Student Visa Work Rights
Eligible student visa holders will be permitted to work up to 25 hours per week during the academic term, up from the current 20-hour limit. This change applies to:
- Tertiary and secondary school students with in-study work rights.
- Holders of dependent child visitor visas and Skilled Migrant Category Interim Visas.
- Students on approved exchange or study abroad programs, including one-semester courses.
Students with existing visas must apply for a “variation of conditions” status to access the increased work hours. However, not all visa holders are expected to apply for the additional 5 hours of work rights. Some may choose to wait until their next visa application to include the change, rather than pay to vary their current visa conditions. Others may be nearing the end of their studies and therefore unlikely to apply for the extra work hours.
Guardian Visitor Visa Applications
All applications for Guardian Visitor Visas must be submitted via the enhanced Immigration Online system starting Nov. 3. The new platform offers:
- Streamlined forms tailored to applicant circumstances.
- Real-time status updates and improved self-service features.
- Continued access to draft or submitted applications in the legacy system until further notice.
Why This Matters
These updates reflect New Zealand’s ongoing efforts to support international education and improve visa processing efficiency for students.
Source: New Zealand Immigration
