Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has introduced four changes to student visa rules, tightening work and compliance requirements while giving some students more time to plan their next steps after completing their courses. The changes take effect on October 27, 2026.
The new rules remove unlimited in-study work rights for master’s-by-research students. These students will now follow the same work conditions as other master’s students, allowing them to work up to 25 hours a week during term time and full-time during scheduled holidays.
INZ has also strengthened its immigration instructions to make English-language ability a key factor when assessing whether students can meet their visa conditions.
The changes also allow INZ to suspend student visa processing in a wider range of circumstances, including while it investigates potential non-compliance by an education provider.
Separately, INZ has extended the period some students have after completing their courses to decide their next steps. Students whose visas expire one month after their course ends will now have two months. The existing March 31 expiry date remains unchanged for visas that follow that schedule.
The post New Zealand Introduces 4 Changes to Student Visa Rules appeared first on ProPakistani.
