Both Indian workers and students have benefited from the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between New Zealand and India. The India and New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) provides improved entry and stay provisions for Indian professionals, students and youth, including work opportunities during studies, post-study work pathways, dedicated visa arrangements and a Working Holiday visa framework, strengthening people-to-people ties and expanding global exposure for Indian youth.
The India and New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) establishes Skilled Employment Pathways via a new Temporary Employment Entry Visa for Indian professionals in skilled occupations. This FTA marks a significant economic and strategic step in India’s engagement with the Indo-Pacific region.
For Indian Students
To the Indian students, the FTA offers post-study work visas and professional pathways in New Zealand, with no numerical caps. Students can convert their studying experience into post-study work rights of up to 3 years for STEM Bachelor’s and Master’s graduates and up to 4 years for Doctoral scholars.
For Indian Workers
To the Indian workers, the FTA offers a dedicated quota of Temporary Employment Entry visas for 5,000 professionals and 1,000 Work and Holiday Visas. The actual details, including eligibility conditions are yet to be announced.
The FTA Opens Skilled Employment Pathways through a new Temporary Employment Entry Visa pathway for Indian professionals in skilled occupations, with a quota of 5,000 visas at any given time and a stay of up to three years.
This pathway covers Indian professions such as AYUSH practitioners, yoga instructors, Indian chefs, and music teachers, as well as high-demand sectors including IT, engineering, healthcare, education, and construction, strengthening workforce mobility and services trade.
A free trade agreement (FTA) between two countries or a group of countries can be used to set the rules for how countries treat each other when it comes to doing business together.