The government has expanded work visa eligibility for partners of students pursuing qualifications in Green List occupations. These in-demand fields face skill shortages in New Zealand and obtaining such qualifications can fast-track the path to residency.

Partners of students studying level 7 or 8 qualifications specified on the Green List can now apply for a work visa with open conditions, the government announced on June 21.

The government has updated the Green List with the main Bachelor degrees and Bachelor Honours qualifications that lead to registration for certain occupations.

“The occupations that these qualifications lead to are highly skilled and in demand – for example, nurses, doctors, teachers, and dentists,” Jeannie Melville, deputy chief operating officer immigration at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment told The PIE News.

People with student visas studying for these registration qualifications can now support their partner’s application for a Partner of a Student Work Visa.

Furthermore, for partners who are now eligible, their dependent school-aged children can be treated as domestic students, according to New Zealand Immigration.

These children can apply for a Dependent Child Student Visa, meaning they will not have to pay school tuition fees. This currently applies to anyone with a Partner of a Student Work Visa.

“Immigration New Zealand enacts policy decisions made by the Government.

“We aim to strike the balance between facilitating the entry of the people New Zealand needs to work, visit, live or study here and protecting New Zealand from immigration risk,” affirmed Melville.

The occupations that these qualifications lead to are highly skilled and in demand – for example, nurses, doctors, teachers, and dentists

Jeannie Melville, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

New Zealand’s Green List was introduced in 2022 as part of the government’s efforts to address skill shortages in critical sectors and to streamline the immigration process for qualified professionals in high-demand occupations.

The latest changes for partners come at a time when many other Anglophone study destinations continue to place restrictive measures on international students and their dependants.

Meanwhile, government agency Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao shared its latest statistics relating to international students which showed 69,000 international student enrolments in 2023.

Linda Sissons, acting chief executive of Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao spoke of New Zealand’s position as an “attractive place to study, offering a quality learning experience inside and outside the classroom in a safe, welcoming environment”. 

A survey of 1,100 New Zealanders conducted in December 2023 found that 75% believe international students benefit the country, showing a continuing rise in support for international students, a number which stood at 57% back in 2016.  

In the survey, 80% highlighted the economic benefits international students bring, particularly in local communities, as a key reason for this.

Local and cultural contributions ranked higher with 81% of respondents noting a belief that international students help local students learn about different culture and contribute to New Zealand’s cultural diversity.