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8 Majors that are easy to get a job and settle in New Zealand

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  • Published: 27 February 2024

New Zealand is an increasingly popular destination for international students around the world. Many young people intend to study in this country but do not know what major to study in New Zealand. In the article below, IDP would like to introduce you to 8 majors with high job opportunities and settling possibilities when studying in New Zealand

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New Zealand is an ideal study abroad destination for young people

1. Study Tourism - Hospitality in New Zealand

Although it is not a leading country in the training industry in Tourism - Hospitality, New Zealand is still loved by students and chosen as an ideal study abroad destination.

a - Job and Settlement Opportunities in New Zealand

New Zealand's tourism industry is estimated to have lost about 90 thousand jobs in the first 12 months of the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, when the economy began to recover again, this industry was seriously short of human resources. Accommodation shops and hotels alone will need to recruit between 20,000 and 30,000 employees to meet demand during the peak summer season.

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Tourism - New Zealand hotels are lacking large human resources

Immigration New Zealand has approved 16,904 Working Holiday visas for the country's tourism industry for young people around the world from March 14 to July 19, 2022.

International students will have many opportunities to work for travel businesses, hotels and accommodation facilities here after completing their studies. After completing their undergraduate program, students can apply for a 3-year residence visa in the country.

b - Schools that train well

Readers can refer to some prestigious schools in the field of tourism and hospitality below to be able to receive the most suitable and quality study program:

STT

School Name

Address

World Rankings

1

PIHMS

City of New Plymouth

N/a

2

Le Cordon Bleu

City of Wellington

N/a

3

AUT University

City of Auckland

451

4

University of Lincoln

City of Christchurch

1018

5

Queenstown Resort College

Queenstown Town

N/a

6

SIT Academy

South Island of New Zealand

N/a

7

New Zealand School of Tourism

Cities: Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Rotorua, Hamilton, Auckland

N/a

c - Average tuition fees of all levels of study

The Tourism and Hospitality industry in New Zealand has a training program consisting of 4 levels with different tuition fees.

Degree

*Cost (NZD/year)

Apprenticeship

6.000 – 10.000

College Level

15.000 – 20.000

Undergraduate

22.000 – 30.000

Postgraduate

25.000 – 35.000

Tuition fees for Tourism and Hospitality are similar to Information Technology in New Zealand and are cheaper than those with high requirements such as Health or Economics - Finance.

Compared to studying abroad in Asian countries such as South Korea, the tuition fee for this major in New Zealand is somewhat higher (tuition fees in Korea are only about 4000 NZD/year for the undergraduate system). However, with the top quality of education in New Zealand, this tuition fee is completely worth it.

2. Study Information Technology in New Zealand

The IT industry is the hottest industry in New Zealand as well as globally. The salary for information technology engineers is up to NZD 92,700 per year. This is an extremely attractive choice for the study abroad journey for young people who are passionate about technology.

a - Job and Settlement Opportunities in New Zealand

According to New Zealand Immigration, employers predict they will need 4-5,000 new digital technology professionals each year for the foreseeable future.

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With today's booming technology era, working in the information technology industry can bring you a great source of income

In 2019, as many as 3,683 immigrants were granted visas for IT occupations, accounting for more than 80% of new digital technology jobs created. In the years 2014-2019, 27,057 visas were issued to people entering New Zealand to work in the ICT industries.

Not only that, students studying in New Zealand information technology with high professional qualifications also have the opportunity to settle here if they have 3 years or more of experience working in this field through a Skilled Migration visa.

b - Schools that train well

The information technology major is taught in the academic programs of the following 10 major universities:

STT

School Name

Address

World Rankings

1

Massey University

The City of Auckland, Wellington, and Palmerston North

556

2

AUT University

City of Auckland

3

University of Lincoln

City of Christchurch

1018

4

University of Canterbury

City of Christchurch

387

5

University of Otago

City of Dunedin

230

6

University of Waikato

City of Hamilton

375

78

Crown Academy

City of Auckland

N/a

9

Edenz College

City of Auckland

N/a

10

SIT Academy

South Island of New Zealand

N/a

11

Wellington Institute of Technology

Petone City, Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, Porirua

N/a

c - Average tuition fees of all levels of study

Information Technology is trained in 4 different levels of study with tuition fees ranging from NZD 6,000 to NZD 35,000 per year.

Degree

*Cost (NZD/year)

Apprenticeship

6.000 – 10.000

College Level

15.000 – 20.000

Undergraduate

22.000 – 30.000

Postgraduate

25.000 – 35.000

The tuition fee for Information Technology in New Zealand is similar to the Tourism and hospitality industry but lower than that of the Health sector. When choosing Information Technology in New Zealand, students still have the opportunity to enjoy an advanced education at half the cost of studying in the United States (about NZD 71,000 per year at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

3. Study Medicine and Wellness in New Zealand

In New Zealand, health sciences is a highly valued and developed profession. Especially after the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the country's health system has been more focused on investment and the training of medical resources has also been expanded. When studying Medicine and Health in New Zealand, students can choose from majors such as public health, physiotherapy, pharmacy,...

Health and wellness is an increasingly focused field of study in New Zealand, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic

a - Job and Settlement Opportunities in New Zealand

According to New Zealand's Minister of Health Andrew Little, the country is short of about 4,000 nurses, and the demand for nursing is about 25,000 jobs by 2030 (Source: NZ 'can't rely' on overseas nurses to fill staffing shortages). Therefore, international students after graduating from university have the opportunity to apply for different positions in the medical field, especially nursing.

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In addition, the number of elderly people is increasing while there is a serious shortage of medical human resources, which can give international students the opportunity to settle in New Zealand permanently. Industry groups such as surgeons, nurses, dentists,... belong to the group of industries prioritized for settlement in this country.

b - Schools that train well

The Health and Wellness sector is very popular in New Zealand, so it is present in the training programs of many Universities and Institutes. Here are the top 10 best universities for training in Health and Health that you should refer to:

STT

School Name

Address

World Rankings

1

Massey University

The City of Auckland, Wellington, and Palmerston North

556

2

University of Canterbury

City of Christchurch

387

3

University of Otago

City of Dunedin

230

4

Victoria University of Wellington

Wellington Capital

510

5

AUT University

Victoria University of Wellington

451

6

University of Auckland

City of Auckland

118

7

Eastern Institute of Technology

Hawke's Bay, Auckland and Gisborne

N/a

8

Wintec School

City of Waikato

N/a

9

Whitireia New Zealand

Porirua, Wellington, and Auckland

10

Ara Institute of Canterbury

City of Canterbury

11

Otago Polytechnic

City of Auckland

c - Average tuition fees for all levels of education

Below are the reference tuition fees for Health and Wellness in New Zealand:

Degree

*Cost (NZD/year)

Apprenticeship

6.000 – 10.000

College Level

18.000 – 25.000

Undergraduate

28.000 – 45.000

Postgraduate

30.000 – 45.000

The average tuition fee of the Health-Health major is generally higher than that of the Information Technology and Tourism-Hospitality majors with the same 4 levels of training. However, the health sector in New Zealand has an average tuition fee of only 1/2 of that of studying abroad in the US. Therefore, young people can choose a study program in New Zealand to save a lot of money.

4. Study Economics and Finance in New Zealand

Economics - Finance is a very broad field of study with many different fields of study including banking and finance, accounting and auditing, foreign economics, business administration, and marketing. Studying in New Zealand opens up opportunities for you to work not only in the country but also in many countries around the world.

a - Job and Settlement Opportunities in New Zealand

After graduation, students can apply to credit institutions, banks, securities companies, e-commerce enterprises, insurance companies, and commercial enterprises,... Students who have found employment after graduating from university, and have high experience and expertise can settle in the country for up to 3 years.

Economics - Finance is a broad field of study with very high job opportunities in New Zealand

b - Schools that train well

Here are the top 8 universities in New Zealand by U.S. News & World Report.

STT

School Name

World Rankings

1

University of Auckland

118

2

University of Otago

230

3

Auckland University of Technology

365

4

University of Canterbury

387

5

Victoria University of Wellington

510

6

Massey University

556

7

University of Waikato

804

8

University of Lincoln

1018

c - Average tuition fees for all levels of study

Tuition fees for students pursuing economics and finance vary at different levels depending on the level of training chosen by the student.

Degree

*Cost (NZD/year)

College

15.000 – 20.000

University

22.000 – 30.000

Postgraduate

30.000 – 45.000

Tuition fees can vary by around NZD 15,000 per year depending on the subject you choose. Compared to the Tourism and Hospitality industry, the postgraduate tuition fee of the Economics and Finance major is slightly more than NZD 5000 but cheaper than in the US at about NZD 26,000 per year.

5. Study Agriculture in New Zealand

According to Newzealand.govt.nz, the Agriculture sector owns about 6% of the national workforce, equivalent to 141,400 people. This is also an ideal career for young people to study abroad in New Zealand.

a - Job and Settlement Opportunities in New Zealand

By studying agriculture in New Zealand, you can become a farm manager, health professional, forestry manager, agricultural/horticultural scientist, agricultural biotechnologist,...

According to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, by 2023, the number of jobs for agricultural scientists will increase by about 1.8% per year until 2028. The high demand for human resources opens up many advantages for international students to settle in this country to live and work.

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New Zealand's high-tech agriculture industry is currently experiencing a shortage of human resources

b - Schools that train well

New Zealand has 4 major universities training in Agriculture that are all in the top of the world.

STT

School Name

World Rankings

1

University of Auckland

118

2

Massey University

556

3

University of Lincoln

1018

4

University of Otago

230

c - Average tuition fees for all levels of education

Readers can refer to the tuition fees for Agriculture in New Zealand as follows:

Degree

*Cost (NZD/year)

College Level

15.000 – 20.000

Undergraduate

22.000 – 30.000

Postgraduate

25.000 – 35.000

Just like Education, the training system of Agriculture has 3 levels with tuition fees ranging from NZD 15,000 to NZD 35,000. Compared to other developed countries such as the UK, the US, and Australia, the tuition fee for Agriculture in New Zealand is much lower. Cornell University in the United States has a tuition fee of about 107,665 NZD/year, Queen's University Belfast in the UK is 37,225 NZD, and the University of Melbourne in Australia is 46,990 NZD/year. Therefore, studying in New Zealand helps you save a large amount of tuition fees.

6. Study Education in New Zealand

New Zealand education values critical thinking and respects the diversity of human thinking and culture. At the same time, the pedagogical sector here also scores points because of its superior educational philosophy, stimulating students' creativity.

a - Job and Settlement Opportunities in New Zealand

After graduating from university, you can choose from many job positions in your field such as university lecturer, preschool teacher, primary school teacher, and educational advisor,... The New Zealand government is working to reduce the shortage of teachers in the country's educational institutions.

In 2019, about 1000 foreign teachers were granted visas to work in New Zealand schools. In the face of a shortage of human resources, many principals at schools in New Zealand have proposed solutions so that highly qualified teachers can be specially selected to teach in this country. This is a great opportunity for international students to stay in New Zealand to work after completing their undergraduate training program.

b - Schools that train well

Education in New Zealand is focused on training at 8 major universities, namely:

STT

School Name

Address

World Rankings

1

Massey University

The City of Auckland, Wellington, and Palmerston North

272

2

University of Canterbury

City of Christchurch

270

3

University of Otago

City of Dunedin

184

4

Victoria University of Wellington

Wellington Capital

510

5

AUT University

City of Auckland

N/a

6

University of Auckland

City of Auckland

118

7

SIT Academy

South Island of New Zealand

N/a

8

Weltec Academy

Wellington Capital

N/a

c - Average tuition fees for all levels of education

The education system has only 3 levels of education: college, university, and postgraduate with tuition fees ranging from NZD 15,000 to NZD 35,000.

Degree

*Cost (NZD/year)

College Level

15.000 – 20.000

Undergraduate

22.000 – 30.000

Postgraduate

25.000 – 35.000

The cost of studying Education in New Zealand is lower than in disciplines such as Economics or Health. This is a great choice for young people who have a passion for this industry without paying too high tuition fees like training programs in the US (about 82,000 NZD/year at Stanford University).

7. Study Art and Design in New Zealand

The art and design industry in New Zealand has emerged with fields of training such as: advertising, graphic design, interior design, animation design,... The diversity of academic programs with academic tuition fees has attracted many international students to choose this major.

a - Job and Settlement Opportunities in New Zealand

Art and design graduates in New Zealand can become architectural architects, fashion designers, advertising designers,... According to New Zealand's Ministry of Business and Employment Improvement, the demand for graphic designers is increasing.

Vacancies increased by 3% in the period 2017 - 2018. This is a good example of an increase in human resources in the industry.

After graduation, you can apply for a Graduate Job Search Visa. If successful and receive a job offer from a business in New Zealand, international students will be able to stay and settle here to work for a maximum period of up to 3 years.

Students have the opportunity to stay and work for 3 years while studying Art and Design in New Zealand

b - Schools that train well

The top 4 most prestigious schools for Art and Design in New Zealand include:

STT

School Name

World Rankings

1

AUT University

N/a

2

Massey University

556

3

University of Auckland

118

4

University of Otago

230

c - Average tuition fees for all levels of education

Here are the costs of studying Art and Design in New Zealand:

Degree

*Cost (NZD/year)

College Level

15.000 – 20.000

Undergraduate

21.000 – 27.000

Postgraduate

23.000 – 35.000

Tuition fees at all levels of Art and Design also range from NZD 15,000 to NZD 35,000, with slight differences compared to Undergraduate and Postgraduate Education or Agriculture. However, the cost of arts education in New Zealand is not too different from that in the United States (the average tuition fee in the United States is about 34,000 NZD/year).

8. Study Marketing in New Zealand

Marketing training programs in New Zealand teach in areas such as Marketing Management, PR, Public Relations, Pricing Strategy, Consumer Behavior,... Studying in New Zealand Marketing attracts young people because of the huge job opportunities and the ability to settle down.

a - Job and Settlement Opportunities in New Zealand

The number of jobs in the Marketing industry is extremely large with many diverse fields such as marketing specialists, advertising assistants, marketing assistants, and customer care,... According to a report by the New Zealand Department of Labour, the demand for human resources in this industry grows by about 3% per year. Trade. co. NZ's report shows that the salary of personnel in the Marketing industry is in the top 5 industries with the highest salaries in the country.

At the same time, schools can support students to find jobs at businesses affiliated with the school, thereby increasing the chances of international students settling in New Zealand.

Marketing is one of the 5 highest-paid industries in New Zealand

b - Schools that train well

STT

School Name

World Rankings

1

AUT University

N/a

2

Massey University

556

3

University of Auckland

118

4

University of Otago

230

c - Average tuition fees for all levels of education

The cost for a year of study in Marketing is the same as Art and Design at 3 levels of training.

Degree

*Cost (NZD/year)

College Level

15.000 – 20.000

Undergraduate

21.000 – 27.000

Postgraduate

23.000 – 35.000

Compared to other countries such as the UK, the US, and Australia, the cost of studying Marketing at the undergraduate level is much lower. The one-year tuition fee in the UK is NZD 33,000 (University of Bath), in the US it is NZD 137,515 (Columbia Business School) and in Australia, it is NZD 37,153. Therefore, young people can consider universities in New Zealand to be able to enjoy quality education programs at reasonable tuition fees.

Experience in choosing the right study abroad in New Zealand

a - Choose a major according to personal interests and family orientationChoosing the right major is the beginning of an effective study abroad journey for young people. Studying a profession that you love will give you a lot of interest and motivation in the learning process. On the contrary, if you study a major that you don't like, it will be difficult to absorb knowledge and persistently pursue the study path to the end. You should also consider the orientation of your family and relatives - who have experience and knowledge of that industry.

b - Choose a major according to financial conditions Financial resources are always an issue that needs to be considered before young people decide to study abroad. Tuition fees for students vary depending on the field of study and school. You can choose levels of study such as apprenticeship, or college or choose lower tuition majors such as Tourism, Education, Agriculture,.. instead of the Economics/Health sector to save costs. Young people need to consider their family's financial situation to choose the right major and school.

c - Choose a major according to your capacity Each young person will have superior abilities in different fields. Professions in fields such as Information Technology, Health, Law, Science, Biology,... often require high professional knowledge as well as good thinking ability. Industries such as Fine Arts, Music, Design, Sports,... are more suitable for students with innate talents. Therefore, you need to grasp your academic ability as well as your abilities before deciding to choose a study abroad major.

d - Choose a major according to social needs an important factor that students need to pay attention to when choosing a major is the human resource demand of that industry in the near future. According to the New Zealand Department of Residence, 5 groups of industries with a shortage of human resources are prioritized to settle here after studying, including:

  • Construction and engineering: Architects, civil engineers, electrical engineers, or mechanical engineers

  • Information and Electronics Technology: Software Engineering, Website Development, Design

  • Health and social services: Dentists, surgeons, nurses, or medical laboratory technicians

  • Finance: Accounting, auditing

  • Hospitality and tourism: managers, chefs, sales professionals

Young people need to consider their family's financial situation to choose the right major and school

Thus, the article has analyzed for readers good professions with job opportunities as well as high settlement possibilities for international students in New Zealand. Choosing a career to study abroad is a matter that needs to be carefully considered and considered by students in many aspects such as capacity, personal interests of students, social needs of the profession, and financial conditions of families,...

IDP is always ready to provide free counseling for students who intend to study in New Zealand

If you are still wondering what major to study in New Zealand, you can seek the support of consultants at IDP. As the official enrollment representative of more than 600 prestigious schools in Australia, the US, the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Ireland, IDP is always ready to support the application and study abroad advice completely free of charge suitable for each individual international student. So, don't hesitate to contact IDP immediately to find the right major as quickly as possible!

*The costs in this article are for reference only, for accurate information, please contact a study abroad consultant at IDP

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