Key Findings

What has changed over time?

Student employment has increased across all months since 2021, while study patterns remain stable.

Employment rose from around half of students in teaching months before 2021 to closer to 60 percent in recent years. The seasonal pattern—lower during teaching months and higher at the end of the year—has remained unchanged.

This finding suggests that increases in student employment are likely driven by wider labour‑market conditions rather than changes in tertiary settings or study behaviour.

Who is most exposed to higher‑intensity work (measured by relative income while studying)?

Part‑time students, those studying below degree level, and Māori and Pacific Peoples students are more likely to be in higher‑intensity employment.

Asian students show a more mixed work‑intensity profile, while full‑time and degree‑level students are more concentrated in lower‑intensity work.

This indicates that some groups are more exposed to the risks associated with higher work intensity under current tertiary education and student support settings.

How outcomes vary with work intensity?

Completion outcomes are strongest at lower levels of work, are lower for students not working, but fall as work intensity increases.

Students working at low and moderate levels have the highest completion rates. Outcomes are generally lower for those working at higher intensity, with more variation at very high levels.

This highlights a trade‑off between work intensity and study outcomes that is relevant to student support settings.

What the analysis does not show

The analysis does not identify whether working causes differences in completion.

The results show associations only and may reflect differences between students who work at different intensity levels.

It does not determine whether higher work intensity is driven by financial pressure, labour‑market opportunities, or both.

Implications

The increase in student employment appears to reflect changing labour‑market conditions but does not in itself indicate a change in how students combine work and study.

However, some students are more exposed to higher‑intensity work, which is associated with lower completion rates.

These findings are relevant to policy discussions on student financial support and labour‑market conditions, particularly in assessing whether current settings appropriately support students to balance work and study.