Work Visa New Zealand From India

If you are an Indian citizen planning to work in New Zealand, the right visa will depend mainly on the type of work you intend to do, whether you already have a New Zealand job offer, and whether your occupation is covered by a specific work or residence pathway.

For many applicants, the main route is the Accredited Employer Work Visa, which requires a qualifying full-time offer from an accredited New Zealand employer. Indian citizens may also now be eligible for the India Skilled Work Visa or India Iconic Work Visa under the New Zealand–India Free Trade Agreement, depending on their occupation and qualifications. Other options include partnership-based work visas, specific-purpose visas, skilled residence routes and, in limited cases, visas for exceptional talent.

The requirements vary significantly between routes. Some visas are tied to a particular employer, job and location, while others provide broader work rights. Some can lead towards residence, while others are temporary only. Family rights also differ: certain visas allow partners and dependent children to apply on the basis of your visa, while others do not. Before applying, you should check not only whether you qualify, but whether the visa fits your longer-term plans. This includes how long you can stay, whether you can change employer, whether your family can join you, and whether the route can support a future residence application.

Our immigration lawyers can assess your circumstances, explain which New Zealand work visa options are available to you and help you choose the most suitable route. Call +44 (0) 333 305 9375 to speak to one of our lawyers or complete our online contact form.

Page Contents

• Visas That Allow You to Work in New Zealand
• Can Indian Citizens Apply Without a Job Offer?
• Free Trade Agreement Visa for Indian Nationals
• India Skilled Work Visa Eligibility
• India Iconic Work Visa Eligibility
• List of New Zealand Work Visas for Indians
• Accredited Employer Work Visa
• Business Visitor Visa
• Partner of a Worker Work Visa
• Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
• Specific Purpose Work Visa
• Straight to Residence Visa
• Talent Work Visa
• What Are the Common Reasons for the Visa Denial in New Zealand for Indian Citizens?
• How Can You Verify an Employer as Genuine?
• How Can Total Law Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

India Skilled Work Visa Eligibility

You may be eligible for the India Skilled Work Visa if you meet the following requirements:

• You are a citizen of India and hold a valid Indian passport.
• You are outside New Zealand when applying for your first India Skilled Work Visa.
• You have a current full-time job offer for at least 30 hours a week from an employer accredited under the Accredited Employer Work Visa system.
• Your job is on the approved India Skilled Work Visa occupation list.
• You meet the qualification, work experience or professional registration requirements for your occupation.
• You provide an acceptable English language test result that is no more than 2 years old.
• You meet the relevant health, character and genuine-intention requirements.

Eligible occupations currently include software and ICT roles, civil, mechanical, structural and environmental engineers, construction and building project managers, primary and secondary school teachers, registered nurses and physiotherapists.

The visa can be granted for the length of your job offer, up to a maximum total stay of 3 years across one or more India Skilled Work Visas. Up to 4,400 visa holders can hold this visa at any one time, with separate allocations across the eligible occupation groups. The India Skilled Work Visa currently costs from NZD $1,355.

India Iconic Work Visa Eligibility

You may be eligible for the India Iconic Work Visa if you meet the following requirements:

• You are a citizen of India and hold a valid Indian passport.
• You are outside New Zealand when applying for your first India Iconic Work Visa.
• You have a current full-time job offer for at least 30 hours a week from an employer accredited under the Accredited Employer Work Visa system.
• Your job is as an eligible yoga instructor, Indian chef, music teacher or AYUSH practitioner.
• You meet the qualification and work experience requirements for your occupation.
• You provide an acceptable English language test result that is no more than 2 years old.
• You meet the relevant health, character and genuine-intention requirements.

Occupation-specific requirements apply. For example, yoga instructors must hold a recognised bachelor’s-level yoga qualification from an institution recognised by the Indian Federal Government. Indian chefs must have an eligible tertiary qualification in Indian cuisine involving at least 2 years of study and at least 2 years of relevant post-qualification work experience. Music teachers must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent 3-year qualification in music and at least 2 years of relevant post-qualification teaching experience.

Eligible AYUSH practitioners can work in recognised fields including Ayurveda, naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and homeopathy, subject to the relevant qualification requirements.

The visa can be granted for the length of your job offer, up to a maximum total stay of 3 years across one or more India Iconic Work Visas. Up to 600 visa holders can hold this visa at any one time. The India Iconic Work Visa currently costs from NZD $1,355.

If you are an Indian citizen looking to work in New Zealand, some of the main work and skilled residence visa options include:

• Accredited Employer Work Visa
• India Skilled Work Visa
• India Iconic Work Visa
• Partner of a Worker Work Visa
• Specific Purpose Work Visa
• Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa
• Straight to Residence Visa
• Work to Residence Visa
• Care Workforce Work to Residence Visa
• Transport Work to Residence Visa
• Business Visitor Visa, where the intended activities meet the visitor visa rules

The India Skilled Work Visa and India Iconic Work Visa were introduced under the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and became available from 20 October 2026. Both require a qualifying full-time job offer from an accredited New Zealand employer and can allow eligible Indian citizens to work in New Zealand for up to three years.

This visa allows you to work for a New Zealand employer that has been accredited by Immigration New Zealand to hire migrant workers.

To be eligible for the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), you must usually meet the following requirements:

• Your job offer must be full-time and for at least 30 hours a week.
• Your employer must be accredited to hire workers under the AEWV scheme.
• The employer must have an approved job check for the role.
• You must meet the relevant skills, qualifications and work experience requirements for the job, based on the applicable ANZSCO or National Occupation List classification.
• You must be paid at least the market rate for the role.
• Depending on the skill level of your job, you may also need to meet an English language requirement.
• You must meet the relevant health, character and identity requirements.

There is no longer a general requirement for AEWV applicants to earn at least the New Zealand median wage. Instead, the pay offered must generally be at least the market rate for the job, while specific pay levels may still affect your visa conditions, maximum stay or eligibility for other immigration routes.

The validity of your Accredited Employer Work Visa depends on factors including the skill level of your job, your pay and the conditions that apply to your role. Many eligible workers can live and work in New Zealand for up to five years, while some workers in lower-skilled ANZSCO or National Occupation List roles may be subject to a shorter maximum continuous stay, such as three years.

The AEWV application fee is currently from NZD $1,540. Immigration New Zealand currently processes around 50% of AEWV applications within approximately two weeks and 80% within approximately five weeks, although processing times can vary depending on the application and may change over time.

The AEWV is tied to the employer, job and location stated on your visa. If you want to change employer, role or location, you may need to apply for a Job Change or another visa, depending on your circumstances.

If your partner is in New Zealand on an eligible work visa, you may be able to apply for a Partner of a Worker Work Visa to join them and work in New Zealand. If granted, your visa will normally be valid for the same duration as your partner’s work visa.

To be eligible for this visa, you must generally meet the following requirements:

• Your partner must hold, or be applying for, an eligible New Zealand work visa and be able to support your application.
• You and your partner must be aged 18 or over and be living together in a genuine and stable relationship.
• Your partner must support your application and complete the ‘Form for Partners Supporting Partnership-Based Temporary Entry Applications’ (INZ 1146).
• You must have sufficient funds to support yourself while in New Zealand, or have an acceptable sponsor.
• You must meet the relevant health, character and genuine-intention requirements.
• You must intend to leave New Zealand when your visa expires.

Not every work visa holder can support a Partner of a Worker Work Visa. For example, holders of Working Holiday Visas, India Skilled Work Visas, India Iconic Work Visas and certain seasonal or specific-purpose work visas cannot normally support this visa. If your partner holds an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), their ability to support you can also depend on the skill level of their job and their pay.

If granted an open Partner of a Worker Work Visa, you can generally work for any employer, in any legal job, anywhere in New Zealand, provided you meet any occupational registration requirements that apply.

The Partner of a Worker Work Visa currently costs from NZD $1,630. Immigration New Zealand currently processes around 50% of applications within 3 weeks and 80% within 5 weeks, although individual applications may take longer.

The Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa allows you to live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely. There are now three Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) pathways:

• Points-based pathway – you must obtain 6 skilled resident points through an eligible qualification, occupational registration or income, with additional points available for skilled work experience in New Zealand where required.
• Skilled Work Experience pathway – aimed at applicants with substantial directly relevant work experience, including skilled work experience gained in New Zealand.
• Trades and Technician pathway – for people in eligible trade and technician occupations who meet the relevant qualification and work experience requirements.

Other requirements generally include:

• You must be aged 55 or younger when you apply.
• You must be working in, or have an offer of, a full-time skilled job with an accredited New Zealand employer.
• Your employment must generally be permanent, for a fixed term of at least 12 months, or under a contract or continuous contracts lasting at least 6 months.
• Your job must meet the applicable pay requirements for the SMC pathway you are applying under.
• You must meet the relevant health and character requirements.
• You must speak and understand English. Partners and dependent children included in the application may also need to meet English language requirements or, where permitted, pre-purchase English language tuition.

For the points-based pathway, you need 6 points. You can claim between 3 and 6 points from one main category — your qualification, occupational registration or income — and, where necessary, add up to 3 points for skilled work experience in New Zealand. You cannot combine points from more than one main skill category.

If you are claiming points based on income, your New Zealand job or job offer must currently pay at least 1.5 times the applicable SMC wage threshold. Higher pay rates can provide more points.

To apply, you must first submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) online. There is no fee to submit an EOI. If Immigration New Zealand confirms that you meet the relevant requirements, you will be invited to submit a residence application. The Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa currently costs from NZD $6,450.

The Specific Purpose Work Visa allows you to enter New Zealand to carry out a specific job, purpose or work-related event for a limited period.

Some people who may qualify for this visa include:

• Senior or specialist business people on short-term secondments to New Zealand
• Business people being transferred within a multinational company
• Sports players and professional sports coaches
• Referees and judges of sports events, shows, displays or exhibitions
• Dance and music examiners
• Installers or servicers of specialised equipment or machinery
• People coming to New Zealand for another specific purpose or event that meets Immigration New Zealand’s requirements

People coming to work in the entertainment industry will generally need to apply for an Entertainers Work Visa instead.

To apply for a Specific Purpose Work Visa, you must show that you are coming to New Zealand for an eligible specific purpose or event and provide evidence of how long you need to be in the country. Depending on the purpose of your visit, you may also need to provide a job offer, invitation, schedule of events, evidence of your qualifications or experience, and proof that you have enough money to support yourself.

You must also show that you have a genuine reason for coming to New Zealand and that you can leave the country when your authorised stay ends.

The length of your visa depends on the purpose of your visit. For example, some short-term secondments can be approved for up to 12 months, while certain multinational company transfers can be approved for up to 3 years. Other visas may be granted only for the time needed to complete the specific work or event.

In some cases, you may be able to apply for another Specific Purpose Work Visa if your work or engagement is extended, although this depends on the category under which your original visa was granted. The Specific Purpose Work Visa currently costs from NZD $1,455. Immigration New Zealand processes around 80% of applications within 3 weeks, although individual applications may take longer.

The Straight to Residence Visa allows you to live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely. The main requirement for this visa is that you must be working in, or have a job offer for, an eligible Tier 1 Green List role. Your job or job offer must be with an accredited New Zealand employer.

Other requirements generally include:

• You must be aged 55 or younger when you apply.
• You must meet Immigration New Zealand’s English language requirements.
• Your employment must be genuine and full-time.
• Your role must generally be permanent, for a fixed term of at least 12 months, or under a contract or continuous contracts lasting at least 6 months.
• Your pay must meet any wage threshold that applies to your specific Tier 1 Green List occupation.
• You must meet any qualification, professional registration, membership or experience requirements specified for your occupation on the Green List.
• You must meet the relevant health and character requirements.

Not every Tier 1 Green List role has the same pay or qualification requirements, so you should check the conditions that apply specifically to your occupation before applying.

The Straight to Residence Visa currently costs from NZD $6,450. Immigration New Zealand currently processes around 80% of applications within several months, although processing times can vary depending on the complexity of the application.

You may be eligible for the Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visa if you meet the following criteria:

• You have exceptional talent in a field of art, culture or sport.
• You can show that you have an international reputation and record of excellence in your field.
• You are still prominent in your field.
• You are aged 55 or younger.
• You are supported by a New Zealand organisation of national repute in your field.
• You have an acceptable sponsor who can provide accommodation and financial support if required.
• Your presence in New Zealand will enhance the country’s achievements or participation in your field of art, culture or sport.
• You meet the relevant health, character and other visa requirements.

The Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Work Visa is valid for up to 30 months and currently costs from NZD $1,630. Immigration New Zealand processes around 80% of applications within 7 weeks. While holding the visa, you can work for any employer in any occupation in New Zealand, although you must continue to have the required sponsorship and support from a nationally recognised New Zealand organisation in your field.

After you have been actively involved in your declared field in New Zealand for at least 2 years, you may be eligible to apply for the Talent (Arts, Culture, Sports) Resident Visa. If granted, this allows you to live, work and study in New Zealand indefinitely.

A New Zealand visa application can be denied for several reasons. Even after a visa has been approved, the immigration authorities can deny entry at the border if they are not satisfied that you met the entry requirements.

Here are some common reasons for visa denials:

1. If you do not meet the health and character requirements, you are a risk to New Zealand’s security and public safety.
2. If you provided false or misleading information in your visa application or to an immigration officer.
3. If you provided a false or altered document.
4. If you cannot show evidence that you meet the requirements on your visa.