Minister announces changes to

student policy

Friday, November 09. 2007

The Minister of Immigration today announced enhancements to immigration policy that will make it easier for international students to work and study in New Zealand .

The following changes will take effect from 26 November 2007

• International students who have graduated from a course that would gain points under Skilled Migrant Category will be eligible for an one year open work permit.
• The pool of students eligible to work part time while studying will be expanded to include Year 12 and 13 school students and some English language students, provided certain conditions are met.
• Eligible students will be able to apply to work for up to 20 hours a week during term, instead of the current 15 hours.
• Anyone undertaking a course of 12 months or more will be able to apply to work full-time over the summer holidays.
• Partners of students studying in areas of absolute skill shortage and partners of all postgraduate students will be able to apply for an open work permit valid for the duration of the student’s course of study.

The changes are the result of a review of immigration student policy carried out over the last year by the Department of Labour, which worked closely with other government agencies and with Education New Zealand (ENZ), which represents New Zealand ’s international education industry.

More details are now available on our website.

See also the Minister of Immigration's press statement.

See the Immigration Department web site

Page Last Updated: 26 Nov 2007

Long Term Skill Shortage List

The immediate skill shortage list is a list of identified occupations for which there is a shortage of skilled workers in NZ. These are sustained and ongoing shortages, not just temporary or seasonal ones. There is particularly a strong demand for students undertaking this course. Please check the link for more…..



See the Immigration Department web site

Summary of Point

When you complete your Expression of Interest, you’ll determine the number of points you qualify for.

FACTORS FOR WHICH YOU MAY GAIN POINTS	Points
Skilled employment:
Offer of skilled employment in New Zealand	50
Current skilled employment in New Zealand for less than 12 months	50
Current skilled employment in New Zealand for 12 months or more	60
Work experience:
2 years	10
4 years	15
6 years	20
8 years	25
10 years	30
Qualifications:
Recognised basic qualification (e.g. trade qualification, diploma, bachelors degree, bachelors degree with Honours)	50
Recognised post-graduate qualification (Masters degree, Doctorate)	55
Close family in New Zealand :	10
Age (20 to 55 years):
20-29	30
30-39	25
40-44	20
45-49	10
50-55	5

You’ll have good chance of qualifying for residence if you have skills that New Zealand employers are finding hard to source within New Zealand .

Bonus points are available for employment, work experience and qualifications in identified areas of growth or absolute skill shortage or within identified clusters.

Bonus points are also available for employment outside Auckland and for qualifications gained in New Zealand over at least two years.

FACTORS FOR WHICH YOU MAY GAIN BONUS POINTS	Bonus Points
Skilled employment:
Bonus points for employment or offer of employment in:
An identified future growth area or cluster	10
An area of absolute skills shortage	10
Region outside Auckland	10
Spouse/Partner employment or offer of employment	20
Work experience:
Bonus points if work experience in New Zealand :
1 years	5
2 years	10
3 years or more	15
Additional bonus points for work experience in an identified future growth area or cluster:
2 to 5 years	10
6 years or more	15
Additional bonus points for work experience in an area of absolute skills shortage:
2 to 5 years	10
6 years or more	15
Qualifications:
Two years of full-time study in New Zealand towards a recognised qualification	5
Recognised basic New Zealand qualification (e.g. trade qualification, diploma, bachelors degree, bachelors degree with honours)	5
Recognised post-graduate New Zealand qualification (Masters or Doctorate)	10
Qualification in an identified future growth area	10
Qualification in an area of absolute skills shortage	10
Partner holds a recognised qualification	20

See the Immigration Department web site

Immigration health screening

Thursday, August 04, 2005

The Department of Labour will complete its progressive implementation of the new immigration health and disability screening requirements in November 2005. The implementation will be in two key stages.

1. A new Medical and Chest X-Ray Certificate (NZIS 1007) dated August 2005 will be available on this website later this month.  This certificate differs from the existing medical certificate in that it has:

• additional compulsory blood tests for applicants 15 years and older – HIV, hepatitis B, full blood count, serum creatinine, liver function
• assessment for critical developmental delay, particularly in children
• assessment for impaired cognitive performance, with compulsory screening for applicants aged 70 or more.

2. From 28 November 2005, all applicants wanting to stay in New Zealand longer than 12 months must complete a medical certificate.

Notes to help applicants fill out the form will also be available on our website.

The new migrant health screening policy is the final stage in the government’s progressive implementation of tighter health and disability screening for migrants. 

The aim of the policy is to protect and minimise the costs and demands of immigration on our public funded health and special education services and to do so without discouraging potential migrants.

 For more information see our answers to frequently asked questions about the health screening requirements for migrants.

See the Immigration Department web site

Page Last Updated: 26 Nov 2007