New Zealand announces big changes in immigration rules for international students

Studying in New Zealand is expected to become the new hotspot for international students. The New Zealand government has unveiled The International Education Going for Growth plan, which aims to double the value of foreign education to $7.2 billion in 2034, up from $3.6 billion in 2024.

In a bid to become a preferred study abroad destination, New Zealand plans to grow student enrolments from 83,400 in 2024 to 105,000 in 2027 and 119,000 by 2034.

To achieve the new objective, New Zealand will be modifying its immigration rules by opening the door for genuine students by providing a high-quality education for students who come to study in New Zealand.

New Zealand will expand in-study work rights for eligible students, and extend eligibility for in-study work rights for students on approved exchange and Study Abroad programmes.

From November, New Zealand is increasing the number of hours eligible students can work while holding a student visa, from 20 to 25 hours a week.

From 3 November 2025, eligible tertiary and secondary school students will be allowed to work up to 25 hours a week during the semester – an increase from the current 20-hour limit. This will apply to all new student visas granted from that date, even if the application was submitted earlier.

If you already have a student visa with a 20-hour work limit and want to work up to 25 hours, you will need to apply for a variation of conditions or a new student visa. The relevant immigration fees will apply.

Many student visas already allow full-time work during summer and other scheduled breaks. If your visa includes this, you might not need to apply for the extra 5 hours right away. You can choose to apply for the variation of conditions after summer, if your visa is still valid.

The Pathway Student Visa Pilot, with a view to introducing multi-year visas for students on multi-year programmes, will also be reviewed.

New Zealand is expected to introduce a new 6-month duration work visa for sub-degree international graduate students to serve as a bridge to the Accredited Employer Work Visa.

International students wishing to study in New Zealand must obtain an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) to prove that their qualifications can be accepted in New Zealand.

But from 23 June 2025, Immigration New Zealand has updated the List of Qualifications Exempt from IQA.
Qualifications from the countries that have been added to the exempt list include India, France, Germany, Italy, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden and Switzerland.

New Zealand is a popular study location among Indian students. Between January and August 2024, overall international student enrolments from India increased by 34% to 10,640, up from 7,930 in the same period in 2023.

Sanjay Laul, Founder of MSM Group says, “We commend New Zealand for setting a bold and strategic course in international education. What also makes New Zealand different is its student-friendly policy approach. A recent decision to allow 25 hours of part-time work during academic terms is quite progressive and provides a good balance between studies and gaining valuable work experience. At a time when many traditional study destinations are tightening work rights, New Zealand is clearly positioning itself as a student-first nation.”