# Got Student Visa - Can I Work



## shivaj (Dec 27, 2011)

HI All,

I got a student visa for new zealand for 1 Year course. 

I have 10 years of IT Experience, presently working in India as Solutions Architect.

My question is: 
1) can i work in New Zealand on student visa for 1 year? 
2) If so, did i have to take permission from govt. or university.
3) How much can i earn?

(The reason i am studying now with 10 years experience is, i am only a degree (15 Years of eduction only), i want complete my PG. )


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## Christchurch Lad (Dec 15, 2012)

You can work part time while studying full time, under certain circumstances:
to meet course requirements for practical work experience, or 
during the Christmas and New Year holiday period if you are in a full-time course of study lasting 12 months or longer, and/or
for up to 20 hours in any given week during the academic year if you are in full-time study:
at a private training establishment or tertiary institution and taking at least two academic years to complete, or
culminating in a New Zealand qualification that would qualify for points under the Skilled Migrant Category, or
at a secondary school full year course of study in years 12 or 13, provided you have written permission from your school and written consent from your parent, or
in a full-time study course lasting at least six months, at a private training establishment or tertiary institution. Your immigration officer has to be satisfied that the main purpose of your course is to develop English language skills and you have an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) overall band score of 5.0 or above (General or Academic Module), or
at a tertiary level of at least one academic year duration as part of an approved tertiary student exchange scheme.

In order to work, you will need to have the conditions of your student visa changed.


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## lorgnette (Dec 19, 2010)

If you have a job offer, and employer wiling to sponsor you to secure a work pass from Immigration , you can work. Ultimately, it is up to Immigration. If granted change in status, either arrange the academic courses round work or the other way round. 

Anyway, you never know results until you apply, or try again.


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