New Zealand Eases Visa Process, Recognises Indian Degrees For Students And Professionals

In a move likely to benefit thousands of Indian students and professional, New Zealand has officially removed the requirement for an additional qualification recognition for the majority of Indian degrees. Effective as of June 23, 2025, the modification allows Indian graduates to be spared the International Qualification Assessment (IQA), previously necessitated and often a costly add-on to the visa and residence process.

This update, announced by Immigration New Zealand (INZ), means that recognised Indian degrees will now be treated on par with local qualifications when it comes to applying under major visa categories. These include the Skilled Migrant Category, roles listed on New Zealand’s Green List, and the increasingly popular Accredited Employer Work Visa. In the past, Indian applicants were required to have their degrees from universities assessed by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) to confirm that their qualifications were to New Zealand standards. The IQA process not only took time but also imposed a considerable monetary cost.

Other nations included in the list

Nine more nations have been added to the "List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment" (LQEA), including India. France, Germany, Italy, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden, and Switzerland are among the other countries that have been included. These changes are part of a broader effort by New Zealand to streamline the migration process and attract global talent by recognising the strength of foreign education systems. INZ also intends to revisit and simplify the exemption criteria for existing countries on the list, including Australia, the UK, and the United States, to implement a uniform and clear policy.

India has traditionally been one of the largest sources of international students for New Zealand, with more than 22,000 enrollments in recent years. In addition to this change in policy, programs such as the NZ $260,000 New Zealand Excellence Awards, providing scholarships of up to NZ$20,000 per student, and prolonged post-study work rights up to three years are sweetening the offer for those who are thinking of a long-term future in the nation.

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