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

The two issues worth examining together are whether you'll be able to find secure work after graduating, and whether you can earn a fair income while studying without sacrificing your education.

There are meaningful differences between the parties' proposals, particularly around employment protections, student debt, minimum wages and job creation.

The general election is scheduled for Saturday 7 November 2026. The following is a snapshot of published policies as at 1 November 2026, rather than a guarantee that every proposal will become law.

1. Graduate jobs and employment opportunities

Here are some of the main differences between the major parties.

Labour

Specific graduate job commitment

• Graduate Nurse Job Guarantee: Eligible New Zealand-trained graduate nurses would be offered jobs in the public health system from 2027.
• Start Work Now: Investment in housing, schools and hospital repairs to generate employment, with support for nearly 30,000 apprentices.
• Apprenticeship Boost: Support for employers taking on apprentices, including a proposed $1,000 tools grant.
• Student debt: A proposed 10% reduction in eligible student loan balances, subject to residency and other eligibility requirements.

These policies are aimed at creating employment opportunities in particular sectors, rather than guaranteeing a job to every university or tertiary graduate. Labour's 2026 Election PoliciesLabour's Cost of Living Plan

National

• Back Pocket Boost for Graduates: Reduce compulsory student loan repayments from 12% to 10% from 1 April 2027.
• The proposal would leave domestic borrowers with more take-home pay while repaying their loans.
• National also proposes tougher measures to recover debt from borrowers who move overseas.

This is primarily a student-debt and take-home-pay policy, rather than a graduate employment guarantee. Back Pocket Boost for Graduates

Green Party

• A proposed jobs guarantee for unemployed young people aged 16–24 who have been unemployed for six months.
• Potential jobs include environmental restoration, infrastructure maintenance and community services.
• This is a targeted youth employment scheme, not a guarantee of employment specifically for tertiary graduates.

PF009: Jobs and unemployment · AI election answers

Other parties

ACT, New Zealand First and Te Pāti Māori also have employment and economic policies, but it is important to distinguish general business-growth proposals from actual commitments to employ graduates.

2. Rights of people working part-time

This is particularly relevant if you work evenings, weekends or irregular shifts around classes.

A crucial point: part-time employees generally have the same basic employment protections as full-time employees in New Zealand. Your hours may differ, but you are still entitled to applicable minimum employment rights.

The biggest election differences concern the following issues.

Comparison of employment-rights proposals

The following comparison is based on the NZ Council of Trade Unions' October 2026 scorecard. It is a union organisation advocating for workers, so its analysis should be read alongside the parties' own policies and voting records.

Employment issue	Labour	Greens	Te Pāti Māori	National / ACT
Abolish 90-day trials	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Restore personal grievance protections	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Restore Fair Pay Agreements	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Restore pay equity system	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Reverse 2026 Employment Leave Act	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Increase minimum wage above inflation	Yes	Yes	Yes	ACT: No; National: Unclear

New Zealand First also supports annual minimum wage increases above inflation, but opposes restoring 90-day trials and the other listed employment protections. Policy scorecards for working people NZCTU

What these policies mean for you

1. Job security and 90-day trials

A 90-day trial allows an employer to dismiss an employee during the trial period without the usual personal grievance rights for unjustified dismissal.

• Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori propose abolishing these trials.
• National and ACT support retaining them.

This matters when taking a casual or part-time job while studying, particularly if you are new to an employer.

2. Sick leave and holidays

The Employment Leave Act 2026 is another important issue.

Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori have committed to reversing it, while National and ACT support retaining it.

Changes to leave rules can affect how entitlements are calculated and paid, especially for workers with variable hours. Policy scorecards for working people NZCTU

3. Minimum wages

The parties differ over how quickly minimum wages should increase.

• Labour, the Greens, Te Pāti Māori and New Zealand First support increases above inflation over the next three years.
• ACT opposes that commitment.
• National's position is recorded as unclear by the CTU.

For a student working 10–20 hours a week, even a relatively small hourly wage difference can add up over a semester.

4. Fair Pay Agreements and collective bargaining

Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori support restoring Fair Pay Agreements.

These would allow employers and unions to negotiate minimum employment conditions across particular industries.

This could be relevant if you work in hospitality, retail, cleaning or other industries where workers may have limited bargaining power individually.

5. Personal grievances and workplace representation

Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori support restoring personal grievance protections and making union membership more accessible through automatic opt-out membership.

National and ACT oppose these changes.

For a part-time worker, access to representation can matter when dealing with disputes over pay, dismissal, scheduling or employment conditions. Policy scorecards for working people NZCTU

3. Policies addressing the financial pressure of studying

This is another important area given that you are renting and relying on part-time income and a student loan.

Green Party

A particularly relevant proposal is its paid placements policy:

• $380 per week for students completing compulsory placements in priority professions, including nursing, teaching and social work.
• An additional $1,500 relocation payment for eligible students who need to move for placements.
• The payment would be on top of existing student loans or allowances.

This could make a substantial difference if your course requires unpaid practical placements. It does not cover every tertiary student. Greens announce paid placements for nurses, teachers, and social workersGood Jobs For All of Us

Labour

• A 10% reduction in eligible student loan balances.
• Complete write-off of eligible balances of $2,000 or less.
• The reduction is linked to staying in New Zealand for three years after completing study for current and future students.
• A $20 weekly public transport fare cap in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

The debt reduction is not an immediate increase in your weekly student income. Labour's Cost of Living Plan

National

• Reduce compulsory student loan repayments from 12% to 10% from April 2027.
• This would increase take-home pay for domestic borrowers once they are making compulsory repayments.
• The proposal does not directly increase student allowances or reduce tuition fees. Back Pocket Boost for Graduates

The Greens' broader tertiary education proposals also include changes to student support and education funding. Their paid placement commitment is particularly specific to students who must undertake compulsory practical training. Manifesto 2026

4. What your existing rights are as a part-time worker

It is worth separating proposed election changes from rights you already have.

Under New Zealand employment law, part-time workers generally have access to:

• Minimum wage for every hour worked, subject to the applicable minimum wage category.
• A written employment agreement.
• Paid rest breaks and appropriate unpaid meal breaks.
• Annual holiday entitlements, generally four weeks after 12 months' continuous employment.
• Paid sick leave, generally after meeting the six-month eligibility requirements.
• Protection against unlawful discrimination and unsafe working conditions.
• The right to join a union.

Your entitlements are not automatically reduced just because you work fewer hours. Some leave entitlements have eligibility and calculation rules that depend on your work pattern.

Official information: Employment New Zealand – Employee rights and responsibilities. Employee rights and responsibilities

5. Side-by-side summary

Here is a simplified overview of the differences most relevant to your circumstances.

Party	Graduate employment	Part-time employment protections	Student financial support
Labour	Graduate nurse guarantee; apprenticeships	Restore several worker protections	10% eligible loan reduction
National	Graduate loan repayment relief rather than job guarantee	Retain current employment-law changes	Lower compulsory repayment rate
Greens	Youth jobs guarantee; investment in new jobs	Restore several worker protections	$380 weekly eligible placement payment
Te Pāti Māori	Māori-led employment and training initiatives	Restore several worker protections	Check detailed tertiary support commitments
ACT	Business-led employment approach	Retain current employment-law changes	Check detailed student support commitments
NZ First	Employment and wage-growth policies	Opposes several proposed reversals of employment changes	Check detailed student support commitments

This is not a complete party manifesto comparison. In particular, a party's position on employment protections does not necessarily tell you what it would do about the availability of graduate jobs.

6. Questions worth asking before deciding your vote

Given your situation, I'd suggest looking beyond headline promises and considering these five questions:

1. Can I find work after graduating? Does the party have specific graduate employment programmes, or is it relying on general economic growth?
2. Can I afford to study without working excessive hours? Does it offer additional student allowances, paid placements or other financial assistance?
3. Will my wages keep up with living costs? What does it propose for minimum wage increases?
4. Will I have protection if my employer treats me unfairly? What does it propose for dismissal protections, sick leave and personal grievances?
5. Will I be better off repaying my student loan? Does it propose reducing debt, changing repayment rates or providing other relief?

7. Where to check the parties' actual policies

These resources are useful for checking the details rather than relying solely on campaign advertising.

• Policy.nz – 2026 employment and income policy comparison – compare employment, wages and working conditions.
• Policy.nz – Education policy comparison – compare tertiary education and student support.
• NZ Council of Trade Unions – 2026 employment policy scorecards – compare party positions on workers' rights.
• Vote.nz – enrolment and voting information.

My suggested focus for your decision

Rather than focusing only on which party promises the most jobs, consider the relationship between three things:

• Income while studying: Can you afford rent, food and transport without needing to work so many hours that your studies suffer?
• Employment security: Can you count on fair pay, leave and protection if something goes wrong at work?
• Employment after study: Will there be opportunities to use your qualification and build a career?

One final distinction is important: a promise to create jobs is not the same as a guarantee that graduates will get jobs, and a promise to reduce student loan repayments is not the same as reducing the cost of studying.

Those differences are worth keeping in mind when comparing the parties' promises.