Work permit rules block extra study

Tatiana Kuz'mina. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Unable to get a good job with her bachelor of business degree, Russian Tatiana Kuz'mina - who would have qualified for New Zealand residency with a job offer - thought pursuing a masters degree could give her a competitive advantage.

But going back to studies after being granted a job search work permit has left the 24-year-old facing the end of her time in New Zealand, after Immigration New Zealand refused to grant her a second work permit under the policy.

Like Miss Kuz'mina, many graduate international students on work permits who went back to studies during the recession to better their chances in the job hunt, have received letters from the agency requesting they "make arrangements to leave New Zealand".

Many did not know they could not get another permit if they had already been issued with one under the policy.

Last year, 4961 work permit applications were declined compared with 3923 in 2008. Eighty six of those declined were for graduate work permits.

Immigration New Zealand said the rejections were mainly because the applicants had either held ineligible qualifications or that they had previously held a graduate job search work permit.

Miss Kuz'mina, who has been in New Zealand for seven years and wants to stay permanently, said the policy "makes no sense at all".

International students in New Zealand can gain points for their qualifications after graduating from selected courses and apply for permanent residence as skilled migrants.

"I would have qualified as a skilled migrant with my bachelor's degree. One would have thought that I will be able to contribute far more to New Zealand after obtaining a postgraduate diploma and a masters," said Miss Kuz'mina, who found work in retail sales after her first degree.

Miss Kuz'mina and a German student facing the same situation, who did not want to be named because he was appealing against the agency's decision, said they were not told by their universities that they would not be granted a second job search work permit when they signed up for their post-graduate courses.

Immigration expert Paul Spoonley, of Massey University, said international students were an important "migration source" for New Zealand and the policy did not make sense in labour market terms.

"These people are entering the labour market better qualified, and on those grounds, they should be allowed to search for jobs that are appropriate to their new qualifications," he said.

But Acting Immigration Head Stephen Dunstan said the permit could be issued only once so students could test themselves against the local labour market.

"Graduates who gain employment through this policy may be able to obtain further permits through the practical work experience policy.

"Graduates who obtain skilled employment and wish to stay in New Zealand may then test their eligibility against the skilled migrant category for residence," he said.

Meanwhile, all 1800 working holiday work permits offered to South Koreans to stay and work in New Zealand for up to 12 months for the 2010-11 financial year were snapped up yesterday, the same day they were made available.