Getting a job while you study abroad can add value to the experience in more ways than one. However, it is not something you should take lightly. Entering employment in a new country brings a lot to consider, and that includes the rules and protections that secure it. This may feel challenging, but when you take it step-by-step, your confidence should increase. Read on as we explain your work rights as an international student in New Zealand, and what changes after graduation.
How many hours can international students work in New Zealand?
Most full-time international students in New Zealand can work for up to 25 hours per week during term time.
During the Christmas and New Year break, those whose course consists of at least two semesters over eight months can work full-time. Students whose course lasts for at least one academic year may work full-time during all scheduled study breaks.
PhD and research master's students may work full-time throughout the year. They must continuing studying full-time while they do this, unless their university agrees to suspend their enrolment. If it does, they must apply for another visa.
Part-time students typically cannot work. The exceptions are those in the final semester of a course that is at least two academic years in length, or studying one that earns points towards the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa.
Full-time students whose course becomes part-time in their last semester may also work if it is at level 4 or above on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF). This covers all degrees, and many courses at a lower level.
Find out all about student visas in New Zealand.
What jobs can international students do in New Zealand?
International students can do almost any job in New Zealand. This includes work on and off campus.
Internships and work placements are permitted, if they are required for your course. The government refers to this as practical experience, and will give you permission to complete it on a full-time basis.
Volunteering is allowed, providing that you receive no gain or reward for doing it. This means anything that has monetary value, including travel or accommodation.
Self-employment is not allowed.
See what types of work need candidates right now with our guide to the most in-demand jobs in New Zealand.
Minimum wage for international students in New Zealand
The adult minimum wage in New Zealand is NZD 23.50 per hour, and covers international students equally to everyone else. The rate applies to all people over the age of 16, with a few exceptions.
Some new workers between the age of 16 and 19 are subject to the starting-out wage. This means they should be paid at least NZD 18.80 per hour. International students at university level are very unlikely to fall into this category.
The training minimum wage is also set at NZD 18.80 per hour. This is for employees over the age of 20 who are completing training in order to qualify professionally. Many of these people are apprentices.
If you work in agriculture and are offered food, accommodation or other benefits, you can agree to have the value of this factored into your wage. This means that your actual pay may be beneath the minimum.
Discover what this could mean for your budget as we explore the international student cost of living in New Zealand.
Paying tax in New Zealand
Income tax
International students in New Zealand must pay income tax on earnings they receive in the country and in many cases elsewhere. This is deducted from your wages under a system called Pay As You Earn (PAYE). Payments are made throughout the tax year, which runs from April 1 to March 31.
Many international students will be classed as residents of New Zealand for tax purposes. This happens once you have a consistent place to stay in the country, or have been in it for at least 183 days in any 12-month period.
In this case, you will be subject to income tax of 10.5 per cent on taxable income up to NZD 15,600. Any additional income will be taxed at higher rates that increase alongside your earnings.
For example, anything above NZD 15,600 up to a total of NZD 53,500 will be taxed at 17.5 per cent. Although the rate continues to increase above this point, most international students will not reach it.
If you earn between NZD 24,000 and NZD 70,000 in a tax year, you could receive the Independent Earner Tax Credit (IETC). Under this, you may have NZD 10 taken off your tax each week.
Scholarships are not subject to tax in New Zealand.
Accident Compensation Corporation
All workers in New Zealand pay contributions towards the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC). This body provides financial support to anyone who is accidentally injured in the country, regardless of where they are from.
Currently, the ACC earners' levy is 1.67 per cent. This is deducted from your pay by your employer.
Learn more about getting treatment abroad from our guide to student health insurance.
Inland Revenue Department number
Before starting work in New Zealand, you must apply for an Inland Revenue Department number (also known as an IRD number). This registers you with the country's tax authority.
You can apply online for your IRD number before or after you arrive in New Zealand. In general, your application should be processed within 10 to 12 working days. Although you can work before receiving your number, earnings during this time are taxed at 45 per cent.
Getting your IRD number could be the first step on the way to a career in the country. Explore what could be ahead with our list of top employers in New Zealand.
Who can help me with employment issues in New Zealand?
If you need help or advice with anything regarding work in New Zealand, there are many places you can go. Throughout the country, there are organisations that offer all kinds of support in many different ways.
Citizens Advice Bureau is a nationwide network of community-led support services. It offers free help with almost anything you can imagine, and is committed to upholding the rights of everyone in New Zealand. You may well find what you need through its extensive website, its phone line, or one of its 80 offices. In particular, its Migrant Connect service could be helpful.
Study with New Zealand is the government's official advice and information resource for international students. It covers every step of the study abroad journey, and has detailed guides to your rights and responsibilities when working in the country.
Help should also be available at your university. Get to know the kind of support they could offer with our guides to careers services and international offices.
Can my family work in New Zealand?
The partners of many international students in New Zealand can work in the country with a Partner of a Student Work Visa.
You can support an application for this visa if you are studying for a:
- PhD
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree, graduate certificate or graduate diploma, providing that it:
- leads to a role on New Zealand's Green List of in-demand jobs, or
- is included on the Qualifications eligible for a Post Study Work Visa list.
Note: Despite its name, the Qualifications eligible for a Post Study Work Visa list does not include all programmes that can lead to a work visa. Instead, it is used to specify subjects that provide eligibility when studied for a non-degree qualification.
With this visa, your partner can work in New Zealand full-time, and study for up to three months in any 12-month period. In addition, your school-aged children will be treated as domestic students. This means that you will not be charged school fees.
Find out even more about bringing family on a student visa.
Working after graduation in New Zealand
After you finish studying in New Zealand, your right to work will change.
You may continue working for as long as your student visa remains valid. If you have previously been permitted to work full-time during study breaks, you can keep doing so. If you have only been permitted to work for 25 hours during breaks, this will also not change.
Once your student visa expires, you may only stay and work in New Zealand with another visa.
For most international graduates, this will be a Post Study Work Visa. You must apply for this within three months of your student visa expiring (or six months if you studied at doctoral level). If you are granted the visa, you can remain in New Zealand for up to three years, with its duration depending on your level of study.
Alternatively, you may be eligible for a Working holiday visa or an Accredited Employer Work Visa. With the appropriate skills, qualifications and job offer, the latter could last for up to five years. However, both of these options are much less widely available than a Post Study Work Visa.
You can find more details of your options after graduation in our guide to post-study visas in New Zealand.
We hope that this guide has made you feel more secure in your work rights as an international student in New Zealand. You are always protected when in the country, and will always be able to find support. Learn more about where this is available with our advice on getting support at university. If you are still considering where to study, you might be interested in our guide to international student work rights around the world.
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