U13.15 Work conditions for tertiary students (21/01/2014)

1. For tertiary students, a student visa may be granted with conditions to allow the holder to work during the academic year, and during any scheduled vacations, including within the academic year.
2. Tertiary students aged 16 or 17 years of age must have written permission from their education provider and written parental consent to be granted conditions allowing work.

U13.15.1 Work conditions for up to twenty hours in any given week

A tertiary student visa holder may be granted with conditions to work for up to 20 hours in any given week during the validity of the visa if the student is:

1. undertaking a full-time programme of study (see U6.1.1) of at least two academic years’ duration; or
2. undertaking a full-time programme of study, culminating in a New Zealand qualification that would qualify for points under the Skilled Migrant Category (see SM14); or
3. undertaking a full-time programme of study of at least one academic year's duration as part of an approved tertiary student exchange scheme (see E11.45); or
4. engaged in a full-time programme of study of at least six months’ duration; and
   1. an immigration officer is satisfied that the primary purpose of the programme of study is to develop English language skills; and
   2. the student can provide a certificate (no more than 2 years old at the time the application is lodged) from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) which shows an overall band score of at least 5.0 in the IELTS (General or Academic Module); or
5. undertaking full-time English language study of at least 14 consecutive weeks’ duration at an education provider that:
   1. is a university; or
   2. holds Category One status under the NZQA EER quality assurance system; or
6. undertaking a full-time foundation programme that commenced on or before 28 February 2014 and that programme of study is of at least one academic year’s duration at level four or higher on the New Zealand Qualification Framework at an education provider in Canterbury that:
   1. is a university; or
   2. holds Category One status under the New Zealand Qualifications Authority’s (NZQA) External Evaluation Review (EER) quality assurance system; or
   3. is on a three-year audit cycle if no EER report is available for that provider.

U13.15.5 Full time work rights during Christmas-New Year vacation period

A student visa may be granted with conditions to allow the holder to work full-time during the Christmas-New Year vacation period provided that the student is:

1. studying full-time (see U6.1.1); and
2. enrolled in a programme of study that has a minimum duration of at least two semesters during a period of at least eight months.

U13.15.10 Full time work rights during scheduled vacations

1. A student visa may be granted with conditions to allow the holder to work full-time during all scheduled vacations, if the student is undertaking a full-time programme of study (see U6.1.1) of at least one academic year’s duration.
2. Despite (a) where scheduled vacations are more than one third of the programme of study duration for programmes of study offered by tertiary providers other than universities, full-time work rights may not be granted.

Note: An academic year means a programme of study of a minimum of 120 credits during a period of at least eight months (minimum of two semesters)

U13.15.15 Work conditions for masters by research or doctoral students

A student visa may be granted with conditions to allow the holder unlimited work rights if the student is:

1. undertaking a Masters by Research or Doctoral degree, and
2. the qualification is awarded by a New Zealand tertiary institution.

Effective 21/01/2014