New Zealand 2026 election: graduate jobs and part-time workers

For someone studying at tertiary level, renting a room, working part-time and using a student loan, there are two particularly relevant questions to compare across parties:

• Getting established after graduation: Will there be jobs available, and what help will you receive with student debt?
• Keeping your current job manageable: What do parties propose for sick leave, job security, pay and the ability to balance work with study?

New Zealand's general election is scheduled for Saturday 7 November 2026. The comparison below focuses on announced policies and employment-law changes relevant to those questions, rather than recommending a party. The main parties vying to form New Zealand's next governmentPolicy scorecards for working people NZCTU

1. What parties are proposing for graduates

Labour

Labour proposes a 10% student debt reduction for eligible borrowers from 1 April 2027, linked to staying and working in New Zealand for three years after finishing study. It also proposes clearing student loans of $2,000 or less and expanding Apprenticeship Boost to support 30,000 more people learning on the job.

Its specific graduate job guarantee is for eligible New Zealand-trained nurses: at least 0.8 full-time equivalent (FTE), starting in 2027. This is not a general guarantee for all graduates. Labour's Cost of Living PlanGraduate Nurse Job Guarantee

Official policy: Labour's 2026 policies

National

National proposes reducing the compulsory student loan repayment rate for domestic borrowers from 12% to 10% from 1 April 2027. That would leave more take-home pay once your earnings trigger repayments. The party also proposes tougher measures to recover debt from borrowers living overseas.

This is a repayment-rate reduction, not a promise to erase part of your loan or guarantee a job. Back Pocket Boost for Graduates2026 Election Policy

Official policy: National's Back Pocket Boost for Graduates

Green Party

The Greens announced a Jobs for Young People guarantee on 11 October 2026. It would offer 16–24-year-olds who have been out of work for six months a pathway into a job in their local community, including work on infrastructure, nature and community services.

This could be relevant if you are a younger graduate struggling to find work, but it is not an immediate guarantee for everyone graduating from tertiary study. Greens announce jobs guarantee for young peopleManifesto 2026

Official policy: Green Party 2026 manifesto

For the other parties, including ACT, New Zealand First, Te Pāti Māori and the Opportunities Party, a useful next step is to compare their detailed employment and training policies rather than assume they offer the same kind of graduate assistance. A cross-party policy tracker is available at The Conversation's 2026 policy tracker. Election policy tracker: what the parties are promisingPolicies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026

2. What parties are proposing for part-time workers

This may be just as important as graduate employment if your immediate challenge is earning enough to pay rent without compromising your studies.

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU) published a 2026 election scorecard comparing parties' positions on several workplace issues. Its findings show some clear differences. The NZCTU is a union organisation, so its scorecard is a useful source of worker-focused comparisons, but it is not an independent election authority. Policy scorecards for working people NZCTU

Workplace issue	Labour	Greens	National / ACT
90-day trial periods	Supports abolishing them	Supports abolishing them	Supports retaining them
Misclassified contractors	Supports reversing the 2026 changes	Supports reversing the 2026 changes	Opposes reversing the changes
Fair Pay Agreements	Supports restoring them	Supports restoring them	The NZCTU reports that National and ACT declined to answer its industrial-policy questions

Policy scorecards for working people NZCTU

Why these differences could matter to you

• Job security: A 90-day trial can allow an employer to dismiss a new employee without the usual personal grievance rights for unjustified dismissal, subject to the applicable legal requirements. The Labour and Green positions would remove this special arrangement.
• Knowing whether you are an employee: Correct employment classification affects which statutory workplace protections apply. The parties differ on reversing the 2026 contractor-classification changes.
• Pay and working conditions: Fair Pay Agreements were designed to establish minimum employment terms across an industry or occupation. Labour and the Greens support restoring them, while the current coalition's approach differs.

These policies concern employment protections generally, not a special set of rights exclusively for students or part-time workers.

3. Sick leave and unpredictable working hours

One particularly relevant issue for someone juggling classes and paid shifts is the Employment Leave Bill, introduced in 2026. The proposed changes to leave arrangements have drawn disagreement between the government and opposition parties.

The Green Party's formal opposition to the bill argues that its sick-leave changes would disadvantage people working part-time, variable hours, multiple jobs or insecure employment. In particular, the party says the changes would halve sick leave for part-time workers. That is the Greens' assessment of the legislation, rather than a neutral finding about its effects. Employment Leave Bill

When comparing party policies, check these questions:

• Will your sick-leave entitlement change if you work fewer hours?
• Can your employer change your shifts at short notice?
• Are you paid for every hour you work?
• Can you raise concerns about unfair treatment without risking your job?

For context, existing minimum employment standards still matter. As at 1 April 2026, New Zealand's adult minimum wage is NZ$23.95 an hour before tax. Employees aged 16 and over generally must receive at least the applicable minimum wage for their hours worked, and employers must provide written employment agreements. Minimum wage rates and typesEmployer rights and responsibilities

Official information: Employment New Zealand — pay, hours and wages.

4. How to compare these policies against your circumstances

A practical voting checklist

More jobs for new graduatesLook for specific job guarantees, paid graduate placements, apprenticeships or employer hiring incentives.

Less pressure from student debtCheck whether a policy reduces your balance, lowers deductions from wages, or changes repayment conditions.

Reliable part-time employmentCompare positions on trial periods, dismissal protections, contractor status and minimum employment standards.

Sick leave and work-study balanceCheck the proposed leave rules, protections for variable-hour workers, and any policies affecting shift predictability.

Affordable everyday livingCompare transport, housing and income policies, because the money left after rent and travel can matter as much as your hourly wage.

Compare parties against my priorities

You can also use Policy.nz's 2026 election guide to explore employment, wages, working conditions and income policies across parties.

One important distinction: a promise to help graduates into jobs will not necessarily improve your working conditions while you are still studying. Equally, stronger workplace rights will not by themselves guarantee that a suitable graduate job is available. It is worth assessing these as two separate parts of your voting decision.