The India-New Zealand FTA took effect on 20 October 2026 with two new work visas for Indian citizens: the India Skilled Work Visa (4,400 places) and India Iconic Work Visa (600). Who can apply, the job lists, the 3-year limit, and the PhD post-study change.
Written by the ProVisas Editorial Team. ProVisas is a licensed New Zealand immigration advisory firm (IAA Licence 201301110).
The India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) came into force on 20 October 2026, and with it two new work visas open only to Indian citizens: the India Skilled Work Visa, with up to 4,400 holders in New Zealand at any one time, and the India Iconic Work Visa, with up to 600 (immigration.govt.nz). Both need a full-time job offer from an accredited employer, last up to 3 years, and do not lead to residence. The FTA also lengthens post-study work rights for Indian PhD graduates from 16 November 2026 and commits to a working holiday scheme within 2 years. This guide sets out who can apply and where the limits are.
INZ calls the two new visas Temporary Employment Entry (TEE) visas. The India Skilled Work Visa covers 12 skilled occupations, and INZ says most places go to occupations already on New Zealand’s Green List; the India Iconic Work Visa covers 4 professions INZ describes as iconic to India. Together they allow up to 5,000 TEE visa holders in New Zealand at any one time, and both opened for applications on 20 October 2026.
| India Skilled Work Visa | India Iconic Work Visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Places (at any one time) | Up to 4,400 | Up to 600 |
| Jobs | 12 skilled occupations in 6 sectors | Yoga instructor, Indian chef, music teacher, AYUSH practitioner |
| Job offer | Full-time (30+ hours a week) from an accredited employer | Full-time (30+ hours a week) from an accredited employer |
| Maximum stay | 3 years in total | 3 years in total |
| Partner and children | Cannot be included | Cannot be included |
| Leads to residence | No | No |
| INZ fee (as listed 26 October 2026) | From NZD $1,355 | From NZD $1,355 |
Sources: INZ’s India Skilled Work Visa and India Iconic Work Visa pages. The fee depends on your nationality and where you apply, so check the cost section on INZ’s page before you lodge.
Twelve occupations, grouped into six sectors. The cap applies to the sector, not to each job, so software engineers and ICT project managers draw on the same 1,000 places (immigration.govt.nz).
| Sector jobs | Places at any one time |
|---|---|
| Software Engineer, Software and Applications Programmers, ICT Project Manager | 1,000 |
| Civil Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Structural Engineer, Environmental Engineer | 1,000 |
| Construction Project Manager, Building Project Manager | 700 |
| Primary and Secondary School Teacher | 500 |
| Registered Nurse | 900 |
| Physiotherapist | 300 |
You must meet the qualification, work experience or registration requirements for your job before you apply, and they differ by occupation. If your job needs a qualification gained outside New Zealand, you may need an International Qualifications Assessment (IQA) from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). INZ says you do not need one for an engineering degree accredited under the Washington Accord or Sydney Accord, or for a qualification on the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment; our Indian qualifications exempt from assessment page shows which Indian degrees are on that list. For registered professions such as nursing and physiotherapy, you need either New Zealand registration or confirmation from the registration body that your job is eligible for it.
Yoga instructors, Indian chefs, music teachers and AYUSH practitioners (Ayurveda, naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and homeopathy). Each has its own cap and its own qualification rule (immigration.govt.nz):
| Job | Places | Qualification and experience INZ requires |
|---|---|---|
| Yoga instructor | 100 | At least a bachelor’s degree in yoga from an institution recognised by the Indian Federal Government |
| Indian chef | 250 | A tertiary qualification in Indian cuisine from at least 2 years of study at a recognised institution, plus 2 years of relevant work experience after the qualification |
| Music teacher | 50 | A bachelor’s degree or equivalent 3-year tertiary qualification in music, plus 2 years of experience as a music teacher after the qualification; an IQA if the qualification is from outside New Zealand |
| AYUSH practitioner | 200 | A bachelor’s degree in Indian traditional medicine or AYUSH recognised by the Ministry of Ayush, with at least 3 years of study, plus 4 years of experience as a recognised practitioner |
INZ does not accept applications as a combined “yoga and naturopathy” practitioner. You apply under one occupation, either yoga instructor or naturopathy AYUSH practitioner, and must meet that occupation’s rules.
Both visas share the same core conditions. You must:
The caps limit how many people can hold each visa at once. If a cap is full, INZ will not accept your application and will refund the fee. As at 20 October 2026, INZ reported all places available (immigration.govt.nz). Our guide to the accredited employer list explains how to check an employer before you accept an offer.
No. INZ states that TEE visas do not provide a pathway to residence, and its visa pages go further: time on either visa cannot be counted as skilled work experience for the Skilled Migrant Category or for any of the Work to Residence visas (immigration.govt.nz). This is the biggest difference from the AEWV, where New Zealand work experience can build towards residence.
Time is limited too. You can hold one or more of these visas for 3 years in total, and time on the Skilled and Iconic visas is added together. After 3 years you must spend at least 3 years outside New Zealand before you can get either visa again. Time on a TEE visa also counts towards the maximum stay on an AEWV or a Peak Seasonal Visa, so moving to one of those may first require time offshore.
If your long-term aim is to settle in New Zealand, weigh that before choosing this route over an Accredited Employer Work Visa. The right answer depends on your occupation, your employer and your plans, which is the kind of question a licensed adviser can work through with you.
You can work only in the job, for the employer and in the location on your visa, with at least 30 hours a week. You can study for up to 3 months in any 12-month period, and travel in and out of New Zealand while the visa is valid. If any of those conditions change, you must apply to vary the conditions of your visa.
Neither visa lets you include a partner or dependent children, and INZ states they will not be eligible for a visa based on their relationship to you. Families who want to come together need to look at what other visa each member could hold in their own right.
Three commitments in the FTA affect students rather than workers (immigration.govt.nz):
INZ’s pages for both visas warn that job offer scams are common in India and South Asia, and that it will decline an application if it considers you or your agent offered or promised money to an employer, or their agent, in exchange for a job offer (immigration.govt.nz). Paying for a New Zealand job is illegal even when the money changes hands in India, as the Employment Court confirmed in October 2026; our article on paying for a job offer explains the decision.
Anyone advising you on these visas, in India or in New Zealand, must hold a licence from the Immigration Advisers Authority unless they are exempt. Check their name on the IAA public register before you pay anything.
A new New Zealand work visa for Indian citizens, open from 20 October 2026 under the India-New Zealand FTA. It covers 12 skilled jobs, including software engineers, civil and mechanical engineers, construction project managers, school teachers, registered nurses and physiotherapists. You need a full-time offer from an accredited employer and must meet the job’s requirements. Up to 4,400 people can hold it at any one time, for up to 3 years.
Four: yoga instructor (100 places), Indian chef (250), music teacher (50) and AYUSH practitioner (200), covering Ayurveda, naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and homeopathy. Each job has its own qualification rule, such as a bachelor’s degree in yoga for instructors, or a 2-year Indian cuisine qualification plus 2 years of experience for chefs. You also need a full-time offer from an accredited employer.
No. INZ states that the new FTA visas do not provide a pathway to residence, and time spent on them cannot be counted as skilled work experience for the Skilled Migrant Category or the Work to Residence visas. If settling in New Zealand is your aim, compare this route with the Accredited Employer Work Visa before you apply, because AEWV work experience can count towards residence.
No. Neither visa lets you include a partner or dependent children in your application, and INZ states they will not be eligible for a visa based on their relationship to you. Each family member would need to qualify for a visa in their own right, for example a student visa or a visitor visa, under that visa’s own rules.
Up to 3 years in total across one or more India Skilled or India Iconic Work Visas, with time on both added together. If your first visa is shorter than 3 years, you can apply for another for the rest of the time. After 3 years you must spend at least 3 years outside New Zealand before you can get either visa again.
From 16 November 2026, Indian graduates who complete a PhD in New Zealand can get a Post Study Work Visa of up to 4 years instead of 3. The other Post Study Work Visa requirements still apply. The FTA also commits New Zealand to 20 hours a week of in-study work for Indian students if current settings change.
For the wider picture of routes from India, see our guide to moving to New Zealand from India.
Current as at 26 October 2026, based on Immigration New Zealand policy. For advice on your own situation, talk to a ProVisas Licensed Immigration Adviser (IAA Licence 201301110).
Last reviewed . Information may have changed since this article was reviewed. For your specific case, talk to a licensed immigration adviser.
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