New Zealand Streamlines Visa, Recognises Indian Degrees for Pros

• New Zealand exempts Indian degrees from IQA, easing visa and residency processes.
• Indian qualifications now valid for Skilled Migrant, Green List, and Employer Work Visas.
• India joins LQEA with 8 other nations as NZ simplifies immigration to attract global talent.

New Zealand has officially eliminated the need for additional qualification recognition for most Indian degrees, a decision that is expected to help thousands of Indian students and professionals.

Starting June 23, 2025, the change exempts Indian graduates from the International Qualification Assessment (IQA), which was previously required and typically an expensive additional step in the visa and residency process.

This announcement from Immigration New Zealand (INZ) indicates that acknowledged Indian degrees will now be regarded equally with local qualifications for applications under significant visa categories. These include the Skilled Migrant Category, jobs on New Zealand’s Green List, and the increasingly popular Accredited Employer Work Visa.

In the past, Indian applicants need to have their degrees checked by the NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority) so they could assess that the qualifications aligned with New Zealand standards. The IQA process consumed time and also incurred a significant financial expense.

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The "List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment" (LQEA) has added nine more countries, India being one of them. The other countries found on the new LQEA list are France, Germany, Italy, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden, and Switzerland.

These modifications are part of a wider initiative by New Zealand to simplify the immigration process and draw international talent by acknowledging the value of foreign educational systems.

INZ plans to review and streamline the exemption criteria for the current countries on the list, such as Australia, the UK, and the United States, to establish a consistent and transparent policy.

Historically, India has been one of the largest countries of origin, with over 22,000 enrolments in the last few years, contributing international students to New Zealand. Along with this policy shift, programs like the NZ$260,000 New Zealand Excellence Awards, which provide scholarships up to NZ$20,000 per student, and post-study work rights extended to three-years, increase the appeal to people thinking about a long-term future in the country.