New Zealand Implements India Free Trade Agreement Visa Commitments with New Temporary Work Routes and Expanded Post-Stud

Current rules

1. India Skilled Work Visa The India Skilled Work Visa is for Indian citizens who have a qualifying job offer in one of the approved occupation groups. Applicants must generally be outside New Zealand when applying for their first visa under this route. They need a current offer of full-time work from an accredited employer, for at least 30 hours a week, and must meet the qualifications, work experience or registration requirements specified for their occupation. Applicants must also provide acceptable evidence of English-language ability and satisfy health, character and genuine-intention requirements. The English-language requirement is not satisfied simply by speaking English or having studied in English. Immigration New Zealand requires an accepted test completed in person at an approved test centre, with results no more than two years old when the application is lodged. For the India Skilled Work Visa, the published requirements include an overall IELTS score of at least 6.5, an overall TOEFL iBT score of at least 79, a PTE Academic score of at least 58, a B2 First score of at least 176, or the specified OET grade in all four skills. Applicants should check the official requirements before booking a test, as accepted tests and conditions may be updated. The three-year limit applies to the combined time a person may spend in New Zealand under the India Skilled Work Visa and India Iconic Work Visa categories. If the first visa is granted for less than three years, a further visa may be possible for the remaining time, subject to the applicable requirements and available places. After reaching the three-year limit, the visa rules require the person to spend at least three years outside New Zealand before they can obtain another visa under these India-specific instructions. Time spent under one category counts towards the combined limit. 2. India Iconic Work Visa The India Iconic Work Visa is designed for Indian citizens with a qualifying job offer as a yoga instructor, Indian chef, music teacher or recognised AYUSH practitioner. As with the Skilled Work Visa, applicants must generally apply from outside New Zealand for their first visa, have full-time work from an accredited employer, meet the job-specific requirements and satisfy other immigration conditions. The job offer must be current and cover at least 30 hours of work each week. The professional and qualification requirements differ by occupation. A yoga instructor needs a recognised bachelor's degree in yoga from an institution recognised by the Indian Federal Government. An Indian chef must hold an eligible tertiary qualification in Indian cuisine following at least two years of successful study and have at least two years of relevant work experience completed after that qualification. A music teacher needs a bachelor's degree or equivalent three-year tertiary qualification in music and at least two years of relevant experience. A qualifying AYUSH practitioner needs an eligible degree in Indian traditional medicine or an AYUSH system and at least four years of professional experience, subject to the detailed recognition and evidence rules. English-language requirements also vary by occupation. For yoga instructors and Indian chefs, the published IELTS threshold is at least 5.0 in listening and speaking; for music teachers and AYUSH practitioners, it is an overall IELTS score of at least 6.5. Other approved tests have corresponding occupation-specific minimums. Test results must be recent enough under the visa instructions and taken in person at an acceptable test centre. The visa is limited to work in the approved occupation, for the specified employer and at the location stated in the visa. It allows study for up to three months and travel in and out of New Zealand while valid, subject to the visa's conditions. The visa does not permit an applicant to include a partner or dependent children who would receive visas on the basis of their relationship to the applicant. These conditions mean that securing a job offer is only one part of eligibility; the job, employer, qualifications and applicant must all meet the requirements. 3. Post-study work rights for Indian PhD graduates From 16 November 2026, Indian graduates with New Zealand PhDs are due to become eligible for post-study work visas of up to four years, compared with up to three years under the previous position described by Immigration New Zealand. This measure is not one of the two new temporary employment-entry visas and does not take effect on 20 October. Anyone relying on the extension should check the official post-study work visa guidance as the start date approaches, including the eligibility and application conditions that apply to their individual qualification and circumstances. 4. In-study work and working-holiday commitments The FTA's in-study work provision is a commitment for a possible future policy setting. Eligible students from all nationalities, including Indian students, can currently work up to 25 hours a week. If New Zealand later changes its broader rules, the agreement commits it to a 20-hour weekly allowance for Indian students. This should not be presented as a current increase or decrease in the number of hours Indian students may work. The working-holiday scheme is also a future commitment. It is to be introduced within two years from 20 October 2026, with 1,000 places annually for Indian citizens aged 18 to 30 and permission to stay for up to 12 months. Immigration New Zealand has not described the scheme as open for applications on the date the FTA took effect. Applicants should wait for official scheme details and application instructions before making travel plans or paying anyone who claims to secure a place.

Overview

The India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) entered into force on 20 October 2026, introducing significant new immigration and mobility commitments between the two countries. The agreement establishes two new Temporary Employment Entry (TEE) visa streams—the India Skilled Work Visa and the India Iconic Work Visa—capped at a combined total of 5,000 visa holders in New Zealand at any one time. The majority of these places are designated for occupations listed on New Zealand's Green List, with visas granted for three years requiring employment with an accredited employer. In addition to the temporary employment routes, the agreement expands post-study work rights for Indian nationals holding New Zealand doctoral degrees (PhDs) from three years to up to four years, taking effect from 16 November 2026. The FTA also guarantees in-study work rights of at least 20 hours per week for Indian students if general settings change, and commits New Zealand to launching an annual 1,000-place Working Holiday Scheme for Indian citizens aged 18 to 30 within two years of entry into force.

What changed in the latest version

For Indian citizens who have the required qualifications and can secure a suitable job offer, the agreement creates additional ways to take up temporary employment in New Zealand. Instead of relying only on the country's existing work-visa options, eligible applicants can now apply through two dedicated categories designed for specified skilled occupations and a smaller group of professions associated with India. The new routes have fixed occupational allocations, which means eligibility depends not only on a person's qualifications and job offer but also on whether a place remains available in the relevant category. The change is particularly relevant to workers in occupations such as engineering, information technology, nursing, teaching, construction management and physiotherapy, as well as qualified Indian chefs, yoga instructors, music teachers and AYUSH practitioners. However, the presence of an occupation on the visa list does not mean that every person working in that field qualifies. Each applicant must meet the requirements for the particular occupation, including any specified qualifications, registration or work experience. The job must also satisfy the visa rules. The agreement is also relevant to people considering New Zealand as a study destination. The planned four-year post-study work option for eligible Indian PhD graduates could give them additional time to gain work experience after completing a doctoral qualification. The future working-holiday scheme could provide another short-term route for younger Indian citizens to travel to and work in New Zealand. However, neither future commitment should be treated as an application option that is already open on 20 October 2026. The limits of the new routes matter as much as the opportunities. The work visas are temporary, capped and tied to approved employment. They do not themselves provide a pathway to residence, and holders cannot use these visa applications to secure visas for partners or dependent children through their relationship to the main applicant. Applicants should therefore consider the visa's full conditions before relying on it as a long-term family migration or settlement plan.

Explained simply

New Zealand and India have enacted a new trade deal that makes it easier for certain Indian workers, students, and young travellers to come to New Zealand. Think of it like opening special doors in the immigration system: skilled Indian workers in high-demand jobs and unique cultural professions can get special three-year work visas, Indian students who finish a PhD can now stay and work for four years instead of three, and young people will soon have 1,000 working holiday spots every year.

Frequently asked

Version history

1. v1Effective 20 Oct 2026EffectiveHigh impact
   New Zealand Implements India Free Trade Agreement Visa Commitments with New Temporary Work Routes and Expanded Post-Study Rights

   On 20 October 2026, Immigration New Zealand announced that the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has entered into force, creating substantial new temporary immigration pathways for Indian nationals. The agreement establishes two new Temporary Employment Entry (TEE) visa streams—the India Skilled Work Visa and the India Iconic Work Visa—with a collective cap of 5,000 visa holders in New Zealand at any one time, offering 3-year visas with no pathway to permanent residence. In addition, starting 16 November 2026, Indian graduates holding New Zealand doctoral degrees (PhDs) will receive extended post-study work rights of up to 4 years, an increase from the previous 3-year allowance. The agreement also provides a treaty-backed commitment securing at least 20 hours per week of in-study work rights for Indian students if general settings change, and commits New Zealand to launching an annual 1,000-place working holiday scheme for Indian citizens aged 18 to 30 within two years.