New visa settings take effect on 27 October, alongside stronger assessment rules and more time after some courses finish.
New student-visa applicants planning a research master's degree in New Zealand will no longer receive unlimited work rights under changes taking effect on Tuesday, 27 October. Immigration New Zealand's updated guidance specifically identifies new applicants for those programmes. INZ work-rights guidance
The agency says master's students will have work conditions allowing 25 hours a week during study and full-time work during holidays. It describes the change as reinforcing study as the main purpose of the visa.
Two further changes strengthen scrutiny of applications. English-language ability is now expressly identified as a factor in assessing whether students can meet their visa conditions. INZ can also suspend student-visa processing in a wider range of circumstances, including while possible non-compliance by an education provider is being assessed.
The fourth change concerns visa duration. Where a student visa would previously expire one month after a course ends, that period is being extended to two months. The alternative 31 March expiry date remains unchanged. INZ announcement, 27 October
Students should check the expiry date and work conditions on their own eVisa or visa letter rather than assume an existing visa has automatically changed. INZ's guidance says permission to work depends on those conditions; PhD students remain eligible for unlimited hours while continuing full-time study. INZ work-rights guidance
Applicants may be asked for evidence of English-language ability, such as test results, to help establish their ability to make satisfactory academic progress. INZ also assesses study plans, attendance and funding when considering genuine intentions. INZ application guidance
