Pathway · Student
Student Visa (post-study work pathway)
Study visa with the post-study work-rights pipeline that follows it.
- Professional fees
- $1.2k–$2.5k
- NZD, GST incl., 2026 typical band
- INZ application fee
- $375
- Includes Immigration Risk Levy. Separate from adviser fees.
- Processing time
- 4–10 weeks
- After file is filed; INZ official median, not the marketing number
What this pathway actually is
A Student Visa is the easy bit. The harder bit is the chain that leads from it: post-study work-rights (now linked to qualification level and study location), AEWV at the end of that, and eventually SMC residence. Advisers who do student visas well are really doing five-year migration plans starting at enrolment — because the qualification you choose at 19 determines whether you can stay at 25.
Good fit for
- International students enrolled in NZ Level 7+ qualifications
- Applicants with confirmed enrolment and proof of fees + maintenance funds
- Applicants planning a multi-year migration via study → work → residence
Not the right pathway if
- Below-Level-7 study without a clear post-study work plan
- Applicants without proof of NZ$20k+ first-year living expenses
- Pathway-providers below the published Education NZ standard (high decline rate)
Field notes
Most student-visa declines come down to the course choice — not the application. Brief a good adviser before you enrol, not after the offer letter is in your inbox.
Where applications go wrong
- Course doesn't qualify for post-study work-rights
- Maintenance-funds evidence too thin
- Course provider on INZ's elevated-risk list
IAA-licensed advisers who handle Student
1 adviser lists Student as a primary specialism on the directory.