New Zealand's 1,000 Working Holiday Visas For Indians: Age Limit, Rules, Benefits Explained

(MENAFN- Live Mint) As India and New Zealand inks a trade deal, it opened up new opportunities for Indian workers by providing a quota of 5,000 temporary employment visas and 1,000 working holiday visas. Here's all need to know about these visa categories.

Working holiday visas: What is it and who can apply?

If you are aged 18 to 30, or 18 to 35 in a select few countries, and a citizen of a country that has a working holiday agreement with New Zealand, you can apply for a working holiday visa, accroding to New Zealand Immigration website

In most cases you can work for up to 12 months on a working holiday visa - you cannot take a permanent job.

You must be coming mainly to holiday - work should be a secondary intention.

Advantages of having a working holiday visa

There are certain advantages to having a working holiday visa. You can:

stay longer than with a standard visitor visa

start work straight away

leave and re-enter New Zealand any number of times while the visa is valid.

The conditions of your employment will vary depending on where you are from. Check the details for your country's working holiday visa scheme.

Working Holiday Visa is also a temporary work visas

New Zealand offers various temporary work visas, including the Working Holiday Visa for younger travelers.

Also Read | India-New Zealand FTA: PM Modi says deal reflects deep trust, Luxon says... What are the other key temporary work visas?

Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV): The main pathway. Requires a job offer from an accredited employer (minimum 30 hours/week).

Specific Purpose/Event Work Visa: For short-term projects, professional sports, or entertainment, typically valid for the duration of the event.

Green List/Straight to Residence: Certain skilled roles allow these temporary work visas that quickly transition to permanent residence

All you need know about India-New Zealand FTA

India and New Zealand signed a free trade agreement (FTA) on Monday, lowering tariffs on key fruit imports such as kiwifruit and apples, expanding opportunities for Indian exports and easing visa access as the nations deepen economic ties.

Concluded in December after about nine months of talks, the pact is one of the South Asian nation's fastest trade deals, and will cut or remove tariffs on 95% of New Zealand's exports to India, including seafood, iron, steel and scrap aluminium.

"The benefits of this FTA are widespread," New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said in a statement, adding that it would open the doors of opportunity to 1.4 billion consumers in the Indian market.

Also Read | India-NZ FTA: Full list of Indian items to attract zero tariff in New Zealand

"New Zealand has also committed to invest $20 billion," Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said after signing the pact with his counterpart Todd McClay in the presence of business leaders from both countries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also hailed the signing of the FTA, stating that the agreement will benefit Indian farmers, youth, women, MSME's, artisans, startups, students and innovators. The FTA, Modi added, will "open new avenues for growth, create opportunities and deepen our synergy across sectors."

The agreement is part of India's push to diversify exports amid global trade tension, such as uncertainty over U.S. tariffs and the Middle East conflict.

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