Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has published the complete 2026 list of qualifications that make graduates eligible for a Post Study Work Visa, confirming 24 approved credentials across engineering, construction, teaching, agriculture, and automotive trades.
The Core Rule and Who It Affects
A degree at NZQF Level 7 or higher (Bachelor’s, Postgraduate Diploma, Master’s, or Doctoral) automatically qualifies a graduate for the Post Study Work Visa, with no separate list to check. The new INZ table matters specifically for non-degree qualifications at Level 7 or below: these only count toward the visa if the exact qualification name appears on the table, and holders are restricted to jobs directly related to what they studied.
The 24 Approved Qualifications, by NZQF Level
Level 7 (8 Qualifications)
Choose your dream country
UK
USA
Germany
Australia
Ireland
Canada
UAE
France
Sweden
Italy
Other
When do you want to study abroad?
What's your highest level of education?
Have you completed Class 12th?
What was your Class 12 CGPA/percentage?
Are you a student or a parent/guardian?
What do you want to study?
Select your current city
How Leap will help you
Personalised University Shortlist
Express Applications with Quicker Admits
End-to-End Application Support
- Graduate diploma in highway or civil engineering → Construction Project Manager
- Graduate diploma in construction management or construction project management → Construction Project Manager or Project Builder
- Graduate diploma in construction → Project Builder
- Graduate Diploma in Construction (Quantity Surveying) → Quantity Surveyor
- Graduate Diploma in Quantity Surveying → Quantity Surveyor
- Graduate diploma acceptable to the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand → Primary, Intermediate or Secondary School Teacher
- Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood Education) or comparable → Early Childhood Teacher
- Any Level 7 qualification plus an Engineering New Zealand letter confirming Chartered Professional Engineer alignment → Engineer or Civil/Electrical/Electronic/Mechanical Engineering Technician
Level 6 (9 Qualifications)
- Diploma (240 credits) in highway engineering, construction, or construction management → Construction Project Manager or Project Builder
- Diploma (240 credits) in civil engineering → Construction Project Manager or Civil Engineering Technician
- NZ Diploma in Engineering, Civil Engineering strand (240 credits) → Construction Project Manager or Civil Engineering Technician
- NZ Diploma in Construction (Quantity Surveying) → Quantity Surveyor or Project Builder
- NZ Diploma in Construction, Quantity Surveying strand (240 credits) → Quantity Surveyor or Project Builder
- NZ Diploma in Construction, Construction Economics/Management/Building strand (240 credits) → Project Builder
- NZ Diploma in Engineering, Electrical Engineering strand (240 credits) → Telecommunications/Telecommunications Network Engineer or Electrical Engineering Technician
- NZ Diploma in Engineering, Electronics Engineering strand (240 credits) → Electronic Engineering Technician
- NZ Diploma in Engineering, Mechanical Engineering strand → Mechanical Engineering Technician
Level 5 (1 Qualification)
- Diploma in farm management, agriculture, or dairy technology → Dairy Cattle Farmer
Level 4 (6 qualifications)
- Certificate at NZQF Level 4 or higher: NZ Certificate in Automotive Electrical Engineering → Automotive Electrician
- Certificate at NZQF Level 4 or higher: NZ Certificate in Heavy Automotive Engineering → Diesel Motor Mechanic
- Certificate at NZQF Level 4 or higher: Dairy Farming or Livestock Farming strand of NZ Certificate in Agriculture → Dairy Cattle Farmer
- NZ Certificate in Automotive Electrical Engineering → Automotive Electrician
- NZ Certificate in Heavy Automotive Engineering → Diesel Motor Mechanic
- NZ Certificate in Agriculture, Dairy Farming or Livestock Farming strand → Dairy Cattle Farmer
The Teaching Catch
For every teaching pathway on the list, the qualification alone isn't enough. Applicants must independently register with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand and hold a valid practising certificate before the visa eligibility applies. Registration is separate from certification, and only certification legally lets someone teach in New Zealand.
Why It Matters for Indian Students
Indian students already holding or applying for a Level 7-or-above degree (Bachelor's, Master's, PhD) aren't directly affected by this list; their eligibility is automatic on completion. It matters for students choosing a diploma or graduate diploma below Level 8, especially in construction, engineering technician tracks, or teaching.
The risk is specific: an Indian student enrolling in a generically named "construction management diploma" that doesn't match the exact qualification wording, NZQF level, and credit count on INZ's table can finish the course without post-study work eligibility, even if the subject area looks identical to an approved one on paper.
What to Do Now
Before confirming a Level 4–7 diploma or graduate diploma offer in New Zealand, cross-check the exact qualification name, NZQF level, and (where specified) minimum credit count against INZ's published table, not just the course title on a university brochure or agent's pitch. For teaching pathways specifically, also confirm the institution's Graduate Diploma is one the Teaching Council currently accepts for registration purposes.
Have questions about New Zealand Post Study Work Visa qualifications? Book a free session with a LeapScholar counselor.
For the complete process, see our Post Study Work Visa New Zealand guide. For more student questions on this topic, browse our New Zealand Post-Study Work Q&A hub.
Have Questions? Get Guidance to reach your Dream University
Connect with India's finest counsellors and biggest study abroad community.
Get Guidance