Australia and New Zealand both welcome students and skilled workers, but their visa rules differ in ways that can shape your plans. Family is a clear example. From 2 October 2026, most Australian Student visa applicants can no longer include a partner or children. In New Zealand, family members may be able to apply for their own visas.
This guide compares the main visas in both countries side by side: study, post-study work, employer-sponsored work, skilled residence, partner visas and citizenship. Rules and fees change often, so check the official sources listed at the end before you apply.
⚠ Disclaimer
This article provides general information only and is not an individual eligibility assessment or immigration advice tailored to your circumstances. Visa and citizenship requirements, fees and policies may change. The criteria listed are summaries and are not exhaustive. Eligibility, permitted activities and length of stay depend on the applicable rules, your circumstances and any conditions attached to a visa.
Meeting the criteria described does not guarantee an invitation, visa grant, permanent residence or citizenship. Pathway to Aus does not guarantee immigration outcomes or processing times. Check the relevant official government guidance before applying or making study, employment, travel or relocation arrangements.
Key Takeaways
- Australian Student visa: From 2 October 2026, most applicants cannot include a partner or children. Limited exemptions apply, and family members cannot be added after the visa is granted.
- New Zealand Student visa: Family members cannot be included, but they may be able to apply for their own visas.
- After study: Australia’s Temporary Graduate visa generally allows 18 months to 3 years. New Zealand’s Post-Study Work Visa allows up to 3 years.
- Employer-sponsored work: Australia’s Skills in Demand visa allows up to 4 years. New Zealand’s Accredited Employer Work Visa allows up to 5 years.
- Skilled residence: The Australian points-tested skilled visas and New Zealand’s Skilled Migrant Category compared below both require an expression of interest, followed by an invitation to apply.
- Partner visas: Australia usually grants a temporary visa first, then a permanent one. New Zealand grants a resident visa, with a Permanent Resident Visa possible after 2 years.
- Citizenship: Australia requires 4 years’ residence, including 12 months as a permanent resident. New Zealand requires at least 5 years as a resident.
Study Visa
Study in Australia (Student visa subclass 500)
- Enrol in a course with an approved provider and hold a valid Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE)
- Apply from outside Australia. From 2 October 2026, most temporary visa holders in Australia can no longer apply onshore, unless an exemption applies
- Meet the Genuine Student requirement and show evidence of financial capacity and, in some cases, English ability
- Hold Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for your stay, unless an exemption applies
- Generally work up to 48 hours a fortnight while your course is in session. Students undertaking a master’s by research or doctoral degree have no work-hours limit.
- Stay for up to 6 years, depending on your course and enrolment.
- Family members: For applications lodged from 2 October 2026, you generally cannot include a partner or dependent children. Exemptions apply to PhD students, students sponsored by DFAT or Defence, foreign government scholarship holders, and eligible students from Pacific or ASEAN countries. Family members cannot be added after the visa is granted. Applications lodged before 2 October 2026 follow the rules in place when they were lodged
- Visa Application Charge: starts at AUD 2,500
Study in New Zealand (Fee Paying Student visa)
- Have an offer of place from an approved education provider
- Show you can pay your tuition fees, or have a scholarship
- Show living funds of NZD 20,000 a year for tertiary study (NZD 1,667 a month for study shorter than a year), or have an acceptable sponsor
- Have medical and travel insurance that your education provider accepts
- Work up to 25 hours a week while studying and full-time during scheduled holidays, depending on your visa conditions
- Stay for up to 4 years
- Family members: Partners and dependent children cannot be included in the application. They may be able to apply for visas based on their relationship to you
- Visa Application Charge: starts at NZD 850
Planning your budget?
Try the Pathway to Aus financial capacity calculator or read about the Australian Student visa. For the latest change, see Student visa changes from 2 October 2026.
Graduate Visa (After Study)
Temporary Graduate visa in Australia (subclass 485)
- Be aged 35 or under when you apply (some exceptions apply)
- Have held a Student visa in the last 6 months and hold a recent qualification from a CRICOS-registered course
- Choose your stream when you apply, as streams cannot be changed afterwards:
- Post-Higher Education Work stream: for degree-level qualifications or higher. Stay is usually 2 to 3 years, depending on the qualification
- Post-Vocational Education Work stream: for an associate degree, diploma or trade qualification linked to an occupation on the skilled occupation list. A skills assessment is required. Stay is up to 18 months
- A Second Post-Higher Education Work stream may be available to eligible graduates of regional institutions, for 1 to 2 years
- No job offer is required
- Family members may currently be included. The Government has announced similar restrictions to those for Student visas, with details still to come
- Visa Application Charge: from AUD 5,750
Post-Study Work Visa in New Zealand
- Have recently completed an approved qualification in New Zealand
- Apply no later than 3 months after your student visa expires (longer in some cases, such as 6 months for a doctoral degree)
- Show at least NZD 5,000 for living expenses
- Stay for up to 3 years, depending on what you studied
- A degree level 7 or higher qualification generally allows you to work for any employer. For other eligible qualifications, the job needs to relate to your study
- Your partner may be able to apply for a work visa and your children for student visas
- This visa can be held once and may be a step toward a resident visa, subject to meeting the requirements
- Visa Application Charge: from NZD 1,670
Want to see how your course connects to a post-study visa?
Read the Pathway to Aus Graduate visa guide.
Common Work Visas (Temporary)
Skills in Demand visa in Australia (subclass 482)
- Be nominated for a skilled position by an approved sponsor
- Have the skills for the role and meet the English language requirements
- Choose from three streams: Core Skills, Specialist Skills or Labour Agreement. The stream depends on the occupation and the nominated salary, which must meet the relevant income threshold. Thresholds are indexed each 1 July
- Stay for up to 4 years
- Family members may be able to be included or join the primary visa holder
- Visa Application Charge: from AUD 4,015
Accredited Employer Work Visa in New Zealand
- Have a full-time job offer of at least 30 hours a week from an accredited employer, with an approved job check, paid at least the market rate
- Meet work experience or qualification requirements for the role
- Show English ability if the job is skill level 3 to 5
- Stay for up to 5 years for most jobs, or up to 3 years if the job is skill level 4 or 5
- Partners and dependent children are not included in the application, but they may be able to apply for their own visas
- This visa may be a step toward a resident visa, subject to meeting the requirements
- Visa Application Charge: from NZD 1,540
Have a job offer or sponsor in mind?
Talk to a Pathway to Aus agent about Australian employer-sponsored visas.
Common Work Visas (Permanent)
Skilled permanent visas in both countries need the right mix of skills, qualifications and experience, plus health, character and English requirements. Both start with an expression of interest, followed by an invitation to apply.
Skilled Independent visa in Australia (subclass 189)
- Be invited to apply. No sponsor or nominator is needed
- Be under 45 when invited
- Have an occupation on the relevant skilled occupation list and a positive skills assessment
- Meet the points test pass mark (65 points) ⚠, which scores factors such as age, English, work experience and education
- Submit an expression of interest through SkillSelect. Invitations depend on each selection round
- Family members may be able to be included
- Visa Application Charge: check the Department of Home Affairs Visa Pricing Estimator
- State and territory nominated (subclass 190) and regional (subclass 491) visas are separate options with their own requirements
Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa in New Zealand
- Be aged 55 or younger
- Work for, or have a job offer from, an accredited employer in a full-time role
- Meet the requirements for one of three pathways:
- Points-based: obtain 6 points from one category (qualification, income or eligible occupational registration) with additional points for skilled work experience in New Zealand where needed.
- Skilled Work Experience: meet the relevant occupation, pay and work-experience requirements.
- Trades and Technician: meet the eligible occupation, qualification, pay and post-qualification work-experience requirements.
- Speak and understand English
- Submit an expression of interest. If it meets the requirements, you may be invited to apply
- Your partner and dependent children aged 24 or younger can be included
- Visa Application Charge: from NZD 6,450
Have you checked your points score?
Use the Pathway to Aus points calculator to estimate your score for the 189, 190 and 491 visas.
Partner/Spouse
Partner visa in Australia
- Be the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen
- Show a genuine relationship and a commitment to a shared life together
- Live together, or be separated only temporarily
- A married couple needs a valid marriage under Australian law. A de facto couple is generally expected to have been in a relationship for 12 months, although some circumstances allow exceptions
- Stages: a temporary visa first, then a permanent visa. Applying from inside Australia, these are subclasses 820 and 801. Applying from outside Australia, they are subclasses 309 and 100
- Visa Application Charge: check the Visa Pricing Estimator
Partner of a New Zealander Resident Visa
- Have a partner who is a New Zealand citizen or resident and supports your application
- Both be at least 18
- Have lived together in a genuine and stable relationship for at least 12 months
- Stay indefinitely, with the option to apply for a Permanent Resident Visa after holding this visa for 2 years in a row
- Dependent children aged 24 or younger can be included
- Visa Application Charge: from NZD 5,360
Preparing relationship evidence?
Speak with a Pathway to Aus agent about the Australian partner visa.
Citizenship
Citizenship in Australia (by conferral)
- Have lived in Australia on a valid visa for the 4 years immediately before applying
- Generally, have lived in Australia on a valid visa for the four years immediately before applying, and have held a permanent visa or a Special Category visa (subclass 444) for the last 12 months, subject to the applicable rules and exceptions.
- Not have been absent from Australia for more than 12 months in the past 4 years, and for no more than 90 days in the 12 months before applying
- Meet the other eligibility requirements, such as intending to live in Australia or maintain a lasting link with it
Citizenship in New Zealand (by grant)
- Have been living as a New Zealand resident for at least the last 5 years
- Generally, have lived in New Zealand with resident status for the five years immediately before applying, including at least 240 days in each 12-month period and 1,350 days in total across those five years.
- Intend to keep living in New Zealand
- Meet the language and character requirements
- From late 2027, most applicants will also need to pass a citizenship test
Next Steps
If you are weighing Australia and New Zealand, a short conversation can help match your study, work and family plans to the right visa pathway. Pathway to Aus is happy to talk through your options
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring my partner and children on a student visa in Australia or New Zealand?
In Australia, Student visa applications lodged from 2 October 2026 generally cannot include a partner or dependent children. Exemptions apply to PhD students, students sponsored by DFAT or Defence, foreign government scholarship holders, and eligible students from Pacific or ASEAN countries. Family members also cannot be added after the visa is granted. In New Zealand, family members cannot be included in a student visa application, but they may be able to apply for their own visas based on their relationship to the student.
Can I apply for an Australian Student visa while I am in Australia?
From 2 October 2026, most temporary visa holders in Australia can no longer apply for a Student visa onshore, unless an exemption applies. This includes most current Student visa holders applying for a new Student visa. Applications lodged before 2 October 2026 are assessed under the rules in place when they were lodged.
How many hours can international students work in Australia and New Zealand?
In Australia, Student visa holders can work up to 48 hours a fortnight while their course is in session. In New Zealand, eligible student visa holders can work up to 25 hours a week during study and full-time during scheduled holidays. Work rights depend on the conditions of each visa.
Do I need a job offer to get permanent residence in Australia or New Zealand?
In Australia, the Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189) does not need a sponsor or job offer, but you must be invited to apply and meet the points test and skills assessment requirements. In New Zealand, the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa requires you to work for, or have a job offer from, an accredited employer.
Can New Zealand citizens live and work in Australia?
Yes. New Zealand citizens can generally live, study and work in Australia on a Special Category visa (subclass 444). This visa does not give the same rights as Australian permanent residence. Since 1 July 2023, New Zealand citizens who hold this visa and have lived in Australia for at least 4 years may be able to apply directly for Australian citizenship.
