NZ Eases Student Visas for Indians by 2025

In a landmark move aimed at simplifying the immigration process, New Zealand has removed the mandatory qualification assessment requirement for Indian degree holders, significantly easing the pathway for Indian students and skilled professionals to study and work in the country.

Effective June 23, 2025, Indian qualifications from recognized institutions are now included in New Zealand’s List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment (LQEA), eliminating the need for an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). This change applies to several major immigration pathways, including:

• Skilled Migrant Category
• Green List Occupations
• Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV)

Previously, the IQA process required applicants to spend approximately NZD 746 and wait 8–12 weeks for evaluation. With this exemption, applications from eligible Indian candidates can now be processed faster and at significantly lower cost.

India is now the first South Asian country to be included in this exemption list, alongside countries like France, Germany, Singapore, South Korea, and Switzerland. The inclusion reflects New Zealand’s growing recognition of India’s higher education standards and the country’s contribution to its workforce and student population.

The move is part of New Zealand’s broader strategy to attract high-caliber international talent and bolster its education and labour sectors. It follows recent steps such as increasing post-study work visa durations to up to three years, and launching the New Zealand Excellence Awards (NZEA) 2025, which offers NZD 260,000 in scholarships for Indian students.

With more than 22,000 Indian students already enrolled in New Zealand institutions, this policy shift is expected to further boost enrolment numbers and encourage skilled migration from India.

Bottom line: This reform marks a major step in strengthening New Zealand–India relations, while streamlining the visa process for highly qualified Indian applicants seeking global opportunities in education and employment.