From 16 November 2026, New Zealand's Post-Study Work Visa (PSWV) opens to graduates with a Level 7 graduate diploma who also hold a bachelor's degree, and a new Short-Term Graduate Work Visa gives some other graduates 6 months of open work rights. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) announced both changes on 29 May 2026. This guide explains which qualification earns which work visa, how long each lasts, what the 25-hour student work limit is, and what the changes mean for Indian students choosing a 2027 intake. Everything below was checked against INZ pages on 6 November 2026.
Key Takeaways
- A Level 7 graduate diploma studied full-time in New Zealand qualifies for a PSWV if you also hold a bachelor's degree from New Zealand or overseas. The visa lasts as long as you studied the diploma, up to 1 year.
- The Short-Term Graduate Work Visa gives up to 6 months of open work rights to graduates of eligible Level 5 to 7 qualifications who do not qualify for a PSWV. You need NZD 5,000, and your partner and children cannot be included.
- Master's and doctoral graduates who studied full-time for at least 30 weeks still get up to 3 years.
- The 25-hour weekly work limit for students is not a November 2026 change. It has applied to student visas granted from 3 November 2025.
What Changes on 16 November 2026
- PSWV eligibility extends to Level 7 graduate diplomas for graduates who also hold a bachelor's degree.
- The Short-Term Graduate Work Visa opens. It is a one-off, 6-month open work visa for graduates of an eligible Level 5 to 7 qualification who are not eligible for a PSWV.
- Paper PSWV applications stop. Every application is made online.
Anyone who has held a PSWV cannot get a second PSWV or a Short-Term Graduate Work Visa. The rules for master's, doctoral, postgraduate diploma, honours and bachelor's graduates do not change.
Which Qualifications Get Which Post-Study Work Rights
"Open" work means any legal work in any job anywhere in New Zealand, as long as you hold any occupational registration the job needs. You can be a sole trader or business owner, but as an owner you cannot employ other people.
| Qualification studied in New Zealand | Work visa | Length | Work conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master's (Level 9) or doctorate (Level 10), full-time for at least 30 weeks | PSWV | 3 years | Open |
| Level 8 postgraduate diploma, certificate or honours, or Level 7 bachelor's, full-time for at least 30 weeks | PSWV | Equal to time studied, within a 3-year maximum | Open |
| Level 7 graduate diploma, with a bachelor's degree (new) | PSWV | Equal to time studied, maximum 1 year | Open |
| Level 7 graduate diploma, no bachelor's, listed in Appendix 13 of the Immigration Operational Manual | PSWV | Not stated in INZ's announcement | Only the occupation named in Appendix 13 |
| Level 7 graduate diploma, no bachelor's, not listed in Appendix 13 | Short-Term Graduate Work Visa | 6 months | Any job under an employment agreement or contract for services |
| Non-degree Level 4 to 7 qualification on INZ's eligible list | PSWV | Equal to time studied | A job related to your study |
| Other non-degree Level 5 to 7 qualification, at least 24 weeks full-time | Short-Term Graduate Work Visa | 6 months | Any job under an employment agreement or contract for services |
If you fail a course or take longer than your offer of place states, the extra time does not extend your visa. INZ may check your study length with your provider.
The New Short-Term Graduate Work Visa
This visa is a bridge, not a pathway. INZ describes it as 6 months of open work rights so that graduates who cannot get a PSWV can look for a job and, where appropriate, move to an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). To apply you must:
- have completed a Level 5 to 7 qualification studied full-time for at least 24 weeks in New Zealand (exam preparation and exams count; holidays, repeated papers and transferred credits do not),
- hold a qualification that is not an English language, foundation or bridging course, not a micro-credential, and does not make you eligible for a PSWV,
- have held a valid student visa in the 3 months before you apply, and apply no more than 3 months after it ends,
- show at least NZD 5,000 in funds (bank statements in your name, not screenshots), and
- never have held a Short-Term Graduate Work Visa or a PSWV.
You can work in any job for any employer, but only under an employment agreement or a contract for services, and you cannot own a business. The visa cannot be extended. Your partner and dependent children cannot be included and are not eligible for a work or student visa because of their relationship to you, although they may apply for visitor visas. If you study again afterwards, INZ allows another student visa only for a bachelor's degree or a higher level that makes you eligible for a PSWV.
Fee and processing time not yet published
INZ's visa page says you pay "the applicable fees" when you apply online and shows the visa as closed until 16 November 2026. It states no fee or processing time yet. Check the live page on opening day before you budget.
The Graduate Diploma Route
This change matters most to students who already hold a bachelor's degree, which describes many Indian applicants. INZ requires that you studied the Level 7 graduate diploma full-time in New Zealand for its full duration, were enrolled for the full duration (cross-crediting and recognition of prior learning are not accepted), and hold a bachelor's degree from New Zealand or overseas with no time limit on when it was awarded.
You provide evidence of the diploma, your bachelor's degree certificate showing the qualification type and awarding institution, and an official academic transcript. INZ says an International Qualification Assessment is not required for an overseas bachelor's degree, although it can check that the qualification is authentic. PSWV holders can support their partner and dependent children for visitor, work or dependent child student visas, as long as the requirements are met.
Student Work Hours: 25 a Week
This is a separate rule that is already in force. INZ's notice of 21 October 2025 says eligible tertiary and secondary students can work up to 25 hours a week during semester, up from 20, on student visas granted from 3 November 2025. Many visas also allow full-time work in scheduled holidays. If your visa carries a 20-hour condition, you can apply for a variation to 25 hours, and INZ lists that fee as NZD 325. The student visa itself is listed from NZD 850, with 80% of applications decided within 5 weeks.
What This Means for Indian Students Applying for 2027 Intakes
INZ's pages set the rules. The points below are our reading of how they apply to a typical Indian applicant, so check your own case on the INZ pages before you pay any fee.
A bachelor's degree from India can open the graduate diploma route
If you hold an Indian bachelor's degree and a New Zealand provider admits you to a Level 7 graduate diploma, that diploma can now lead to a PSWV of up to 1 year. Request your degree certificate and official transcript from your university early. Entry requirements are set by each provider, not by INZ.
One year of work rights is short
A master's degree can bring up to 3 years, a graduate diploma at most 1. INZ's Skilled Migrant Category page also says you cannot claim qualification points for a non-degree qualification at Level 7 or below, so a graduate diploma earns no qualification points towards the 6 needed on the points-based pathway. A graduate diploma graduate will have to land a job with an accredited employer within the year.
The Short-Term Graduate Work Visa is a fallback
Six months, no extension and no family members make this a short job-search window. It applies only if your qualification does not make you eligible for a PSWV, so confirm with your provider and INZ's eligible list which visa your course leads to before you enrol.
Budget for three sets of funds
For the student visa, INZ requires tuition for one course or one year, whichever is shorter, plus NZD 20,000 for each year of study for living costs. After graduation, the PSWV and the Short-Term Graduate Work Visa each need NZD 5,000. Apply within 3 months of your student visa expiring (6 months for a doctorate), and complete the qualification recorded on your student visa, because INZ may refuse the application if you do not.
Choose the course for the job outcome
Residence usually needs an accredited employer job and either 6 points on the Skilled Migrant Category or a Green List role. Read our guides to the Skilled Migrant Category, the Green List and the Green List changes from March 2027 before you pick a field of study.
What Is Not Yet Known
- The Short-Term Graduate Work Visa fee and processing time.
- Which graduate diplomas appear in Appendix 13, and the visa length for those graduates.
Planning to Study in New Zealand?
Read our New Zealand student visa guide for fees, funds, work rights and post-study options.
NZ Student Visa GuideFrequently Asked Questions
What changes for post-study work in New Zealand on 16 November 2026?
The Post-Study Work Visa extends to Level 7 graduate diploma holders who also have a bachelor's degree, a new 6-month Short-Term Graduate Work Visa opens for some Level 5 to 7 graduates, and paper PSWV applications end.
Can I get a Post-Study Work Visa with a graduate diploma?
From 16 November 2026, yes, if the diploma is at NZQCF Level 7, you studied it full-time in New Zealand for its full duration without cross-credits, and you hold a bachelor's degree from New Zealand or overseas. The visa lasts for the time you studied, up to 1 year.
Can I bring my family on the Short-Term Graduate Work Visa?
No. Your partner and dependent children cannot be included and are not eligible for a work or student visa because of their relationship to you. They may apply for visitor visas.
How many hours can international students work in New Zealand?
Up to 25 hours a week during semester on student visas granted from 3 November 2025, up from 20. This is not part of the 16 November 2026 changes.
Does the Short-Term Graduate Work Visa lead to residence?
No. It is a 6-month work visa for finding a job. You would need another visa, such as an AEWV, to stay longer.
What does the Post-Study Work Visa cost?
INZ lists it from NZD 1,670, with 80% of applications decided within 3.5 weeks. The Short-Term Graduate Work Visa fee had not been published when this article was written.
Sources
This article is based on the following official pages, all opened on 6 November 2026. It is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change, so confirm current requirements before you act.
- New and updated post-study work visa options (announcement, 29 May 2026): https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/news-centre/new-and-updated-post-study-work-visa-options/
- Post-Study Work Visa: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/post-study-work-visa/
- Short-Term Graduate Work Visa: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/short-term-graduate-work-visa/
- Staying to work after finishing your study: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/study/after-you-finish-your-study/staying-to-work-after-finishing-your-study/
- Qualifications needed for a Post-Study Work Visa: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/study/after-you-finish-your-study/qualifications-needed-for-a-post-study-work-visa/
- Fee Paying Student Visa: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/fee-paying-student-visa/
- Upcoming changes to student visa work rights (21 October 2025): https://www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/news-centre/upcoming-changes-to-student-visa-work-rights/
- Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/skilled-migrant-category-resident-visa/