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New Zealand Opens Two Work Visas for Indian Citizens: Eligible Occupations and Key Restrictions
New Zealand opened the India Skilled Work Visa and India Iconic Work Visa on 20 October 2026, as the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement entered into force. Both routes require an eligible New Zealand job offer and can permit a stay of up to three years.
The two categories allow up to 5,000 visa holders in New Zealand at any one time: 4,400 under the skilled route and 600 under the iconic route. These are caps on holders, not 5,000 advertised jobs or an annual invitation round.
India Skilled Work Visa: every listed occupation and sector cap
Places are shared within each sector. A group allocation does not apply separately to every occupation in that row. INZ states that all places are available as of 20 October 2026; availability can change.
| Eligible occupations | Sector cap |
|---|---|
| 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 School Teacher; Secondary School Teacher | 500 |
| Registered Nurse | 900 |
| Physiotherapist | 300 |
India Iconic Work Visa: eligible professions
| Occupation | Cap at any one time |
|---|---|
| Yoga instructor | 100 |
| Indian chef | 250 |
| Music teacher | 50 |
| AYUSH practitioner: ayurveda, naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa or homeopathy | 200 |
A combined yoga-and-naturopathy AYUSH application is not accepted under that combined description. Applicants must qualify as either a yoga instructor or a naturopathy AYUSH practitioner, subject to that occupation's requirements and available places.
Who can qualify?
Applicants must be Indian citizens and apply for their first visa from outside New Zealand. They need a current offer of at least 30 hours a week in an eligible occupation, from an employer accredited under the AEWV policy. Occupational requirements, English, health, character and genuine-intention criteria also apply.
These are employer-specific visas: work is restricted to the job, employer and location stated on the visa. Employer accreditation alone does not make every role eligible. Our Accredited Employer Work Visa overview explains the separate AEWV route.
Qualifications and experience: the main occupation conditions
| Occupation group | Key requirement |
|---|---|
| Software/ICT roles | Relevant bachelor's degree or equivalent and at least five years of experience in the field. |
| Engineering roles | An accepted engineering qualification or the specified Engineering New Zealand recognition/registration route. |
| Construction and building project managers | An accepted occupation-specific qualification. The permitted qualification options differ between the two roles. |
| Primary and secondary teachers | Teaching Council registration and a provisional or full practising certificate. |
| Registered nurses | Nursing Council registration, a nursing degree or equivalent, and at least three years of experience. |
| Physiotherapists | Physiotherapy Board registration, a relevant degree or equivalent, and at least three years of experience. |
| Yoga instructors | At least a recognised bachelor's degree in yoga. |
| Indian chefs | Recognised Indian-cuisine tertiary qualification involving at least two years of study, plus two years of relevant post-qualification experience. |
| Music teachers | Music degree or equivalent three-year tertiary qualification, plus two years of relevant post-qualification teaching experience. Overseas qualifications require an IQA. |
| AYUSH practitioners | Recognised relevant bachelor's degree with at least three years of study, and four years of relevant practitioner experience. |
Some overseas qualifications require an NZQA International Qualification Assessment. Occupation-specific alternatives and exemptions matter; holding a similarly named qualification alone does not establish eligibility.
English scores required
| Route/occupation | IELTS | PTE Academic |
|---|---|---|
| India Skilled Work Visa | Overall 6.5 | Overall 58 |
| Iconic: music teacher or AYUSH practitioner | Overall 6.5 | Overall 58 |
| Iconic: yoga instructor or Indian chef | 5.0 in listening and speaking | 36 in listening and speaking |
INZ also accepts specified TOEFL iBT and Cambridge B2 tests, and OET for the skilled route. Results must be from an accepted in-person test centre and no more than two years old at application. Professional registration can have separate English requirements.
Family, residence and length-of-stay restrictions
Partners and dependent children cannot be included and are not eligible for visas based on their relationship to these visa holders. Applicants planning to relocate with family need to consider this restriction before choosing the route.
These visas do not themselves provide a residence pathway. Time spent on them cannot be used as skilled work experience for the Skilled Migrant Category, Work to Residence, Transport Work to Residence or Care Workforce Work to Residence visas. The presence of an occupation on the Green List does not remove these restrictions. Our New Zealand residence overview covers separate residence options.
The three-year maximum is shared across time on the two India-specific categories. After using the full period, applicants must spend at least three years outside New Zealand before receiving another visa in either category. Time can also count towards AEWV and Peak Seasonal Visa stay limits. INZ lists the cost of each new visa from NZD 1,355.
Job-offer payments and the application route
Do not pay an employer or their agent for a job offer. INZ says it will decline an application if the applicant or their agent has offered or promised money in exchange for the offer.
The application starts with a qualifying offer from an accredited employer. Applicants must meet their occupation and visa requirements before lodging the combined India Iconic Work Visa and India Skilled Work Visa form, INZ 1402, with supporting evidence and the applicable fee and levy. INZ then assesses the application; a job offer alone does not authorise travel or employment.
Discuss whether these New Zealand work visas fit your plans
PEERLESS IMMIGRATION SERVICES can assess your occupation, qualifications, experience and job-offer circumstances, explain family and residence implications, and identify where registration or NZQA assessment is relevant. Consultancy does not guarantee a job, visa or residence outcome.
Call +91-8595010514 or email info@peerlessimmigration.com.
Discuss My New Zealand Work Visa Options
Frequently asked questions
No. Both categories require a qualifying full-time offer from an accredited employer.
No. The combined limit is the number of holders allowed in New Zealand at any one time.
These categories do not support visas for partners or dependent children based on their relationship to the holder.
No. The categories do not themselves provide a residence pathway, and their work experience is excluded from the specified residence routes described above.
No. The skilled route, music teachers and AYUSH practitioners require IELTS overall 6.5 or an accepted equivalent. Yoga instructors and Indian chefs require IELTS 5.0 in listening and speaking or an accepted equivalent.
No. Time on both India-specific categories counts towards the shared three-year maximum.
