http://www.immigration.govt.nz/opsmanual/45657.htm Your children will count as domestic students at university, IF you take out Residence before they reach that age and stage. They will not be eligible for a NZ student loan until they have been a Resident for at least three years. They will be eligible to be domestic students while at school as long as you have a work visa, and they have student visas depending on your work visa - that might all be the first stage of your life in NZ, getting started, then moving on to Residence once it has time to come through.
You will need to get to know about immigration requirements rather urgently! See the links below.
Work visas.
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra.../requirements/
Student visas for school children.
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migrant/stream/study/ (You fill in the form as if you were the child, then sign on their behalf as the parent. You link these applications to your work visa application.)
Residence under SMC.
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/migra...nt/default.htm