Sex work no go, student visitors told

Although prostitution was decriminalised in 2003, it is illegal for people on temporary visas, including foreign students, to work in the sex industry. Photo / Thinkstock

International students are being warned against working as prostitutes in a new Immigration New Zealand employment advice website.

The site, www.nzstudywork.com, aims to provide advice and support for international students seeking to work here, says Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse.

According to the website, jobs that students can't legally do include being self-employed, working as an independent contractor or working in the adult entertainment industry.

"International students also can't provide commercial sexual services," the website said.

"In other words, they can't work as a prostitute, act as an operator of a New Zealand prostitution business or invest in a prostitution business."

Although prostitution was decriminalised in 2003, it is illegal for people on temporary visas, including foreign students, to work in the sex industry.

Immigration NZ general manager Stephen Dunstan said New Zealand legislation did not preclude students from working as massage therapists.

Last year, fraud and compliance officers made over 150 visits to employment sites - including to massage centres - believed to have breached immigration laws.

More than 150,000 work visas were approved in the past year, but Immigration NZ said it was not able to say how many were issued for people to work in massage clinics.