Employment - Permanent residency in New Zealand

International students in New Zealand are allowed to work part-time during their studies and full-time during holidays and semester breaks. After graduation, students may stay and work in New Zealand for 1 – 3 years and can apply for residency if they meet the requirements.

Please refer to the information below and contact us for further advice and support.

Working part-time

Please refer to the information about part-time work for international students here.

International students in New Zealand are entitled to:

Work up to 25 hours per week during study periods for those holding student visas issued from 3 November 2025 onwards. If your current student visa was issued before this date (with a 20-hour limit), you must apply for a “variation of conditions” or a new visa to update your work rights. See details here
Work without hourly restrictions if you are a Master’s by Research or PhD student.
Work full-time during official holiday periods, applicable to all students who are eligible for work rights.

When international students wish to work in New Zealand, the first required step is to apply for an IRD number – your personal tax identification number issued by Inland Revenue. This is mandatory, as all income earned from work must be declared and taxed correctly. Without an IRD number, you may still work, but your tax will be deducted at a significantly higher rate.

How to apply for an IRD number:

Can only be submitted after receiving a valid student visa.
Apply online via the Inland Revenue (IRD) website.
Processing time is usually 7–10 working days.
Commonly required documents:
- Passport
- Visa or eVisa
- A New Zealand bank account number
- A New Zealand contact address

Tips for finding a job in New Zealand:

Refer to official and reputable sources such as:

New Zealand Education: provides tips, information on part-time work, employment rights, tax, how to handle workplace issues, etc.
Work on a student visa
Find a part-time job
Employee rights
Getting paid and tax
Problems at work
Employability skills

Popular job search websites: Seek, TradeMe Jobs, Student Job Search, etc.

Work after graduation

Please refer to the post-study work policy here.

After completing their program, international students may apply for a Post Study Work Visa (PSWV) to stay and work in New Zealand.

Duration of stay: up to 3 years, depending on qualification and length of study:
- If you complete a Master’s or PhD and have studied in New Zealand for at least 30 weeks, you may stay and work for 3 years.
- If you complete a Level 8 qualification or below, your visa duration will match the actual length of your study, confirmed by your education provider.
- If you fail a course or take longer than the time stated in your offer of place, this does not extend the visa duration. If your actual study time differs from the offer of place, the visa office may request additional information from the school. See details here.
Cost of applying for PSWV: from NZD $1,670
Processing time: 80% of applications are processed within around 5 weeks
Pathway to residency: this visa can be a stepping stone toward long-term residency
Basic requirements:
- Completion of an approved qualification in New Zealand
- Submit your application within 3, 6, or 12 months after your student visa expires (depending on your qualification and visa type)
- Have at least NZD $5,000 to cover living expenses
- Meet health, character, and work–study intention requirements
Benefits:
- Stay and work for up to 3 years after graduation
- If you complete a Bachelor’s degree (Level 7) or higher: you may work for any employer in any occupation
- If you complete a qualification below Bachelor’s (non-degree Level 7 or lower): your qualification must be on the eligible list, and your job must be related to your field of study
- Possibility to sponsor spouse and children:
  - Spouse may apply for an open work visa
  - Children may apply for a student visa and study at local primary or secondary schools with domestic tuition rights (no school fees)

Apply for Permanent Residency

On 23 September 2025, the New Zealand Government announced significant changes to the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa (SMC Resident Visa). These adjustments aim to help employers retain skilled talent while supporting long-term economic growth.

Two new residency pathways will be introduced from August 2026:

Skilled Work Experience Pathway: for individuals working in skilled roles (ANZSCO level 1–3) with at least 5 years of relevant experience, including 2 years of work experience in New Zealand with earnings of at least 1.1 times the median wage.
Trades and Technician Pathway: for tradespeople and technicians on the specified list, holding a Level 4 or higher qualification and having at least 4 years of post-qualification experience, including 18 months in New Zealand with earnings at or above the median wage.

Applicants must still meet requirements for health, character, and English language proficiency. Some occupations on the Red List will be excluded from the new pathways, while those on the Amber List will have additional criteria to ensure that only genuinely skilled roles are eligible.

Some other notable changes include:

Increasing points for New Zealand university qualifications, making it easier for graduates to transition into residency. Applicants seeking points for a postgraduate qualification must also hold a bachelor’s degree.
Reducing the New Zealand work experience requirement for some existing pathways: from 3 years down to 2 years for most migrants.
Removing the requirement for a higher wage threshold when applying for residency. Instead, migrants only need to maintain earnings at or above the median wage throughout the required work period in New Zealand.

Table 1- Summary of the changes to SMC

Points	Current SMC settings	Length of NZ work experience to reach 6 points	New SMC settings	Length of NZ work experience to reach 6 points
6	Qualification: Doctoral degree Registration: New Zealand recognised registration in a specified occupation, requiring at least 6 years’ training Income: Job or job offer that pays at least 3 times median wage	You do not need to claim points from work experience.	Qualification: Doctoral degree or New Zealand master’s degree Registration: New Zealand recognised registration in a specified occupation, requiring at least 6 years’ training Income: Job or job offer that pays at least 3 times median wage	You do not need to claim points from work experience.
5	Qualification: Master’s degree Registration: New Zealand recognised registration in a specified occupation, requiring at least 5 years’ training	1 year	Qualification: Master’s degree gained outside New Zealand, New Zealand bachelor’s degree, honours degree, post-graduate diploma or post-graduate certificate Registration: New Zealand recognised registration in a specified occupation, requiring at least 5 years’ training	1 year
4	Qualification: Honours degree, post-graduate diploma Registration: New Zealand recognised registration in a specified occupation, requiring at least 4 years’ training Income: Job or job offer that pays at least 2 times median wage	2 years	Qualification: Honours degree, post-graduate diploma gained outside New Zealand, bachelor’s degree gained outside New Zealand and post-graduate certificate Registration: New Zealand recognised registration in a specified occupation, requiring at least 4 years’ training Income: Job or job offer that pays at least 2 times median wage	1.5 years
3	Qualification: Bachelor’s degree or post-graduate certificate Registration: New Zealand recognised registration in a specified occupation, requiring at least 2 years’ training Income: Job or job offer that pays at least 1.5 times median wage	3 years	Registration: New Zealand recognised registration in a specified occupation, requiring at least 2 years’ training Income: Job or job offer that pays at least 1.5 times median wage	2 years
Does not apply	Wage assessment Relevant wage rate assessed at start of required New Zealand work experience and at residence application.	Does not apply	Wage assessment Removed requirement for relevant wage to be met when applying for residence. Instead, relevant wage rate must be maintained throughout the required period of NZ work experience through to residence.	Does not apply

Table 2- New pathways & eligibility requirements

New pathways and job lists	Eligibility requirements
Trades and technician pathway	To apply under this pathway, you must: work in 1 of the specified trades or technician roles (ANZSCO skill level 1 to 3), and have a relevant Level 4 or higher qualification (of at least 120 points), and have at least 4 years of post-qualification directly relevant skilled work experience, including 18 months in New Zealand paid at or above the median wage. A table listing the specific trades and technicians qualifications will be published on our website in the coming months.
Skilled work experience pathway	To apply under this pathway, you must: work in a skilled role (ANZSCO skill level 1 to 3), and have at least 5 years of directly relevant skilled work experience, including 2 years in New Zealand paid at or above 1.1 times the median wage.
Red list	Red list occupations will be excluded from the new skilled work experience and trades and technicians pathways. Migrants applying for these roles may still be eligible under other SMC pathways, for example Bachelor’s or above qualification or 1.5 times the median wage.
Amber list	Occupations on the amber list will have additional eligibility criteria to access the skilled work experience pathway, these occupations will not be eligible for the trades and technician pathway.

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Date: Mar 27, 2026