New Zealand has announced that degrees from India, France, Germany, Italy, Sri Lanka, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, and Switzerland will now be exempted from Assessment.

International students looking to study in New Zealand need to get an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) to show that their qualifications can be used in New Zealand.

When you apply for a visa that requires your international qualification to be ‘equivalent to’ or ‘comparable with’ a New Zealand one, you will normally need to get an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) .

An IQA is an assessment done by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) to show if your international qualification can be used in New Zealand. Most qualifications from outside New Zealand require an IQA.

The qualifications that do not need an IQA for visa applications are engineering degrees accredited by the Washington Accord or Sydney Accord and qualifications on the list of exemptions for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa (SMC).

Therefore, if you are applying for a Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa (SMC), you do not need an IQA if your qualification is on the list of exemptions.

Immigration New Zealand has updated the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment (LQEA), which has come into effect from 23 June 2025.

Qualifications from the countries that have been added include India, France, Germany, Italy, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden and Switzerland.

In addition, updates will be made to Australia, Japan, Malaysia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States of America for consistency and clarity.

This list is intended to help speed visa application processes (such as the Skilled Migrant Category, Green List, and Accredited Employer Work Visa) by recognizing some international qualifications without requiring an International Qualification Assessment.

Now with Indian qualifications becoming a part of the List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment (LQEA), Indian students applying for New Zealand study visa are expected to find it easier.

New Zealand is a popular study destination for Indian students. Between January and August 2024, overall international student enrolments from India grew 34% to 10,640 from 7,930 enrolments in the full year period for 2023.

“The affordability of education combined with living costs in New Zealand makes it an attractive destination for students from India. The educational expenses for international students in New Zealand amount to NZD 20,000 to 40,000 annually, which is less expensive than US and UK rates yet comparable to Australia and Canada,” says Piyush Kumar – Regional Director, South Asia, Canada and Latin America (LATAM), IDP Education.

On the post-study work permits in New Zealand, Piyush Kumar shares interesting insight – International students who finish at least 30 weeks of Master’s or Doctoral studies in New Zealand become eligible to work in the country for three years after graduation. Students who finish a 30-week Postgraduate Diploma (Level 8) before advancing to a shorter Master’s programme will receive the complete PSW benefit.