How long you can work on a Post-study work visa

You can get a Post-study work visa for 1, 2 or 3 years depending on your qualifications, where you studied and if you are working towards occupational registration.

Check your qualification first

Before you apply, check that you have a qualification we will accept.

Acceptable qualifications for a Post-study work visa

If you held a student visa or had made a student visa application by 8 August 2018

You can apply to work for up to 3 years on a Post-study work visa if, on 8 August 2018:

you were already studying in New Zealand on a student visa, or
we had accepted your application for a student visa.

You must have been studying, or have applied to study, an acceptable qualification. If you have completed two qualifications at levels 4 to 6 (i.e. one qualification at level 4 and one qualification at level 5) then your qualifications must have started in either the same or consecutive calendar years, to be eligible for a three year visa. If you did not start these qualifications in the same or consecutive calendar year you may be eligible for a one year visa instead.

If you get a student visa after 8 August 2018

The length of your Post-study work visa depends on where you studied for your acceptable qualification and what it was.

If you studied in Auckland

Confirm that your education provider is in Auckland.

Education organisations in Auckland

You have a Level 7 qualification or higher

If you have a Level 7 Bachelor's degree or higher, you can apply for a Post-study work visa for 3 years.

If you have a Level 7 Graduate Diploma, you can apply for a Post-study work visa for 1 year. You can apply to work for 1 more year if you are working towards occupational registration with a registration body included in a list of acceptable registration authorities. For example, teachers need 2 years' work experience before they can get a full practising certificate.

Occupational registration for a Post-study work visa

If you have another Level 7 qualification, you can apply for a Post-study work visa for 1 year.

Your qualification is at Level 4, 5 or 6

If you have 1 or more acceptable qualifications at Levels 4 to 6, you can apply for a Post-study work visa for 1 year.

If you studied outside Auckland

If you have an acceptable qualification that you completed somewhere else in New Zealand before 31 December 2021, then you can apply for a Post-study work visa for 2 or 3 years. If you complete your qualification after 31 December 2021, the length of your visa will be the same as for people who studied in Auckland.

You have a Level 7 qualification or higher

If you have a Level 7 Bachelor's degree or higher, you can apply for a Post-study work visa to work in New Zealand for 3 years.

If you complete a Graduate Diploma or another Level 7 qualification:

on or before 31 December 2021, you can apply for a Post-study work visa for 2 years
after 31 December 2021, you can apply for a Post-study work visa for 1 year.

Your qualification is at Level 4, 5 or 6

If you complete 1 or more acceptable qualifications at Levels 4 to 6:

on or before 31 December 2021, you can apply for a visa to work in New Zealand for 2 years.
after 31 December 2021, you can apply for a visa to work in New Zealand for 1 year.

If you studied by distance or off-campus

If your distance-learning provider is based in Auckland, then your visa will be the same length as someone who completed the same qualification at the Auckland campus.