, called him “a wonderful and unique human being.” Music artists such as LL Cool J expressed gratitude, saying, “You were a father and example at a time when I truly needed one. Music would not be music without you.”

Jones is survived by his seven children, leaving behind an indelible legacy that will resonate through generations to come. His life’s work transformed music, television, and culture, proving that there truly was no limit to what Quincy Jones could accomplish.

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Prayers Won’t Build Roads, Fund Children’s Education – Jesse Jagz To Nigerians

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Singer and rapper Jesse Jagz has called on Nigerians to rethink their approach to religion.

Jagz suggested that African traditional religious gods have become ineffective, attributing this to the excessive alcohol given to them during rituals, which, according to him, has made them obese, diabetic, and unable to aid their worshipers.

Speaking on the ‘Big Talk’ podcast, the rapper also criticized followers of foreign religions for relying solely on prayer and expecting miracles without putting in the necessary effort. He stressed that prayers alone cannot provide essential social services or infrastructure.

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“When you go to a shrine and you see the priest pouring gin on the gods, Google how much a bottle of gin was in slavery. 40 slaves.

“Our gods are drunk on alcohol and meat. They are obese and diabetic.

“They can’t help us do anything. Prayers do not build roads or buy books for children. We have forgotten humanity,” he said.

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Presidents Invite Me To Dinner Wherever I Go – Davido Boasts

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Renowned Nigerian singer, David Adeleke, known by his stage name Davido, has stated that he receives special treatment globally due to his celebrity status.

The Afrobeats sensation mentioned that he is frequently invited to presidential dinners in nearly every country he visits, with the exception of the United States and the United Kingdom.

In a recent interview with Kiss Fresh London, Davido confidently shared that his fanbase includes influential figures such as the World Bank president, presidents of powerful nations, and other notable personalities.

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“Every country we go to, the President invites us for dinner except London [United Kingdom] and the United States of America.

“It’s beautiful to see. I mean, leaving my country, Nigeria, and people welcoming me like the president in other countries, shows how well Nigeria is doing around the world in terms of music and cultural impacts,” he said.

Davido has expressed that he feels most respected in Africa, which is why he cherishes his African tours more than those in Europe and America, even though the latter bring him greater financial rewards.

He shared that his Jamaican collaborator, YG Marley, was astonished by the immense admiration from fans when he visited Nigeria for the video shoot of their joint hit, ‘Awuke.’

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