After you graduate
Once you have finished your study, you may be eligible to stay on and work in New Zealand.
If you have achieved a New Zealand qualification, you may be able to apply for a post study work visa that lets you stay in New Zealand for up to three years. This will allow you to get some practical work experience.
If your work is in an occupation that has skill shortages, this improves your chances of finding a job in New Zealand. You may be eligible to apply for a further work visa or residence visa.
Staying to work after study | Immigration New Zealand
Skill shortage list checker | Immigration New Zealand
Stay to work
If you decide you are going to look for work here, Seek, TradeMe and New Kiwis are popular job search sites. You should also check the careers.govt.nz website, which has a list of online recruitment sites.
You will find links to those sites and more information in our Finding Work pages.
Our Newcomer guide and Worktalk website help you to understand how things work in a Kiwi workplace.
Worktalk tool: NZ workplace communication
Work Connect
Work Connect is a free programme to help you get work-ready for New Zealand’s job market. Work Connect offers a combination of group workshops and one-to one coaching to help you job hunt, secure interviews and make a good impression with New Zealand employers.
The Work Connect programme is delivered by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) and is available in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch. The programme is open to graduate international students, skilled migrants and their partners. Some eligibility criteria apply.
Regional Newcomer Skills Matching and Job Search Assistance Programmes
Regional Newcomer Skills Matching and Job Search Assistance programmes build links between job-seeking migrants, such as partners and spouses of skilled migrants, and employers that need their skills.
Visit Our Regions and Cities to find the Regional Newcomers Skills Matching and Job Search programme provider in your region.
