Indian degrees now recognized in New Zealand without extra evaluation

Indian professionals and students aspiring to move to New Zealand will now face fewer hurdles in the immigration process, following a key policy shift by Immigration New Zealand (INZ).

As of June 23, India has been added to INZ's "List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment" (LQEA), removing the need for most Indian degree holders to undergo the International Qualification Assessment (IQA).

Previously, the IQA was a compulsory, costly, and time-intensive step for validating foreign academic qualifications.

With this exemption, Indian applicants can expect quicker and more streamlined processing for various visa categories, including the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC), Green List roles such as IT professionals, engineers, and healthcare workers, the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), and post-study work visa options.

While the IQA requirement has been lifted, applicants are still required to meet core eligibility conditions such as English language proficiency and relevant work experience.

India is among nine new countries added to the LQEA list, alongside France, Germany, Italy, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden, and Switzerland.

INZ has also revised qualification recognition frameworks for countries already on the list, including Australia, the UK, the US, Japan, Malaysia, and South Africa, to maintain international consistency.

India continues to be one of the top four source countries for international students in New Zealand, with more than 22,000 enrollments in recent years.

The exemption is expected to open more reliable pathways for Indian students to stay, work, and eventually settle in New Zealand after completing their studies.

This change aligns with New Zealand’s broader strategy to attract skilled global talent, which also includes initiatives like NZ$260,000 in scholarships under the New Zealand Excellence Awards 2025 and post-study work rights for up to three years.

“This decision removes a long-standing procedural barrier and affirms confidence in India’s higher education system,” said Aritra Ghosal, CEO of OneStep Global. “It marks a pivotal step in improving global mobility for Indian talent.”