There's an expectation it will take two years to get the number of international students in vocational education back to pre-Covid levels.
There were about 75-thousand international students in New Zealand last year - 40% less than a peak in 2016.
Vocational Minister Penny Simmonds says told Ryan Bridge centralising Polytech's into Te Pukenga is a big factor, as it caused a financial mess.
She says it's been a nightmare, which is being unpicked.
Te Pukenga is being disestablished by January, with power then going back to individual Polytech's.
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