A multi-year gap between secondary school and university, or work breaks between degrees, is common and doesn't automatically disqualify a study permit applicant.
What group members advised:- An education gap doesn't matter on its own — what matters is whether you justify it adequately in your SOP (e.g., explaining the years spent working before returning to studies).
- Check your target university/college's own admission requirements, since some programs may have their own gap-tolerance rules independent of IRCC's study permit assessment.
The consistent advice here is simple: don't leave the gap unexplained. Address it directly and honestly in the SOP, tying the time spent working (or living/working abroad, as in this case with a return from New Zealand) to your motivation for returning to study now.