New Zealand Eases Post Study Work Visa For Foreign Students

With an aim to benefit international students, New Zealand has recently made a new announcement offering easy application for Post Study Work (PSW) visa. Foreign students who study for a postgraduate diploma for 30 weeks and transfer to a Master’s degree immediately are now eligible to apply for a Post Study Work (PSW) visa.

The move will increase opportunity for international students in New Zealand at a time when countries such as Australia, the UK and Canada are introducing tight immigration policies and study visa rules to restrain foreign students.

A report by The Indian Express quoted an official as saying, “Students who studied a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) for 30 weeks and immediately progressed to a Master’s degree, but were not enrolled in the Masters for 30 weeks, are now eligible to apply for a Post Study Work visa (PSWV) based on their PGDip enrolment. This will give students more flexibility in their course of study and ensure they can remain eligible to work following their qualification.”

Similarly, if a student has completed a qualification that is eligible for a PSW visa then immediately completes a higher-level qualification (that is ineligible for PSW visa, including because they did not study for the minimum duration), they will have 12 months from the end date of their student visa for the initial qualification to apply for a PSW visa.

If a student wants a three-year PSW visa, they would need to complete at least 30 weeks of full-time study in New Zealand, enrolled in the Master’s degree itself. 

To be eligible for a PSW visa, applicants must hold an eligible New Zealand qualification that has been studied full-time in New Zealand for the required minimum duration and apply within the required timeframe.

Besides this, students are also required to fulfill the following criteria in order to become eligible for the PSWV with the Green List. PSWV applicants who qualify to teach at secondary school will not need a Bachelor’s degree specialising in Science, Mathematics, Technology or Pacific Languages. 

Applicants who have completed graduate diplomas and fulfil the requirement of the Teaching Council’s registration requirements are able to get a PSWV to work as a Primary or Intermediate school teacher. 

Mechanical Engineering Technicians are also eligible for a PSWV as the New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (Level 6) with a strand in Mechanical Engineering is also added.