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Starting November 2025, international students in New Zealand will be allowed to work up to 25 hours per week during academic terms—an increase from the current 20-hour limit, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) announced.
This new regulation will apply to all student visas issued from November 3 onward. Those on existing student visas will need to apply for a variation of conditions or submit a new visa application—and pay the applicable immigration fee—if they wish to benefit from the increased work limit.
For school students in years 12 and 13, the requirement to obtain parental and school approval for employment during the academic year remains unchanged under the updated policy.
The change forms part of New Zealand’s broader “International Education Going for Growth Plan,” unveiled by the government on Monday. The strategy aims to raise the economic contribution of international education to NZ$7.2 billion (approx. US$4.3 billion) by increasing international student numbers from 83,700 in 2023 to 119,000 by 2034.
Education Minister Erica Stanford said that the government intends to “supercharge” the recovery of the international education sector. “In the short term, Education New Zealand will focus its promotional efforts on markets with the highest potential for growth,” she told Reuters.
As of now, 40,987 international students hold work-authorized visas. Among them, 29,790 visas are set to expire on or before March 31, 2026, while 11,197 remain valid beyond that date.
Additionally, the New Zealand government is expanding work rights to include university students on exchange and short-term programs, such as one-semester courses. However, students switching institutions or moving to lower-level courses must still apply for a new visa.
It’s worth noting that since October 2024, the student visa fee has doubled from NZ$375 to NZ$750. Post-study work visa fees have also seen a steep rise—from NZ$700 to NZ$1,670.
New Zealand hosted 74,990 international students across all educational levels last year, a significant drop from the 125,410 recorded in 2016, according to the Ministry of Education. However, a gradual post-pandemic rebound is underway, with approximately 45,590 international university students projected in 2024.
