According to a recent announcement by Immigration NZ, international students who study for a postgraduate diploma for 30 weeks and transfer to a Master’s degree immediately afterwards are now eligible for a PSW visa. 

This update is designed to provide students with more flexibility in their course of study and ensure they can stay in New Zealand to work following their qualification.

“Students who studied a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) for 30 weeks and immediately progressed to a Master’s degree, but were not enrolled in the Masters for 30 weeks, are now eligible to apply for a Post Study Work visa (PSWV) based on their PGDip enrolment,” read the statement by Immigration NZ.

For students who have completed an eligible qualification but then pursued a higher-level qualification that does not meet the PSWV requirements (such as the course length note meeting the required minimum duration), there is now a grace period.

These students will have 12 months from the end date of their student visa for the initial qualification to apply for a PSW visa.

To qualify for a three-year PSW visa, students must complete at least 30 weeks of full-time study in New Zealand while enrolled in a Master’s degree program.

Amid policy changes in other major study destinations, New Zealand is gaining favour with potential international students. 

Over 69,000 international students studied in New Zealand in 2023, up 67% from 2022.

Moreover, a recent survey revealed that the majority of the students rate New Zealand positively. 

Amid policy changes in other major study destinations, New Zealand is gaining favour with potential international students

Nearly nine out of 10 international students rated the country as a positive study destination, with the highest proportion of students to date rating it as ‘excellent’.

Despite its increasing popularity, some of its major international student source countries are seeing rising visa refusal rates. 

Immigration NZ rejected almost half of all study visa applications from India in the first four months of 2024, with many universities raising concerns over the same as previously reported by The PIE News.