Career Opportunities?
With each passing year an increasing number of students from India travel to New Zealand to pursue higher studies, drawn to a large extent by the highly regarded universities of the country. But there is another, often downplayed, reason why students are heading to New Zealand in large numbers- it is the flexibility and scope of working part time in the country while also pursuing one’s study. International students in New Zealand are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week to support their studies –the minimum wage is set at NZ $14.75. Apart from reducing their financial burden, these work opportunities in New Zealand are a great way for international students to get acclimatized to NZ’s way of life, culture and get a first-hand experience of the job market.
Cost of Pursuing a Programme in New Zealand can be Offset Through Earning from Part-time Work
An MBA course from any of the top universities in New Zealand can cost you a minimum of NZ $40,000. Now if you can find yourself a part-time job, you will be assured of NZ $14.75 per hour, which translates to around NZ $290 per week, assuming you work the maximum allotted 20 hours per week. So, by the end of the year, you will have almost NZ $15,000 in the bank, which more or less takes care of your living expenses and cuts into your tuition fees as well. This is what makes work opportunities for international students in New Zealand worth exploring. And don’t forget that NZ $14.75 is the minimum you will be earning; if you are lucky enough and have the skills, you can earn much more than that. Moreover, if you have a scholarship, getting a job would only help balance out the course fee and other expenses.
While work opportunities in New Zealand for international students are encouraging, there are certain criteria and visa policies set by the New Zealand government that students have to fulfill. Let’s check them out:
Working During the Term
Using your Student Visa, you are permitted to work part-time for up to 20 hours per week, while during scheduled holidays, you can even work full time. The only concern while taking up a job should be that your work shouldn’t affect your studies, as it should be your top priority.
To take advantage of the 20-hour work window, you have to meet one of seven requirements. Three of the most common requirements include:
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Your study programme should be of minimum two-year duration.
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If you study leads to a qualification which falls under the Skilled Migrant Category, you will be granted extra points which will expedite your request.
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You need to be pursuing an English language course covered under Immigration New Zealand.
However, there are some special cases under which students may be allowed to work more than the prescribed 20-hour limit. These may include:
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Programmes which require you to earn a set number of hours as work experience.
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Masters by research or doctoral degree programmes at a tertiary institution in New Zealand allows students unlimited work rights.
Use Scheduled Breaks to Work Full-time
Unlike during the term, there are many work opportunities in New Zealand for international students that allow them to work full-time during scheduled breaks.
If you are enrolled in a one-year academic programme which is worth 120 credits or more, you can work during all the scheduled breaks.
However, if it is a one-year full-time programme but is worth less than 120 credits, you might be restricted to working only during the Christmas and New Year holiday breaks. Nevertheless, these are useful work opportunities that students can use to both earn money and get work experience.