Hi Annie,
to Move to NZ.
There are different conditions that relate to a) people from other countries b) people who have qualifications from other countries i.e. whether the qualification will be recognised by NZQA and NZIS and c) people who haven?t lived together in a stable relationship for at least 12 months.
The quickest, easiest option would be for your boyfriend to get a Visit Visa to enter NZ, then try to find a job and get himself a Work Permit. However, that is only a temporary measure as he would have to leave again once his permit expired, if he couldn?t get it extended.
To stay in NZ permanently he would need to have skills, qualifications and experience that NZ is really keen to import into the country. His qualification may need to be assessed by the NZQA (NZ Qualification Assessment) before it was accepted. If he fell into this category, he could then apply for his Expression of Interest (EOI) which is the first step to applying for Permanent Residency (PR).
Had you been living together for at least 12 months (and assuming you are either a NZ citizen or hold PR), he could have got into NZ via the Partnership Policy, but, if he?s studying in Malaysia it doesn?t sound like you have been living together recently, if at all. Getting into NZ on a Work Permit could give you both the necessary time that you need to live together to qualify. There is also the Working Holiday Visa (WHV) which is usually for either 12 months or 23 months and, there again, would give you the vital time living together. However, this type of visa is only for people 30 years or under, so it would depend on his age. He could only work for a limited time on this visa as well as it is a holiday visa, not a work visa.
As I said at the top, being African might throw up different time limits and conditions compared to people from countries like the UK or USA. Your boyfriend?s situation could be more complicated because of his nationality and also because he?s doing his studies in Malaysia. I?m not sure how Malaysian qualifications are looked upon by the NZQA. The matter would need looking into due to this, but that's not to say he couldn't still do it.