This change is part of the New Zealand government's International Education Growth Plan, announced on 14/7. The plan aims to increase the annual economic contribution of international education to 7.2 billion NZD (4.3 billion USD) by raising international student enrollment from 83,700 last year to 119,000 by 2034.
According to Immigration New Zealand (INZ), the new rule applies to all international students granted visas from 3/11 onward. Students with existing visas, currently limited to 20 working hours, will need to apply for a visa variation or a new visa to increase their work hours to 25.
High school students in years 12 and 13 will require parental and school permission to work 25 hours per week.
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Students at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Photo: University of Auckland |
Students at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Photo: University of Auckland
INZ stated that nearly 41,000 individuals currently have work rights under student visas. Of these, over 29,700 visas will expire on or before 31/3/2026.
In addition to increasing work hours, New Zealand is also expanding work rights to all university students participating in exchange or short-term programs (including one-semester courses). Students changing institutions or enrolling in lower-level courses will need to apply for new student visas.
INZ will soon consider further changes, including a new short-term work visa for vocational students and simplified visa application processes.
New Zealand has eight public universities. The education organization IDP reports that average tuition fees for international students range from 20,000-25,000 NZD (350 million VND), with living expenses between 13,000-16,000 NZD annually. Accommodation costs range from 120-555 NZD per week.
Since last October, student visa application fees have increased to 750 NZD (over 11.3 million VND). Post-study work visa fees have also more than doubled, from 700 to 1,670 NZD.
The NZ Herald reported on 14/7 that, according to the New Zealand Ministry of Education, there were approximately 75,000 international students in the country last year, down from a peak of over 125,000 in 2016.
Binh Minh
