Staying to Work in New Zealand After You Finish Your Studies- International Students
Apply for this visa if you want to work in New Zealand soon after you have completed your studies here. It allows you to stay and work in New Zealand for up to 3 years, depending on what you studied.
This page explains the key option most graduates use: the post-study work visa in New Zealand.
To apply, you must:
- have recently finished studying in New Zealand for an approved qualification
- apply no later than 3, 6, or 12 months after your student visa expires, depending on what you studied and what visa you had
- have at least NZD $5,000 to pay your living expenses
- meet the other requirements of this visa.
This visa lets you:
- Stay and work in New Zealand for up to 3 years, depending on your study.
- work for any employer in any job if you have a degree level 7 or higher qualification.
- work for an employer in a job that meets our requirements if you have a non-degree level 7 or lower qualification.
- support visas for your partner and dependent children — your partner can apply for a work visa, and your children can apply for student visas to study as domestic students in New Zealand.
Bringing family if you have a work visa
|
Category |
Level 9 Master |
Level 7 Bachelor Programmes |
Level 7 Graduate Dip in ECE Teaching in Green List |
Construction in Green List (Level 7 below) |
|
Duration |
3 Years |
1-3 Years |
2 Years |
2 Years |
|
Job Type |
Any Job for Any Employer |
Any Job for Any Employer |
**Specific Role Directly Relating to Qualification |
**Specific Role Directly Relating to Qualification |
|
During the study, a Partnership open-work Dependant child visa |
Yes ( Green List Only) or No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Here’s the simple way to understand it.
In New Zealand, every qualification is placed on something called the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) framework.
This system ranks study levels from Level 1 to Level 10.
Higher number = higher qualification.
So when they say a degree at Level 7, they mean:
Level 7 = Bachelor’s Degree
This is your standard undergraduate bachelor’s degree.
Examples:
- Bachelor of Business
- Bachelor of IT
- Bachelor of Engineering
- Bachelor of Nursing
- Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Arts
If you complete any of these in New Zealand, you are considered Level 7 or above.
Quick NZ Qualification Levels (easy view)
- Level 5 to 6 → Diploma
- Level 7 → Bachelor’s degree
- Level 8 → Postgraduate Diploma / Honours
- Level 9 → Master’s degree
- Level 10 → PhD / Doctorat
Why Level 7 matters for work visa
This level is important because of the Post Study Work Visa rules.
If you complete a Level 7 degree or higher and study full-time for at least 30 weeks:
You can usually:
- work for any employer
- do almost any job
- stay longer after graduation
In simple words, Level 7 gives you more freedom and better work rights compared to diplomas.
What Work Can You Do
Your work conditions depend on your qualification:
- If you have a Level 7 degree or higher
You can usually work for any employer and in almost any job. - If you have a non-degree Level 7 or lower qualification
You must work in a job that meets the requirements and is related to your studies.
How Long Can You Stay
The visa length depends on your qualification:
- Master’s or Doctoral degree (and you studied for at least 30 weeks): you can work in New Zealand for 3 years.
- Level 8 or below: you may get a visa for a period equal to the time you spent studying for that qualification, as confirmed by your education provider.
Important note: if you fail a course or take longer than your original offer of place, it generally does not extend the length of your post-study work visa.
When to Apply
You must apply for a Post Study Work Visa (PSWV) no later than 3 months after your student visa expires, or within 3 months of the end date of your student visa for a second qualification (if you completed a bachelor's degree immediately followed by an honours or post-graduate diploma and held consecutive student visas for these qualifications), except if you completed:
- a Doctoral degree, you must apply for a PSWV no later than 6 months after your student visa expires an eligible qualification for a PSWV, and then, immediately after, completed a higher-level qualification in less than 30 weeks, you can apply for a PSWV based on your first qualification, no later than 12 months after your student visa for the first qualification expires.
- For example, if you completed a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) that was full-time for at least 30 weeks, and then you enrolled straight away in a Master's degree and completed it in less than 30 weeks, you can apply for a PSWV based on your PGDip, your first qualification. You will have 12 months from the end date of your visa for the PGDip to apply.
Health
We may ask you to have a chest X-ray, a medical examination, or both as proof of your good health.
When we process your application, we will let you know by email if we need you to have a chest X-ray or medical examination.
Why you may need to provide evidence that you are in good health
Update on medical certificate requests on Immigration Online
If you are staying less than:
-
6 months, you do not normally need a chest X-ray
-
12 months, you do not normally need a medical certificate.
Who needs an X-ray or medical examination
How to get an X-ray or medical examination
If staying for more than 6 months
If you will stay in New Zealand for more than 6 months, you must have a chest X-ray if you:
-
are a citizen of a country that does not have a low incidence of tuberculosis (TB), or
-
have spent more than 3 months in the last 5 years in a country that does not have a low incidence of TB.
You must provide a new chest X-ray certificate, even if you have provided one to us previously, if you:
-
have spent 6 months in a row in a country that does not have a low incidence of TB since the date of your last X-ray certificate, and
-
are now coming to New Zealand for more than 6 months — if you are in New Zealand, this includes any time you have already spent here.
Countries with a low incidence of tuberculosis
Character
You may need to provide police certificates as proof of your good character.
If you have a criminal conviction or are a security risk to New Zealand, we might not give you a visa.
Character requirements for New Zealand visas
You must provide police certificates that are less than 6 months old when you apply if:
- You are aged 17 or older, and
- Your total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer. This includes the time you spent in New Zealand in the past on other visas.
Police certificates must be from:
- Countries you are a citizen of, and
- Countries you have spent more than 5 years in since you turned 17.
You do not need to provide police certificates if you provided them with an earlier visa application, and they were issued in the last 24 months.
If we ask for a new police certificate when processing your application, you will need to send us a new one.
Police certificates
How to get a police certificate
Genuine intentions
When we decide if your intentions are genuine, we consider all the information that:
- You provide to support your application
- We have about your personal circumstances
- You have previously provided to us.
Genuine intentions to visit or work in New Zealand
Have enough money to live on
When you apply, you must provide documents, such as bank statements in your name, that show you have at least NZD $5,000 in total for your stay.
This applies to visa applications for 1, 2, or 3 years.
We may ask to see these documents when you arrive in New Zealand.
Documents you need
When you apply
When you apply, you need to provide:
- a copy of your passport or certificate of identity — if you apply on paper, it must be a certified copy
- 1 acceptable photo if you apply online, or 2 photos if you apply on paper
- proof of the qualification you have gained in New Zealand
- police certificates, if required — include translated versions if they are not in English.
Providing your passport for the online application
List of qualifications eligible for a Post Study Work Visa
Choosing Courses That Improve Your Chances
New Zealand recommends thinking about the job market early. Studying for a qualification linked to skills shortages may improve your job prospects.
They also mention the Green List, which highlights roles in demand. If your job is on the Green List and you meet the role requirements, you may be able to move toward residence faster, either immediately or after a period of work.
You can only take a job that is related to what you have studied if it is a non-degree qualification of level 7 or lower.
Table 1: Qualifications eligible for a Post Study Work Visa
|
Qualification |
Knowledge requirements (focus area) |
Related jobs |
|
A graduate diploma at NZQF Level 7 |
Highway engineering or civil engineering |
Construction Project Manager |
|
A graduate diploma at NZQF Level 7 |
Construction management or construction project management |
Construction Project Manager or Project Builder |
|
A graduate diploma at NZQF Level 7 |
Construction |
Project Builder |
|
A Graduate Diploma in Construction at NZQF Level 7 |
Quantity Surveying |
Quantity Surveyor |
|
A Graduate Diploma in Quantity Surveying at NZQF Level 7 |
not applicable (N/A) |
Quantity Surveyor |
|
A graduate diploma acceptable to the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand for registration and The applicant meets all the Council’s other requirements for teacher registration and certification. Registration and Certification — Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand |
N/A |
Primary, Intermediate or Secondary School Teacher |
|
Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood Education) or a comparable qualification that is acceptable to the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand for registration. and The applicant meets all the Council’s other requirements for teacher registration and certification. Registration and Certification — Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand |
N/A |
Early Childhood Teacher |
|
A qualification at NZQF Level 7, with a letter from Engineering New Zealand certifying that the qualification and any further learning meet the benchmark requirements towards Chartered Professional Engineer professional status in New Zealand. |
N/A |
Engineer or Civil, Electrical, Electronic, Mechanical Engineering Technician |
|
A diploma at NZQF Level 6 or higher with a minimum of 240 credits |
Highway engineering, construction, or construction management |
Construction Project Manager or Project Builder |
|
A diploma at NZQF Level 6 or higher with a minimum of 240 credits |
Civil engineering |
Construction Project Manager or Civil Engineering Technician |
|
New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (Level 6) with a strand in Civil Engineering, 240 credits |
N/A |
Construction Project Manager or Civil Engineering Technician |
|
New Zealand Diploma in Construction (Quantity Surveying) Level 6 or higher |
N/A |
Quantity Surveyor or Project Builder |
|
New Zealand Diploma in Construction (Level 6 or higher) with a strand in Quantity Surveying, 240 credits |
N/A |
Quantity Surveyor or Project Builder |
|
New Zealand Diploma in Construction (Level 6 or higher) with a strand in Construction Economics, Construction Management, or Building, 240 credits |
N/A |
Project Builder |
|
New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (Level 6) with a strand in Electrical Engineering, 240 credits |
N/A |
Telecommunications, Telecommunications Network Engineer, or Electrical Engineering Technician |
|
New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (Level 6 or higher) with a strand in Electronics Engineering, 240 credits |
N/A |
Electronic Engineering Technician |
|
New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (Level 6 or higher) with a strand in Mechanical Engineering |
N/A |
Mechanical Engineering Technician |
|
A diploma at NZQF Level 5 or higher |
Farm management, agriculture, or dairy technology |
Dairy Cattle Farmer |
|
A certificate at NZQF Level 4 or higher |
New Zealand Certificate in Automotive Electrical Engineering (NZQF Level 4) |
Automotive Electrician |
|
A certificate at NZQF Level 4 or higher |
New Zealand Certificate in Heavy Automotive Engineering (NZQF Level 4) |
Diesel Motor Mechanic |
|
A certificate at NZQF Level 4 or higher |
Dairy Farming or Livestock Farming strands of the New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture (Level 4) |
Dairy Cattle Farmer |
|
New Zealand Certificate in Automotive Electrical Engineering (Level 4) |
N/A |
Automotive Electrician |
|
New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture (Level 4) with a strand in Dairy Farming or Livestock Farming |
N/A |
Dairy Cattle Farmer |
Bringing Your Partner and Children
If you have a Post Study Work Visa:
- Your partner may be able to apply for a work visa, and
- dependent children may be able to study in New Zealand under domestic settings in some cases
Quick Summary
A Post Study Work Visa can be your next step if you want to:
- Stay in New Zealand after graduation
- Work full-time and gain local experience
- build a pathway toward longer-term visas and possible residence