New Zealand’s Post-Study Work Visa (PSWV) allows international graduates to live and work in New Zealand after meeting the eligibility criteria. These include having an eligible New Zealand qualification from a university in New Zealand, and at least level 7 on NZQF. Students must apply for a post-study work visa in New Zealand within three months of their student visa New Zealand expiring (6 months for PhDs) by submitting the visa application form along with all the required documents through the Immigration New Zealand website. In this article, we will discuss the New Zealand Post-Study Work Visa in detail.
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Who can apply for PSWV New Zealand? International students who meet the following eligibility criteria can apply for a post study work visa in New Zealand.
Completed a full-time qualification with an approved NZ education provider and have at least 7
Completed full-time study in New Zealand for at least 30 weeks.
Hold a valid New Zealand study visa and apply for the PSWV within 3 months after graduating.
The duration of post study work visa New Zealand depends on the qualification level of a student and their chosen field of study. If you have:
Level 7 degree or higher (Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD), the duration of your post study work visa in New Zealand will be up to 3 years (open work rights).
Level 4-6 vocational or shorter qualifications, the duration of your PSWV New Zealand may be for 1 year, if your qualifications align with the list of New Zealand skill-shortage or approved areas.
Note: It is recommended to always confirm the PSWV New Zealand duration on the official website before you apply.
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The processing time for a New Zealand Post-Study Work Visa (PSW) varies, but 90% of the visa applications get processed within 33 days. The application fee for PSWV New Zealand is NZ$1,670. There might be some additional costs like regional fees, biometrics, etc associated with this application fee.
What you can do with PSWV in New Zealand? These include:
International graduates are given open work rights with a post-study work visa in New Zealand. So, you can work for most of the employers and roles until your PSWV is valid.
PSWV New Zealand also offers students the opportunity to gain work experience, strengthening PR applications in the future, if you meet the pa/skill requirements.
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Graduating and working on a PSWV New Zealand is considered to be the first stepping stone for getting permanent residency in New Zealand, including:
Skilled Migrant Category (via work experience & pay thresholds) — students require relevant skilled employment and current median wage/pay thresholds.
Green List / Straight to Residence and Work to Residence — if your certain occupations are a part of the Green List, you will get faster routes, depending on the salary and experience.
Here are the steps to apply for a PSWV New Zealand.
Step 1: Check the official website of Immigration NZ and the “Qualifications needed for a Post Study Work Visa” page to confirm the eligibility criteria.
Step 2: Gather all the required documents including a valid passport, academic transcript, completion letter, New Zealand student visa, medical certificates.
Step 3: Use the Immigration NZ portal and submit your PSWV application with the required documents and pay the PSWV fees.
Step 4: Once you are granted the post study work visa in New Zealand, you can work with any employer and company.
Step 5: While you work, keep a note of your job roles, salary, and appraisals to support Green list applications.
These are the required documents for a post study work visa in New Zealand.
Valid passport
Confirmation of completion (official letter / transcript) from your NZ provider
Student visa history and evidence of full-time study for required weeks
Police certificates or medical certificates (if requested)
Job offer letter (if applying for employer-assisted route later)
Evidence of funds if requested during application
These are some effective tips to maximise your chances of getting PSWV New Zealand approved.
Choose skill-aligned programs: If your occupation falls in the Green List, employers will be more interested and chances of getting PR will be more.
Negotiate salary thinking of PR: If you wish to live and work in New Zealand, aim to get roles that will offer you more than median thresholds.
Keep records of employment: Keep all the contracts, payslips, and reference letters from employers safely to use them later for skilled-migration applications.
Seek professional guidance: Only a licensed immigration lawyer or adviser can help you deal with complex cases involving visa refusals, study gaps etc.
Apply early: Apply as early as possible and avoid gaps between student visa expiry and PSWV start; processing delays can be costly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You need a work visa in New Zealand to stay and work in NZ up to 3 years after masters. If you meet the requirements, you can easily apply for PSWV.
Yes, the easiest way to get PR in NZ is to apply through the Skilled Migration Category after meeting the eligibility criteria. Also, your work profile must be a part of the New Zealand Skills Shortage List.
Yes, students who are able to complete New Zealand qualification successfully, you can then apply for PSW visa in New Zealand. Make sure to apply for a post study work visa New Zealand within 3 months of graduating.
On Question asked by student community
Hello Aspirant.
New Zealand is a great place for studying abroad as it offers a quality education as well as good quality of life. The education system of New Zealand is also designed to be at the advantage of students.
For complete information regarding studying in New Zealand, refer to this link - https://studyabroad.careers360.com/articles/study-in-new-zealand-1
Now, coming to your concerned course ,i.e. Masters in Computer Science, it will be wise to consider studying in New Zealand due to a number of reasons. The factors for it are - all of New Zealand's universities are among 3% of top universities globally, etc.
For complete information regarding Masters in Computer Science from New Zealand, refer to this link - https://www.upgradabroad.com/articles/masters-in-computer-science-in-new-zealand/
Hope you find this helpful. All the best.
To compare your qualifications to those of a doctor trained in New Zealand, go to the Medical Council's website at www.mcnz.org.nz first. Before submitting any job applications, speak with the Medical Council immediately to apply for registration. You should speak with the closest New Zealand consulate office to determine whether you are eligible to immigrate to this nation. These are often found in the New Zealand High Commission or Embassy in the majority of foreign nations.
Your expenses will be majorly covered by the stipend you get and you'll have to arrange some more money for your fees and your stay/food etc.
Hope I have answered your question. All the best!
Hello,
To begin with, New Zealand has more than a half dozen universally-ranked universities offering courses that aren’t only up-to-date and practical but unique in many ways. Also, the small class size, typical of most universities in New Zealand, is built for hands-on educati on. Many students come to New Zealand because the tuition fee is amongst the lowest in the world, or may be because they want to take advantage of the abundant work opportunities that are on offer.
To get to know Living expenses and other details, refer the below link,
https://studyabroad.careers360.com/articles/engineering-in-new-zealand-how-much-does-it-cost
Hope this will help you, good luck!!!
Hello Aspirant
Hope you are doing fine and great. As per your query, I would glad to tell you that admission system of new zealand universities are quite different from indian universities . They consider marks upto a certain level if you do have high academics scores still it is not neccesary that you will get good colleges. You need have to proper justified STATEMENT OF PURPOSE, LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION , HIGH ILETS BAND(ATLEAST 6.5) , transrcipt, CERTIFICATION In some short term courses, Extracicrcularrs like work in ngo or some social work. Try to build your profile in every aspects
Hope you found this answer helpful. Good luck for your future
Hello,
Studying abroad is a big decision to make and for many, finding the right study abroad destination involves meeting several criteria. As You asked for the Safest Countries for Higher studies and Women Safety, Here are the countries,
Hope this information will help you,
Good Luck!!!
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