If you are investing your time educating yourself in New Zealand, why not work and settle here too? This brings us to the topic of our article “Can a student apply for PR in New Zealand?”. Most of the students have this query, but the answer is always shrouded with confusion.
The direct answer is – No (in most cases). As a student, you cannot apply directly for PR. However, you can plan your PR journey out. However, there might be certain situations where, even as a student, you might get a PR. One of them being that your parents just got their PR and you would be included due to your relationship with them. That’s a rarity to state the best. For most of you, it’s just not possible legally to land up with a PR status while studying.
What Can Be Done?
Plan for it! That would be our advice. There are many ways by which you can get a PR in New Zealand. All of them, however, are long processes and you would need to work here for a while. If you intend to get a PR in New Zealand, the first step should be to enrol for a course that qualifies you as a skilled worker. For that, it would be best to refer to the skills shortage list and then choose a path that makes sense for your objective.
Do remember that the choice of educational institute that you make will also contribute towards the PR points calculation. Start networking while you are still a student. Do your internships properly so that chances of you getting a job become significantly higher once you finish your education. Make wise use of your post-study work visa. The sooner you land up in a job, the sooner you become eligible for PR. For all this to happen, do remember that you should be aged under 55 and should be of sound character.
Other Points to Remember
- If you are an adult studying in New Zealand and your partner is a New Zealand citizen or Resident, then based on your relationship, you can apply for a PR.
- Once you have finished your course, then seeking a skilled migrant visa is also a good choice.
- Make wise use of your post-study work visa and land up in a suitable job as soon as possible. This will help you meet your PR objective without delay.
It would be helpful if you connect with a professional immigration adviser and discuss this out. Engaging with an adviser for planning out your PR journey while still being a student will help a lot. Book a consultation with us if you need advice as to how you should plan things out for yourself.
