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INTERNATIONAL students of primary school age will be banned from living in New Zealand without their parents next year after allegations of sexual abuse and "home alone" cases.
A big clamp-down on very young international students was one of two measures announced to protect both students and the reputation of New Zealand's fourth biggest export industry -education.
A report into care of young foreign fee-paying students found teachers considered that many children as young as five sent to New Zealand on their own were not being looked after properly.
It found behaviour problems common among very young international students.
Some schools were taking on students without knowing whether the adult enrolling them was a parent, relative or paid stranger.
The clamp-down will:
* Stop children aged 10 or younger from studying in New Zealand without their parent or a legal guardian living with them.
* Change visa rules so parents can stay with their children for a year at a time while they study in New Zealand. Parents will not be able to work or qualify for free or subsidised healthcare.
* Require schools enrolling children aged 11 to 13 to get special Education Ministry approval before allowing them in without their parents or legal guardians.
Only schools with established boarding facilities will be exempt.
But a new report has found that foreign fee-paying students are generally well-treated in New Zealand schools.
Education Minister Trevor Mallard said the latest Education Review Office (ERO) report it showed international students were getting "quality" education and care.
The report also found that the presence of more than 15,000 foreign fee-paying students in primary and secondary schools was not disadvantaging their Kiwi classmates academically.
The report found the quality of pastoral care - health, well-being and living arrangements - for international students was adequate at most of the 94 schools included in the study.
Students also said homestay families were generally, friendly and helpful.
The most common complaint was a dislike of New Zealand food, while others said they wanted more independence than their homestay carers wanted to give them.