From Study to Residence in New Zealand: The Graduate Pathway

How the journey connects

Plenty of guides explain the individual New Zealand visas. This one does something different: it shows how the steps join up, so you can see the whole graduate journey from a student visa to residence as a single sequence.

At a high level the path is: complete a qualifying qualification → move onto a Post Study Work Visa (PSWV) so you can work openly while you find a skilled job → move onto an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) once an accredited employer hires you → then apply for skilled residence through the Skilled Migrant Category or the Green List.

This is general information, not immigration advice. Immigration New Zealand's rules, wage thresholds, occupation lists and timeframes change frequently — and settings for the Skilled Migrant Category and the residence pathways are periodically updated. Always confirm the current requirements on immigration.govt.nz, and for your individual case consider a licensed immigration adviser.

Step 1 — Qualifying study

The pathway starts with the right qualification studied the right way. To be eligible for a Post Study Work Visa you generally need a qualification at NZQCF Level 7 (bachelor's degree) or higher, studied full-time in New Zealand for at least 30 weeks. English-language, foundation and bridging courses do not count on their own.

Which qualification you choose matters for the rest of the journey, because the residence steps reward skilled, in-demand occupations. Thinking ahead about the kind of work your degree leads to — and whether it appears on the Green List — can make the later steps smoother.

Check the current qualification rules on Immigration New Zealand's "Qualifications needed for a Post Study Work Visa" page before enrolling.

Step 2 — The Post Study Work Visa (PSWV)

The PSWV gives you open work rights — you can do any job for any employer anywhere in New Zealand — which is the breathing room you need to find skilled, relevant work.

The duration depends on your qualification. If you completed a master's or doctoral qualification (and studied at least 30 weeks in New Zealand) you can be granted up to 3 years. For a bachelor's or other Level 7–8 qualification, the visa length is generally matched to the time you spent studying in New Zealand, as confirmed by your education provider.

Use this period deliberately: target roles that are skilled and, ideally, on the Green List or that pay at the level the residence rules reward. Immigration New Zealand has also introduced newer options (such as a Short-term Graduate Work Visa for some lower-level qualifications) — check which option fits your qualification.

Step 3 — Moving to an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)

The AEWV is New Zealand's main employer-sponsored temporary work visa and is usually the bridge from open post-study work to a residence application. Crucially, only an accredited employer can hire you on it, and the role must pass Immigration New Zealand's checks.

The employer side has its own steps: the business must hold employer accreditation and then obtain a Job Check for the specific role (which normally includes testing whether suitable New Zealanders are available). You then apply for the AEWV, typically needing a qualification at NZQCF Level 4 or higher (or relevant work experience) in the same field as the job, and, for some occupations, evidence of English.

Moving onto an AEWV is significant because time spent in skilled work on this visa counts toward the residence pathways in Step 4.

Step 4 — Skilled residence (SMC and the Green List)

New Zealand offers two main skilled-residence routes, and both build on skilled work you do on a work visa. The exact settings for both are periodically updated by Immigration New Zealand, so confirm the current criteria on the official pages when you are ready to apply.

• Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) — a points system in which you must reach the required number of skilled resident points. You earn points from a single qualifying factor — occupational registration, a recognised qualification, or income at a set multiple of the median wage — plus further points from skilled work in New Zealand on a work visa. Confirm the current point thresholds and rules on the official SMC page.
• Green List — for occupations the country most needs. A Tier 1 role can lead to the Straight to Residence Visa; a Tier 2 role uses a Work to Residence Visa (typically after a set period of relevant NZ work on a qualifying visa), each subject to qualification, registration and wage requirements.

Planning the pathway realistically

The steps connect, but none is automatic. Studying in New Zealand does not guarantee a work visa, and holding a work visa does not guarantee residence — each stage has its own criteria that must be met at the time you apply.

Because thresholds, the Green List and even the SMC settings are updated periodically (Immigration New Zealand has signalled further Skilled Migrant Category changes), the smartest approach is to keep checking the official pages at each transition rather than relying on what applied when you enrolled.

For the detail of each stage, read the linked guides on the Post Study Work Visa, working while studying, the Skilled Migrant Category and the Green List. This overview is guidance only — confirm every requirement on immigration.govt.nz and seek a licensed immigration adviser for your personal circumstances.