New Zealand student visa rules give graduates two months more
Four updates to New Zealand student visa rules take effect on 27 October 2026, ending unlimited work for research master’s students and widening when Immigration New Zealand may pause processing.
Immigration New Zealand’s four student-visa changes take effect on 27 October 2026.
Master’s-by-research students lose unlimited in-study work rights and may work up to 25 hours a week in term time, full-time in scheduled holidays.
English-language ability is now a key factor when INZ assesses whether students can meet visa conditions.
INZ can suspend student-visa processing in more situations, including while it probes possible non-compliance by an education provider.
Some students whose visas used to expire one month after their course ends now get two months; the March 31 expiry schedule is unchanged.