After you complete your studies a New Zealand, you can stay back and work for up to a minimum of four years – it’s also quite possible that you can even obtain the permanent residentship.
New Zealand is known for being a popular study destination among international students and is ranked as one of the best countries in the world for preparing students to face a challenging future.
Whether you are planning to study in New Zealand in the near future or you are already studying there in one of the reputed institutions, you need to understand the duration and conditions of post-work-study visa which has changed recently.
The immigration policies of New Zealand include the post-study work pathway for international students who have gained an acceptable qualification in New Zealand.
The post-study work pathway includes two steps:
The post-study work visa – Open
The post-study work visa – The open study work visa is a 12-month visa available for the recent graduates allows them to work for almost any employer based in New Zealand or find a job relevant to the studies they have completed.
- You can apply for the visa online and check out for the eligibility criteria as well.
- After the study visa, you have 3 months in hand to apply for the visa. If you have completed Ph.D., you have 6 months for the application.
- If you can get a job that is relevant to your qualification, you can apply for the Employer Assisted two-year post-study work visa.
Employer-assisted post-study work visa
If you are on the open post-study work visa and offered a full-time work in the same field as your qualification, you can be eligible to apply for the employer assisted post-study work visa. This will allow you to work in New Zealand for two more years for a specific employer.
- If you are granted this visa, you can apply for the residence later on under the Skilled Migrant Category
- If you want to know whether you meet the eligibility criteria or apply for the visa, check out online.
Looking for Post Study Job in New Zealand? How to Find a job for yourself
The institution where have completed your studies may help you to find suitable work according to your qualification like they can help you with your job search or provide you with exclusive tips on CV designing.
You can even talk with your lecturers, teachers, neighbors, and friends – they can provide you with personal references or inform you about jobs that have not been advertised yet.
The other options for job searching include signing up with recruitment agencies, contacting employees directly and signing up with job portals providing vacancies in New Zealand.
Post Study Jobs in New Zealand for International graduate students
If you are presently the holder of an open post-study work visa, you will be eligible to apply for the open post-study work visa of 2 years when your visa is on the verge of expiry. On the other hand, if you are the holder of an employer-assisted post-study work visa, you can apply to remove the employer conditions from your work visa. Plus, if you plan to continue with the same job, there is no need to change the visa.
International students with spouses in New Zealand
If you are a student in New Zealand, you can support your spouse work visa, provided you are studying at Level 10 or 9 qualifications or at Level 7 or 8 qualifications on the Long Term Skill Shortage List. Your partner can support the student visa for dependent children and they will not have to pay the international student fees for attending the secondary or primary schools.
In case, you are not studying any of the aforementioned qualifications, it is necessary for your partner to apply for the visa in his own right.
Preparing for the job interviews in New Zealand
Undoubtedly, a job interview is a big challenge, especially if English is not your first language or you have never given an interview before. Even before you walk in for the interview, it is advisable that you check out the website of the organization for whom you are planning to work to get an idea about what they actually do. Practice the common question and answers that are usually asked by the employers in the field you are applying for.