Student Visa

Yes, if your visa conditions allow it. Eligible students can work up to 25 hours a week during study - the cap rose from 20 to 25 hours on 3 November 2025 - and full-time during scheduled holidays if the course meets the credit requirements. If your visa still carries an old 20-hour condition, you can apply to INZ for a variation of conditions to move to 25 hours.

For tertiary and English-language study you must show NZD 20,000 for each year of study, or NZD 1,667 for each month for courses shorter than a year, on top of tuition. School students in Years 1 to 13 must show NZD 17,000 per year (NZD 1,417 per month). Funds must be genuinely available to you - bank statements with a clear history are the standard evidence.

INZ lists the Fee Paying Student Visa from NZD 850. All applications must be submitted online - INZ no longer accepts paper applications for this visa. Budget separately for medical examinations, police certificates where required, and compulsory insurance.

INZ currently lists 80% of Fee Paying Student Visa applications processed within 9.5 weeks. Apply well before your course start date and make the funds evidence clean and complete - incomplete financial documents are the most common cause of delay.

Yes. You must hold acceptable travel and health insurance from when your course starts until your visa expires - most education providers arrange a compliant policy as part of enrolment. PhD students are exempt from the insurance requirement.

Up to 4 years, matched to the length of your enrolment and tuition payment. Longer programmes are typically covered by consecutive visas, so keep your enrolment, insurance, and funds evidence ready for each renewal.

Graduates of eligible qualifications can apply for the Post-Study Work Visa, an open work visa of 1 to 3 years depending on the qualification level. Bachelor's degrees and above typically qualify for 3 years. That window is the standard bridge into an Accredited Employer Work Visa or Skilled Migrant Category residence.

You need to show evidence of funds for living costs, currently NZD 20,000 per year, in addition to evidence of tuition payment or a financial guarantee. Insufficient funds for living costs is a common reason a student visa is declined — verify the current amount on the Immigration New Zealand website.

Immigration New Zealand currently lists the Fee Paying Student Visa fee from NZD 850. Confirm the current fee on the Immigration New Zealand website before applying.

After completing an eligible qualification you can move from a Student Visa to a Post-Study Work Visa for 1 to 3 years of open work rights, then secure a skilled role to transition to an Accredited Employer Work Visa or apply for Skilled Migrant Category residence. Confirm current pathways on the Immigration New Zealand website.