New Zealand has announced an increase in the working hours for international students. Starting November 3, the work hours allowed on student visas have been increased from 20 to 25 hours a week.
If your student visa was granted before 3 November and allows you to work part-time for 20 hours a week, you can apply for a variation of conditions to increase your allowed work hours to 25 hours a week.
International students in New Zealand are allowed to work on a student visa only if their eVisa or visa sticker in their passport shows that they can work or not.
Can International Students Work Part Time in New Zealand
Masters by research and PhD students can work as many hours as they like in New Zealand. If they work full-time, they must also keep studying full-time.
But, all other foreign students can either work part-time or full-time, depending on the semesters and holidays.
With a student visa, one is allowed to work part-time for up to 25 hours a week, and full-time during mid-year study breaks and the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
International Student Working Hours in New Zealand
From 3 November 2025, eligible student visa holders can work 25 hours a week instead of 20. This change applies to all new student visas, and those with the previous limit can apply for the additional hours either through a variation of conditions or by obtaining a new student visa.
“The decision to increase work hours for students will offer financial support, as the high costs of studying in New Zealand are usually a deterrent. The extra hours will also help students build networks and transition more easily to full-time jobs,” says Jainesh Sinha, Co-founder & COO, GyanDhan, an end-to-end education enabler.
You can work up to 25 hours a week if you are studying full-time and your course is at least 2 academic years long, resulting in a NZ qualification at level 4 or above or is at least 1 academic year long and is part of an approved tertiary-student exchange programme.
You can still work part-time if you are studying part-time for a course that gives you points towards the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa, or if you are in the final semester of a programme that is at least 2 academic years long.
If you have to complete work experience as part of your training, this is in addition to part-time work of 25 hours a week.
You may be able to work full-time during the Christmas holidays or scheduled breaks, for example, between semesters.
You can work full-time during scheduled breaks if you study full-time for at least 1 academic year and your course is worth at least 120 credits with a minimum of 2 semesters over at least 8 months.
Also, you can work full-time during the Christmas and New Year period if you are studying full-time and your course has a minimum of 2 semesters over at least 8 months.
If your current student visa does not allow you to do paid work during your stay, you may be able to change the conditions of your visa if you are eligible.
Depending on what you have studied, you may be able to apply for a Post Study Work Visa to stay and work in New Zealand.
After considering the duration and level of your studies, a Post Study Work Visa can be granted. A completed PhD thesis may qualify you for a visa of up to 3 years.
