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India–New Zealand FTA to offer longer work Visas for students, boost exports: Goyal
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said the India–New Zealand FTA will expand post-study work visas for students and unlock zero-duty market access for Indian exports.
The recently signed free trade agreement (FTA) between India and New Zealand will allow Indian students to access extended post-study work visas while significantly expanding export opportunities across multiple sectors, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday.
Speaking in New Delhi, Goyal described the India–New Zealand FTA as a comprehensive and forward-looking pact that aims to elevate bilateral relations beyond trade into areas such as education, innovation, services, tourism and people-to-people mobility.
Under the agreement, Indian students pursuing education in New Zealand will become eligible for longer work visas after graduation. Goyal said students completing standard degree programmes will be allowed to work for up to two years, while those pursuing honours degrees will be eligible for three-year work visas. Graduates in STEM disciplines and post-graduate programmes will be entitled to work in New Zealand for up to four years.
The minister said the FTA is expected to significantly enhance India’s export prospects, with New Zealand offering zero-duty access on all tariff lines covering Indian exports from the date the agreement comes into force. This, he said, would provide Indian businesses a competitive edge in the New Zealand market.
Mobility provisions under the agreement will also open professional work visas for Indian yoga instructors, AYUSH practitioners, chefs, nurses and other skilled professionals. According to Goyal, nearly 5,000 such professionals are expected to benefit from the new framework.
The agreement includes cooperation across a wide range of sectors, including AYUSH, fisheries, forestry, horticulture, audiovisual services, tourism and traditional knowledge systems. The government said the FTA would help promote India’s wellness ecosystem globally and support medical value travel.
Labour-intensive sectors, particularly textiles and apparel, are expected to be among the biggest beneficiaries. New Zealand has agreed to eliminate tariffs that previously went up to 10%, offering zero-duty access across more than 1,000 tariff lines. India’s textile and apparel exports stood at nearly $37 billion in 2024–25, with exports to New Zealand already showing steady growth, a trend officials expect to accelerate following the agreement.
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