New Zealand guide · verified 2026-07-04
Working While Studying in New Zealand, and Staying After
Working & staying on
Work rights during study are solid (25 hrs/week in term, unrestricted for PhD/Research Masters), and the real draw is after graduation: a Post Study Work Visa of up to 3 years with open work rights, plus a genuine, sometimes immediate, Green List pathway to residence for in-demand occupations.
Work while studying
25 hrs/week in term; full-time in scheduled breaks
Raised from 20 to 25 hrs/week from 3 November 2025. Applies to eligible tertiary students (NZQCF level 4+, or courses of 2+ years), eligible secondary students (Years 12 to 13, with written permission), and eligible English-language students on qualifying courses. Self-employment is not permitted under a student visa.
Research Masters / PhD
No weekly hour limit
Full-time study enrolment must be maintained; work is otherwise unrestricted.
Ineligible study types
Training schemes, micro-credentials generally excluded
Confirm the specific course's work-rights condition on the visa grant letter rather than assuming eligibility.
Post Study Work Visa duration
ConditionalUp to 3 years for level 9-10 (Masters/Doctorate, ≥30 weeks full-time); level 8 Postgraduate Diploma and level 7 Bachelors get a visa matched to study length
INZ's own duration page is explicit that the flat 3-year grant is only for a Master's or Doctoral qualification (level 9-10, ≥30 weeks full-time). A level 8 Postgraduate Diploma or level 7 Bachelors instead gets a visa 'the same length of time as your study', worked out from the Offer of Place, in practice close to 3 years for a standard 3-year Bachelors, but shorter for a shorter program. Don't quote a flat 3 years for every Bachelors or Postgraduate Diploma graduate, only Masters/Doctorate gets it. From 16 November 2026, eligibility extends to a level 7 graduate diploma combined with a bachelor's degree (completed in NZ or overseas, no time limit on when it was awarded).
- Qualifications needed for a Post Study Work Visa, Immigration New Zealand (INZ)
- How long you can stay on a Post Study Work Visa, Immigration New Zealand (INZ)
- Staying to work after finishing your study, Immigration New Zealand (INZ)
- New and updated post-study work visa options (incl. Short-term Graduate Work Visa, Nov 2026), Immigration New Zealand (INZ)
Short-term Graduate Work Visa (new, from 16 Nov 2026)
6 months open work rights
A new, separate option for eligible graduates who have completed (or are completing) study in New Zealand, intended to give time to find work and, where eligible, transition to an Accredited Employer Work Visa. Confirm final eligibility detail closer to the 16 Nov 2026 start, since this is a recently-announced change.
Green List, Straight to Residence (Tier 1)
Residence without a NZ work-experience wait
For occupations on the Green List's Tier 1, a qualifying job offer from an accredited employer can lead directly to a residence application, without first working the role for a set period.
Green List, Work to Residence (Tier 2)
Residence after 24 months in the role
Skilled Migrant Category changes
Further point-system changes from 24 August 2026
New Zealand graduates now score higher SMC points, easing the study-to-residence transition, but the points system itself is subject to change; re-confirm before advising a student on their residence pathway.
Work within the 25-hour cap while studying
Confirm eligibility on the student visa grant letter, then work up to 25 hrs/week during term and full-time in scheduled breaks (including the Christmas/New Year break). Research Masters and PhD students face no weekly cap provided they remain enrolled full-time.
Apply for the Post Study Work Visa after graduating
OptionalCheck the qualification against the current eligible list (degree level 7+, ≥30 weeks full-time in NZ; or an eligible non-degree qualification of level 4-7) and apply within the window after the student visa expires, commonly within 3 months, extending to 6 months for doctoral graduates. Remember the duration itself differs by level: only level 9-10 (Masters/Doctorate) gets a flat 3 years, while a level 8 Postgraduate Diploma or level 7 Bachelors gets a visa matched to study length. Confirm the exact current windows and the 2026 graduate-diploma expansion before applying.
When: Shortly after graduating; deadlines vary by qualification typeTarget Green List roles or build toward the Skilled Migrant Category
OptionalFor graduates in Green List sectors (healthcare, engineering, construction, ICT, teaching, and other shortage areas), an accredited-employer job offer can mean immediate residence (Tier 1) or residence after 24 months (Tier 2). Outside the Green List, the Skilled Migrant Category points system is the standard route, New Zealand-earned qualifications now score more favourably, but the points thresholds change, so re-verify current settings before setting expectations.
Sources
- Working on a student visa, hours, eligibility, conditions, Immigration New Zealand (INZ)
- Post Study Work Visa, overview, fee, processing, Immigration New Zealand (INZ)
- Qualifications needed for a Post Study Work Visa, Immigration New Zealand (INZ)
- Green List pathway to residence, Immigration New Zealand (INZ)
- New and updated post-study work visa options (incl. Short-term Graduate Work Visa, Nov 2026), Immigration New Zealand (INZ)
Where this fits
This is one step of the full New Zealand journey: admission, tests, application, visa, money, arrival and stay-back, every figure cited to an official source.
More on New Zealand
Bramica is independent and takes no commission from any university, recruiter or agency. This page is information, not immigration advice. Rules, fees and thresholds change; confirm the current requirement on the official source before acting on it.