AI Generated Summary
- India and New Zealand have concluded negotiations on a landmark free trade agreement (FTA) that significantly expands mobility opportunities for Indian students and professionals, marking one of the most liberal visa frameworks New Zealand has ever offered under a trade pact.
- The pact, cleared by the Indian Cabinet and awaiting approval from the New Zealand Parliament, is expected to be formally signed and implemented within the next seven to eight months.
- Indian students completing diploma or degree courses will be eligible for two-year work visas, those pursuing honours degrees or graduating in STEM disciplines will be granted three years, while postgraduate students can stay and work for up to four years after completing their studies.
India and New Zealand have concluded negotiations on a landmark free trade agreement (FTA) that significantly expands mobility opportunities for Indian students and professionals, marking one of the most liberal visa frameworks New Zealand has ever offered under a trade pact.
Under the agreement, New Zealand has eased its mobility norms by extending post-study work rights for Indian students and creating new pathways for skilled professionals. The pact, cleared by the Indian Cabinet and awaiting approval from the New Zealand Parliament, is expected to be formally signed and implemented within the next seven to eight months.
A key highlight is a dedicated annexure on student mobility and post-study work visas—signed by New Zealand for the first time with any partner country. The provisions remove numerical caps on Indian students and formally guarantee the right to work up to 20 hours per week during studies.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said the agreement creates a clear, tiered post-study work regime. Indian students completing diploma or degree courses will be eligible for two-year work visas, those pursuing honours degrees or graduating in STEM disciplines will be granted three years, while postgraduate students can stay and work for up to four years after completing their studies.
Currently, around 12,000 Indian students are enrolled in New Zealand’s universities and institutions.
Beyond students, the pact opens doors for Indian professionals across a wide range of sectors. Up to 5,000 Indians—including yoga instructors, chefs, AYUSH practitioners, IT specialists, teachers, nurses and caregivers—will be able to access a new Skilled Employment Pathway through a Temporary Employment Entry Visa. This route allows stays of up to three years and operates alongside existing visa categories rather than replacing them.
Officials clarified that the new pathway supplements current options such as employer-sponsored and skilled migrant visas, creating an additional, FTA-linked channel for temporary employment.
The agreement also expands the Working Holiday Visa programme, allowing 1,000 young Indians each year to receive multiple-entry visas valid for 12 months.
In services, New Zealand has committed market access across 118 sectors and sub-sectors, including telecommunications and audio-visual services, while India has opened 106 sectors in return. The pact further includes a unique annexure on health and traditional medicine services, designed to facilitate cross-border trade in healthcare and wellness offerings.
Another major gain for India lies in pharmaceuticals. A fast-track approval mechanism for Indian medicines is expected to help domestic drug makers secure a larger share of New Zealand’s pharmaceutical imports.
Together, the measures signal a deepening of economic and people-to-people ties between the two countries, with mobility emerging as a central pillar of the new trade partnership.
