Work while you study
All students on a student visa can work up to 20 hours per week during semester and full time during vacations i.e. 40 hours. Many New Zealand institutions offer a student employment service called ‘Student Job Search’ to help you find work.
Opportunity to settle permanently in New Zealand
If you complete your course successfully, you automatically get a 12 months ‘Work Permit’ under the student visa policy. In most instances this permit will be done at your institution itself. This allows you to work full time in any job of your choice. However if you want to get a New Zealand Permanent Residency (PR), then you have to find a job that is relevant to the course that you have completed. Eg: If you have completed a course in IT, then you have to find a job as a programmer, analyst, etc. This will immediately give you a 2 years work permit with all rights like free medical, etc.
Upon receiving this 2 years work permit then you can apply for PR and normally will get it within 5-6 months. If you do not find a job that is relevant to your course, you can continue to work in any job for 12 months and try and recover some of the investment you have made towards your study in NZ. You will that way end up by recovering a bulk of the fees you have paid and also end up with an international experience, which will come in handy, if you have to return to your home country. There are plenty of jobs in NZ, and while it may not be easy to get one, if you are good enough, you will easily get one. For more information please visit www.immigration.govt.nz.