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Short-Term Graduate Work Visa NZ: The Rules for the 6-Month Visa

The Short-Term Graduate Work Visa gives eligible graduates 6 months of open work rights from applications opening on 16 November 2026. INZ requires a level 5–7 qualification studied full-time for at least 24 weeks, NZD 5,000 in funds and an application within 3 months of the student visa ending; INZ had not published a fee on 9 October 2026.

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) announced on 29 May 2026 that a new visa for graduates would open on 16 November 2026: the Short-Term Graduate Work Visa. It is aimed at graduates who finished a New Zealand qualification that does not qualify them for the Post-Study Work Visa. INZ's description is that the visa "provides 6 months of open work rights, allowing time to look for work and, where appropriate, transition to an Accredited Employer Work Visa."

On 9 October 2026 the visa had its own INZ page marked "Closed", with a note that applications open on 16 November 2026. This guide sets out the rules as INZ published them on that page and in its announcement of 29 May 2026. Because the visa has not opened, INZ's page may be updated before or after the opening date, and anyone relying on a detail should check the page again. The guide explains how the rules work. It does not say whether any qualification meets them or what a graduate should apply for. Applying the rules to a person's own study is immigration advice, and in New Zealand only a licensed immigration adviser or a lawyer can give it.

What the visa is

INZ's page describes the visa as one to "work in New Zealand soon after completing your studies here" for people who are not eligible for a Post-Study Work Visa. It allows a stay and work for up to 6 months, to look for a job and explore longer-term options. INZ's summary of what it lets the holder do is:

  • stay and work in New Zealand for up to 6 months;
  • work in any job for any employer in New Zealand;
  • support visitor visas for a partner and dependent children.

INZ states that the visa can be held once: "It cannot be extended and you cannot apply for another." If the holder wants to stay beyond six months, INZ says another visa must be applied for and granted before the Short-Term Graduate Work Visa expires. The page does not list what those visas are. It does note that a person who has held a Short-Term Graduate Work Visa can only apply for another student visa under conditions described below.

The visa is separate from the Post-Study Work Visa, which has its own guide in this series. The two cannot both be held. INZ's announcement says that "People who have previously been granted a Post-Study Work Visa are not eligible for a second Post-Study Work Visa or a Short-Term Graduate Work Visa."

Who can apply: the qualification rule

INZ's list of requirements says the applicant must have completed an eligible New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF) level 5 to 7 qualification, studied full-time for 24 weeks in New Zealand; have held a valid student visa within the 3 months before applying; have at least NZD 5,000 available; not have had a Short-Term Graduate Work Visa or Post-Study Work Visa; be in good health; have good character; and have a genuine reason for coming to or staying in New Zealand.

The qualification must satisfy four conditions on INZ's page. It must be:

  • a level 5 to 7 qualification studied full-time for at least 24 weeks in New Zealand;
  • not an English language, foundation or bridging qualification (INZ gives study preparation and a certificate of proficiency as examples);
  • not a micro-credential; and
  • not a qualification that makes the graduate eligible for a Post-Study Work Visa.

INZ also tells applicants how study time is counted. The 24 weeks include exam preparation and exams. They do not include main holiday periods such as mid-year and end-of-year holidays, repeated papers, credits or units that were not passed the first time, or a different qualification where credits have been transferred or prior learning recognised. The announcement says graduates who have "completed study or are currently studying" in New Zealand will be able to apply, and the visa page makes clear that the qualification must have been completed successfully: "If you did not complete the qualification recorded on your student visa, we will not approve your Short-Term Graduate Work Visa application."

A scholarship condition also applies. If the study was supported under the New Zealand Scholarship Programme (the page refers to the Manaaki New Zealand scholarship programme), written approval is needed from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade or Education New Zealand.

The three-month deadline

INZ says an application must be made "no more than 3 months after the end date of your student visa for the qualification you are using to apply". INZ also says it will check its records to confirm the person is applying in time. The page adds that the person must remain on a valid visa at all times while in New Zealand.

The announcement and page use two phrasings that read slightly differently. The announcement states that "Applications must be submitted within 3 months of their New Zealand student visa expiring." The visa page lists the requirement as having held "a valid student visa within the 3 months before you apply". Both describe a window measured from the end of the student visa. How the window applies to a particular graduate's visa history, including any consecutive student visas, is not spelled out on the page and is a question for a licensed adviser.

Evidence of the qualification is one of: a copy of the qualification certificate, an academic transcript, or a letter from the tertiary education provider confirming that the qualification is complete or that the person is eligible to graduate. That last option means a graduate may be able to apply before the certificate is issued.

Money, health, character and documents

Money. The applicant must show access to at least NZD 5,000 for the stay. INZ gives a recent bank statement showing the applicant's name and the account balance as an example of evidence, and says it cannot accept a screenshot. INZ may ask to see these documents on arrival.

Health. INZ says it is "likely to ask" for a medical examination, a chest X-ray or both, and will say so when it processes the application. The announcement says the medical certificate and chest X-ray depend on the intended length of stay.

Character. Police certificates, less than 6 months old, are needed for applicants aged 17 or older whose total time in New Zealand will be 24 months or longer, counting past stays. They must come from countries of citizenship and countries where the person has spent more than 5 years since turning 17. Certificates provided with an earlier application and issued in the last 24 months do not need to be provided again, though INZ can ask for a new one.

Genuine intentions. As with other work visas, INZ considers what the applicant provides, what it knows about their circumstances and what they have told it before.

Documents. INZ lists a passport copy, one photo, proof of the New Zealand qualification and police certificates if required, with translations of any police or medical certificates not in English. The passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the planned departure. Applications are made online through the applicant's INZ account.

Fee and processing time: what INZ has and has not published

INZ has not yet published a fee or a processing time for the Short-Term Graduate Work Visa, and its visa page has no cost box yet, unlike other visa pages. Check INZ's fee finder once the visa opens on 16 November 2026. INZ's announcement says: "Further details about the Short-Term Graduate Work Visa will be published closer to when it becomes available."

So there is no fee or processing time to report in this guide. Anyone planning for it should check the cost and processing figures on INZ's Short-Term Graduate Work Visa page and in the fee finder once applications open on 16 November 2026, rather than relying on a figure from another visa. The Post-Study Work Visa's NZD 1,670 is a different visa's fee and is not a guide to this one.

INZ's general application steps on the page are: successfully complete the qualification, gather documents, submit the application and pay the fee, wait for the decision, and check the application status. INZ also says that if a person is already in New Zealand and their current temporary visa will expire while the application is being processed, it will normally issue an Interim Visa so they can stay lawfully.

Work conditions and what the holder cannot do

The work rule is broad but has limits. INZ says the holder can work in any job, provided that:

  • the holder works for an employer under an employment contract or a contract for services;
  • the work is legal;
  • the holder does not operate a business as an owner;
  • the holder does not provide commercial sexual services or invest in a business that does; and
  • the holder has any occupational registration needed for the job.

The announcement puts the business rule this way: "Business ownership is not allowed." That is a difference from the Post-Study Work Visa for graduates with a degree at level 7 or higher, who can be sole traders or business owners within limits.

Study is limited to up to 3 months in any 12-month period; longer study needs a variation of conditions. INZ adds that the holder may be able to do other study if required by an employer as part of employment.

Travel works as it does for other work visas: a holder who wants to leave and return needs a valid multiple-entry travel condition, and a visa without one expires if the holder leaves New Zealand. Unless the visa says "Return/onward travel not required", the holder needs a ticket out whenever travelling to New Zealand.

Family and later study

Family is where this visa differs most from the Post-Study Work Visa. INZ says the applicant "cannot include your partner or dependent children in your application" and that they "will not be eligible for a work or student visa based on their relationship to you". Holders can check whether they can support a visitor visa instead. The announcement adds that dependent children can apply for a student visa as international students, and partners can apply for work visas on their own merit.

Later study is also restricted. INZ says someone who holds, or has held, a Short-Term Graduate Work Visa can apply for another student visa only if the proposed study is:

  • a bachelor's degree, or a programme of study at a higher NZQCF level than the qualification the Short-Term Graduate Work Visa was based on; and
  • a qualification that makes them eligible for a Post-Study Work Visa.

Student visa holders who previously held a Short-Term Graduate Work Visa cannot change programme of study or education provider unless they continue to meet those conditions. These are rules about what the visa history allows. They do not say what any graduate should do, and the combination of a short visa, a later student visa and a later work visa is a place where a licensed adviser's assessment is commonly sought.

How it relates to the Post-Study Work Visa and the AEWV

INZ places this visa in a sequence. The Post-Study Work Visa covers graduates with a degree at level 7 or higher and graduates with listed lower-level qualifications; from 16 November 2026 it also covers some level 7 graduate diplomas held with a bachelor's degree. The Short-Term Graduate Work Visa picks up graduates with qualifications at levels 5 to 7 that do not qualify for the Post-Study Work Visa. For a graduate diploma holder with no bachelor's degree and no listing in Appendix 13 of the Immigration Operational Manual, INZ's announcement says the 6-month visa is the option to look at.

INZ's stated purpose for the six months is to allow "time to look for work and, where appropriate, transition to an Accredited Employer Work Visa". The Accredited Employer Work Visa has its own requirements, including an accredited employer and a job that meets INZ's rules, and those are covered in a separate guide. The Short-Term Graduate Work Visa does not give any preference or guarantee for that visa; INZ's wording says only that the time is for looking for work.

Because the visa cannot be extended and cannot be held twice, the six months is fixed. Anyone considering the visa should read INZ's page again close to 16 November 2026, as INZ said further details would be published before it opens.

Finding a licensed immigration adviser

Migratio lists licensed immigration advisers so you can compare them and contact one directly. Every listing shows the adviser's licence number, which you can check on the Immigration Advisers Authority's public register before you book. We don't assess cases and don't tell anyone which visa or pathway fits them; that is the adviser's job.

Questions people ask

When does the Short-Term Graduate Work Visa open?

INZ says applications open on Monday 16 November 2026. On 9 October 2026 INZ's page for the visa was marked "Closed" with that opening date.

How long is the Short-Term Graduate Work Visa?

Up to 6 months, with open work rights for an employer. INZ says it cannot be extended and a person cannot apply for a second one.

How much does the Short-Term Graduate Work Visa cost?

INZ had not published a fee when its fee finder was queried on 9 October 2026. INZ said further details would be published closer to the opening date, so check INZ's visa page and fee finder after 16 November 2026.

What qualification is needed?

INZ requires a level 5 to 7 NZQCF qualification studied full-time for at least 24 weeks in New Zealand. It cannot be an English language, foundation or bridging qualification or a micro-credential, and it cannot be a qualification that makes the graduate eligible for a Post-Study Work Visa.

Can a partner or child be included?

No. INZ says the holder cannot include a partner or dependent children, and that they will not be eligible for a work or student visa based on the relationship. The holder can check whether they can support a visitor visa.

Can the holder own a business on this visa?

No. INZ says any work must be for an employer under an employment agreement or contract for services and that business ownership is not allowed.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-09.

Related guides

  • Post-Study Work Visa NZ: The Rules and the 16 November 2026 Changes — The Post-Study Work Visa lets eligible graduates of New Zealand study work for up to 3 years. From 16 November 2026 INZ extends eligibility to level 7 graduate diplomas held with a bachelor's degree; INZ showed NZD 1,670 and 80% within 5 weeks on 9 October 2026.
  • NZ Student Visa: Fees, Funds and Work Hours — The Fee Paying Student Visa lets international students study in New Zealand for up to 4 years. INZ showed NZD 850 and 80% within 7 weeks on 9 October 2026, requires living-cost funds of NZD 20,000 a year for most tertiary study, and allows part-time work of up to 25 hours a week only where the visa conditions say so.
  • Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV): The 2026 Rules — The Accredited Employer Work Visa is New Zealand's main employer-sponsored work visa. The job must be full-time (30+ hours), with an accredited employer holding an approved job check, and paid at least the required rate. INZ showed a fee of NZD 1,540 and 80% of applications within 5 weeks on 9 October 2026. The longest continuous stay is 5 years, or 3 years for skill level 4 or 5 jobs.
  • Paying for an NZ Job Offer: What INZ Says — Immigration New Zealand says New Zealand employers or agents cannot charge a worker fees for a job or make them pay recruitment costs, and that it will decline an Accredited Employer Work Visa application if the applicant or their agent offered or promised money for a job offer. INZ calls job offer scams common in India and South Asia.
  • NZ Interim Visas: When They Start and What They Allow — INZ normally grants an Interim Visa automatically, for no fee, if a temporary visa expires while a new temporary visa application is being assessed. It starts the day after the old visa expires, lasts up to 6 months, ends if the holder leaves New Zealand, and its work and study conditions depend on the old and new visa types.