Starting 3 November 2025, you’ll have the freedom to work up to 25 hours/week during term time—up from the current 20-hour cap—creating more possibilities to support your studies and lifestyle in New Zealand
Why This Matters for You
- Boost your income: Earn extra during term time—without interrupting your studies.
- Seamless support: Already hold a 20‑hour visa? Apply for a variation or new visa to upgrade smoothly.
- Extended opportunity: Now applies to tertiary & senior secondary students — just ensure you discuss the requirements with us!
- Stronger student experience: This change reflects New Zealand’s aim to double its international education market by 2034 as part of the “International Education Going for Growth Plan”.
How you can benefit from this
- Mark your calendar – New cap effective from 3 Nov 2025
- Check your visa – Already on a 20-hour course? Apply for a variation or fresh visa
- Get permissions – If in Year 12 or 13, obtain approval from school and parents. New Zealand Shores can discuss these steps with you.
- Plan your career – More work hours mean more networking & CV-building opportunities
More Than Just Work Hours — A Vision for Growth
Launchpad for a Long-Term Plan
The shift to allow eligible student visa holders to work up to 25 hours per week from November 2025 is a key early step in New Zealand’s “International Education: Going for Growth Plan”, officially unveiled in July 2025. Its aim is to double the economic value of international education from NZ$3.6 billion in 2024 to NZ$7.2 billion by 2034
Concrete Targets Driving Policy
- Increase student enrolments from ~83,700 in 2024 → 105,000 by 2027 → 119,000 by 2034
- Raise global awareness of NZ as a study destination—from 38–40% in 2024 → 44% by 2034
- Grow the share of prospective students ranking NZ in their top‑3 study destination choices from 18% → 22% over the same period.
The government also plans to streamline multi-year student visa applications and consider a short-duration work visa (up to six months) for some international graduates to transition into the AEWV (Accredited Employer Work Visa) pathway
Strategic Context
New Zealand is positioning itself strategically in the face of tightening policies in key competitor countries (e.g. U.S., Australia), which are limiting foreign student enrolments. NZ aims to fill that gap by making itself a more flexible, welcoming, and attractive alternative for international learners .
Together, these steps signal that this isn’t a one-off tweak—it’s a deliberate, multi-layered government push aimed at turning New Zealand into a top international education destination and doubling its sector value by 2034.
