India Skilled and India Iconic Work Visas: New Pathways Under the India FTA

The India and New Zealand Free Trade Agreement came into force on 20 October 2026. It created two new work visas for Indian citizens: the India Skilled Work Visa and the India Iconic Work Visa. Both need a full-time job offer from an accredited employer, and both are temporary visas only. This article explains who can apply, what each visa allows and the limits you need to plan around.

Who can apply

You must be a citizen of the Republic of India and be outside New Zealand when you apply for your first visa. You need an offer of full-time work from an accredited employer, in one of the approved jobs, and you must meet the qualification, work experience, English language, health and character requirements for that job.

These are not the same as an AEWV. The visas use accredited employers, but the job list, places and conditions are set by the trade agreement. Compare them with the Accredited Employer Work Visa before you decide which route suits you.

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India Skilled Work Visa: jobs and places

Places are counted by sector, not by individual job.

Jobs	Places at any one time
Software Engineer, Software and Applications Programmer, ICT Project Manager	1,000
Civil, Mechanical, Structural and Environmental Engineer	1,000
Construction Project Manager, Building Project Manager	700
Registered Nurse	900
Primary and Secondary School Teacher	500
Physiotherapist	300

Most of these jobs are also on the Green List, but time on this visa does not count towards a Green List or other skilled residence pathway.

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India Iconic Work Visa: jobs and places

Job	Places at any one time
Yoga instructor	100
Indian chef	250
Music teacher	50
AYUSH practitioner (ayurveda, naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and homeopathy)	200

Each job has its own qualification rules. For example, an Indian chef needs a tertiary qualification in Indian cuisine from at least 2 years of study at an institution recognised by the Indian Federal Government, plus at least 2 years of relevant experience after qualifying. A yoga instructor needs at least a bachelor’s degree in yoga from a recognised institution.

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Key limits to plan around

• Length of stay: the visa matches your job offer, up to 3 years in total across one or more visas. Time on either India visa counts towards the same 3 years.
• Stand down: after 3 years you must spend at least 3 years outside New Zealand before you can get another India Skilled or Iconic Work Visa.
• Family: partners and dependent children cannot be included and will not get visas based on their relationship to you.
• Residence: there is no pathway to residence, and the work does not count as skilled work experience for residence.
• Employer and job: you can only work in the job, location and for the employer on your visa.

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Other changes linked to the agreement

• From 16 November 2026, Indian graduates with a New Zealand PhD can be eligible for a post-study work visa of up to 4 years, rather than 3. See post-study work visas.
• The agreement commits New Zealand to at least 20 hours a week of in-study work for Indian students if student work settings change in future. All eligible students can currently work up to 25 hours a week.
• A working holiday scheme for Indian citizens aged 18 to 30, capped at 1,000 places a year, is to be introduced within 2 years.
• Also from 20 October 2026, visa settings were widened for business visitors and for Contractual Service Suppliers and Independent Professionals on a Specific Purpose Work Visa.

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What you should do now

• Check the job list: your offer must match an approved job.
• Confirm your employer is accredited: before you apply.
• Check places are still available: applications are not accepted once a cap is reached.
• Think about family and residence: if either matters to you, compare the AEWV and other options first.