New Zealand student visa rules change from 27 October: 25-hour work cap for research master's, stricter English checks

New Zealand student visa rules changed on Tuesday 27 October 2026. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has made four changes to how it handles international students, ProPakistani reported, and they apply to every applicant, including the Pakistani students who choose New Zealand for master's and research degrees.

The four changes

1. Work hours for research master's students. Students on a master's by research lose the unlimited in-study work rights they had. They now fall under the standard master's rule: up to 25 hours a week during term and full-time work only in scheduled holidays.
2. English counts for more. INZ has strengthened its instructions so that an applicant's English ability is a key factor when officers judge whether the student can meet the conditions of the visa. No new test score or band was announced.
3. More room to pause processing. INZ can now suspend student visa processing in more situations, including while it investigates possible non-compliance by a school, college or university. Applicants tied to a provider under investigation could wait longer.
4. Two months to decide after the course. Students whose visas end one month after their course finishes now get two months to decide their next step. Visas that already run to the usual 31 March expiry are unchanged.

What it means for students from Pakistan

Families planning to cover living costs from part-time work should redo the sums on a 25-hour week before paying fees. Use our currency converter to turn NZ dollar costs into rupees at today's rate.

Before you apply

Check the current requirements on Immigration New Zealand's own website before paying any agent, keep your bank statements and English test certificates ready, and confirm that your chosen provider is registered with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. Our passport fee calculator helps if your passport needs renewing first.