Student Visa

Our Student Visa

A student visa allows you to study in New Zealand. If you are intending to study at a tertiary education institute like a university, you will need to pay international student fees. You will receive an excellent education and upon conclusion of your studies, you may become eligible to apply for an open work visa. In some cases, studying in New Zealand at the tertiary level will assist you to gain employment or residence in New Zealand.


Internation Student Work Rights In New Zealand

You can work part-time for up to 20 hours per week if your full-time programme of study meet certain requirements.

The most common are:

  1. Studying for at least two years between level 4-6 course or one year course of level 7 or higher.
  2. The study leads to a NZ qualification that gains points for residence under the Skilled Migrant Category.
  3. Studying an English language course that meets conditions approved by Immigration New Zealand.

You may work full-time during all vacations during study of at least one academic year. You can work full-time over the Christmas and New Year holiday period if studying for at least eight months course that has minimum of two semesters.

If you are enrolled in Masters by research or doctoral degree programmes awarded by a New Zealand tertiary institution, there are no restrictions on the hours you can work while studying. There are unlimited work rights for PhD and Masters research students


Essentials Skills Policy - work Visa

The essential skills policy is aimed at attracting highly skilled workers and to protect the interest of New Zealand citizens and residents.

The policy states that immigration officers must not issue a work visa where it is found that that there are New Zealand citizens or residents who can either take up the job offer or trained to do the work on offer. To determine the availability of workers among New Zealand citizens and residents, the immigration officers are obliged to seek advice from the Work and Income, a wing of the Ministry of Social Development.

Under the policy, the immigration officers cannot approve applications for ANZSCO skill level 4 and 5 jobs (jobs that are not deemed skilled under the skilled migrant policy) unless advice is sought from Work and Income.

This requirement to seek advice from another government body will lead to fewer grant of work visas and will delay the process. Where an occupation is included in the Long Term Skill Shortage List or immediate shortage list and if the applicant meets the specific requirement listed in the lists, then immigration will accept that no New Zealand citizens or residents are available.