NZ Post-Study Work Visa Guide

The Post-Study Work Visa lets you stay and work in New Zealand after you finish studying there, for up to 3 years. This guide covers who qualifies, the qualification rules, the documents and the deadlines. Verified against immigration.govt.nz, October 2026.

The 15-second answer

You can stay and work in New Zealand for up to 3 years, depending on the level of your qualification and how long you spent studying for it. You must apply no later than 3 months after your student visa expires.

How long you can stay

You can stay and work in New Zealand for up to 3 years, depending on the level of your qualification and how long you spent studying for it.

Who can apply

To apply, you must have recently finished studying in New Zealand and have:

• A degree level 7 or higher qualification — level 8 postgraduate diploma, level 9 master’s degree or level 10 doctoral degree, or
• A non-degree level 7 or lower qualification that is on the list of qualifications eligible for a Post-Study Work Visa — in which case you must intend to work in a job that is related to what you studied, and apply in time.

You must also be in good health, have a good character, have a genuine reason for coming to New Zealand, and have enough money to pay your expenses.

Your New Zealand qualification

You must have gained a qualification in New Zealand that lets you apply for this visa. You must provide one of the following:

• A copy of your qualification, or
• Your academic transcript, or
• A letter from your tertiary education provider confirming you have completed your qualification.

If you studied a degree level 7 or higher qualification, you must have studied it full-time for at least 30 weeks in New Zealand. If you studied a non-degree level 7 or lower qualification, it must be on the eligible list, your study must have been full-time in New Zealand for the full duration required to gain the qualification, and the job you take must be related to what you studied — this will be specified in your visa conditions.

If you immediately follow your first qualification with a higher-level qualification that you studied towards for less than 30 weeks, which does not meet the Post-Study Work Visa requirements, you can apply based on your first qualification.

When to apply

You must apply no later than 3 months after your student visa expires (or within 3 months of the end date of your student visa for a second qualification, in the consecutive-study case), except if you completed:

• A doctoral degree — no later than 6 months after your student visa expires.
• An eligible qualification and then immediately a higher-level qualification in less than 30 weeks — no later than 12 months after your student visa for the first qualification expires.

Immigration New Zealand will check its records to make sure you are applying in time. If you did not complete the qualification recorded on your student visa, your application may not be approved.

Health and character

You may be asked for a chest X-ray, a medical examination or both. Providing a police certificate depends on your age and how long you will be in New Zealand — generally if you are 17 or older and your total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer, you must provide police certificates less than 6 months old, from countries you are a citizen of and countries you have spent more than 5 years in since turning 17.

Documents you will need

See the NZ post-study work visa documents checklist, or if you are moving to an employer role, the NZ accredited employer work visa documents checklist.

Frequently asked questions

How long can I stay on a Post-Study Work Visa?
You can stay and work in New Zealand for up to 3 years, depending on the level of your qualification and how long you spent studying for it.

Who can apply?
You must have recently finished studying in New Zealand and hold a degree level 7 or higher qualification, or a non-degree level 7 or lower qualification on the eligible list, and meet the health, character, genuine-reason and funds requirements.

What qualification do I need?
A degree level 7 or higher (level 8 postgraduate diploma, level 9 master's degree or level 10 doctoral degree), or a non-degree level 7 or lower qualification on the list of qualifications eligible for a Post-Study Work Visa.

What documents prove my qualification?
You must provide one of: a copy of your qualification, your academic transcript, or a letter from your tertiary education provider confirming you have completed your qualification.

How long must I have studied full-time?
For a degree level 7 or higher qualification you must have studied it full-time for at least 30 weeks in New Zealand. Non-degree qualifications must have been studied full-time for the full duration required to gain the qualification.

When must I apply?
No later than 3 months after your student visa expires, or no later than 6 months if you completed a doctoral degree.

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Source note: the up-to-3-year stay, the who-can-apply rules (degree level 7 or higher, or a non-degree level 7 or lower qualification on the eligible list with a related job), the three qualification-proof options, the 30-week full-time study rule, the related-job condition, the application deadlines (3 months, 6 months for doctoral, 12 months for the consecutive-qualification case) and the health/character requirements are from Immigration New Zealand, immigration.govt.nz/visas/post-study-work-visa/, checked October 2026.