Working while studying

The main purpose of a Student Visa or Permit is to allow international students to study full time in New Zealand. However, in some cases you may be granted a limited opportunity to work while studying. Your course of study must require you to be in New Zealand for more than one year. Even then, you can only undertake employment if you need to work to:

• meet a course requirement for practical work experience.
• support your full-time, long-term course of tertiary study. You can apply for a change to your Student Permit conditions to allow you to work up to 15 hours per week during term time
• support yourself over the Christmas-New Year holidays. But only if you are studying full time and your course is more than 12 months long
• to gain practical experience in New Zealand. Following the completion of your polytechnic or university course, you may be eligible for a Work Permit once you've successfully completed your course, if that course took at least three years to complete or it is a course that would qualify for points under our Skilled Migrant Category.

If you're eligible you may get a Work Permit for up to two years following the completion of your course so that you can gain practical work experience in New Zealand.

To be eligible:

• The work experience must relate to your qualification
• you must provide:
  • a completed work permit application form and fee
  • evidence you have completed a course with a minimum completion time of three years, or a qualification that would qualify for points under our Skilled Migrant Category

  • evidence that you have a job offer relevant to your qualification.