Why There Is No New Zealand Working Holiday Visa for Indians
India has no working holiday arrangement with New Zealand. Neither do Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia or any African country. The 45 schemes listed in Operational Manual section WI2 are the complete list, and there is no application to make outside them. The routes that do work are set out below.
Quick Facts
| Working holiday scheme for India | None exists |
| Also with no scheme | Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and every African country |
| How many schemes exist | 45, enumerated in Operational Manual WI2 |
| Is one being negotiated? | Not announced. The only scheme in negotiation is Iceland, since 23 October 2025 |
| Main work route | Accredited Employer Work Visa — from NZ$1,540, needs an accredited employer |
| Main study route | Fee Paying Student Visa — from NZ$850, with 25 hours a week of work rights |
| India's position in the data | Largest work visa cohort and largest residence cohort in FY2025/26 |
| Transit through Auckland | India is on neither the visa-waiver nor the transit-waiver list — a Transit Visa is normally needed, from NZ$235 |
| Source | Operational Manual WI2, INZ visa pages and INZ decision statistics, read 20 August 2026 |
The answer, plainly
There is no working holiday scheme between New Zealand and India. It has not closed, it has not filled and it is not seasonal. It does not exist.
Operational Manual section WI2 enumerates the 45 schemes New Zealand operates, from WI2.5 to WI2.175. India is not among them, and INZ publishes no country page for it because there is no product to describe.
The same is true for Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, and for every country in Africa. Between them those countries account for a very large share of the people who search for this visa each year.
Where the confusion comes from
Four things generate the myth, and it is worth naming them because each one has a specific answer.
Australia is different. Australia does run a Work and Holiday arrangement that includes India. New Zealand and Australia are separate countries with separate immigration systems — New Zealand does not use Australia's numbered visa classes either, and a page that mentions them is describing the wrong country.
Third-party sites list "eligible countries" incorrectly. Agents and blogs frequently publish a partial or invented list. If a page tells you to apply and does not name the scheme, there is nothing behind it.
AI answers get it wrong. Generated summaries routinely assert that a scheme exists, because the question is asked so often that the phrasing appears everywhere. Volume of discussion is not evidence of a visa.
The size of Indian migration to New Zealand makes it seem implausible. People reasonably assume the largest source country must have a scheme. It does not, and that asymmetry is real.
The asymmetry, in numbers
India is New Zealand's most significant source country on almost every measure — with no working holiday route at all.
| Measure, FY2025/26 | India | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Work visa approvals | 32,451 | 1st |
| Accredited Employer Work Visas, cumulative | 50,190 | 1st |
| Residence approvals | 8,994 | 1st |
| Student visa approvals | 15,592 | 2nd |
So the route is not closed to Indians in general. It is closed on one specific product. Every other part of the New Zealand system is not only open but heavily used.
What actually works instead
The Accredited Employer Work Visa
The main employer-led work route, and the one most Indians in New Zealand hold.
| Cost | From NZ$1,540 |
| Employer | Must hold INZ accreditation |
| The job | At least 30 hours a week |
| You need | Either 2 years of relevant work experience or a Level 4 qualification |
| Job offer | Required before you apply |
There is no median wage requirement on this visa. That rule was removed on 10 March 2025 and replaced with a market rate test, and a great deal of published material has not caught up. See the AEWV explained, AEWV eligibility and the median wage removal.
The catch is the sequencing: you need the job offer first, and the employer needs accreditation first. It is not a visa you can get and then look for work with.
A student visa, with work rights
The Fee Paying Student Visa costs from NZ$850 — a NZ$485 application fee, a NZ$265 immigration levy and the NZ$100 International Visitor Levy — and carries work rights of up to 25 hours a week during study, raised from 20 hours for visas granted on or after 3 November 2025.
That is the closest thing to a working holiday in effect: you are in New Zealand, you can work part-time, and you build a pathway. It is also the route where Indian applicants face the most friction — India's student visa refusal rate was 21% in FY2025/26 — so evidence of genuine intention matters. See the student visa explained, student visa work rights and genuine intention requirements.
After study, the Post Study Work Visa gives open work rights — no employer, no job offer, no occupation restriction. From 16 November 2026 it also opens to Graduate Diploma holders who also hold a bachelor's degree.
A visitor visa, for travel only
A visitor visa permits travel but no work for a New Zealand employer. Since 27 January 2025 visitor visa holders may work remotely for an overseas employer, which is useful for some people and is not a work permission in New Zealand. See the tourist visa for Indian citizens.
Residence, directly
India was New Zealand's largest residence cohort in FY2025/26 at 8,994 approvals. The Skilled Migrant Category and the Green List are the main routes, and both are restructuring — the Skilled Migrant Category changed on 24 August 2026. See pathways to New Zealand residence and residence for Indian citizens.
Comparison of the realistic options
| Working holiday | AEWV | Student visa | Visitor visa | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Available to Indians | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cost | — | From NZ$1,540 | From NZ$850 | NZ$441 |
| Job offer needed | — | Yes | No | No |
| Work rights | — | Full, with that employer | 25 hours a week | None in NZ |
| Leads to residence | — | Yes, via several routes | Yes, via post-study work | No |
The transit trap
India is on neither New Zealand's 60-country visa-waiver list nor its 26-country transit-waiver list.
That means a Transit Visa is normally required even to change planes at Auckland International Airport — from NZ$235, 80% decided in about 4 days, maximum 24 hours in the transit area, and no baggage collection. A stated exemption exists for travel to or from Australia; confirm it with INZ for your specific routing before you book, because it is not restated consistently across INZ's pages.
Two more things people get wrong. The transit rule covers Auckland only — routing through Christchurch, Wellington or Queenstown is not transit and requires full entry. And a Transit Visa is a different product from a visitor visa. See do I need a visa for a layover in New Zealand and visitor visa vs transit visa.
Will a scheme ever be created?
Working holiday schemes are bilateral arrangements between two governments. New Zealand has not announced negotiations with India.
The only scheme currently in negotiation anywhere is Iceland, announced on 23 October 2025, and no terms have been published for it. Nothing has been announced for India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia or any African country.
If that changes it will be announced by the New Zealand government, and it will appear in the Operational Manual. Until it does, treat every offer to obtain one as fraud — see immigration scams to avoid and how to spot a fake NZ immigration website.
Step 1: Stop looking for a scheme that does not exist
No agent, adviser or website has access to a product New Zealand does not operate.
Step 2: Decide whether your route is work, study or travel
Work needs an accredited employer and a job offer first. Study needs an offer of place. Travel needs neither but permits no work in New Zealand.
Step 3: Check the fee and the requirements of that route
AEWV from NZ$1,540 with a job of 30+ hours a week and either 2 years' experience or a Level 4 qualification. Fee Paying Student Visa from NZ$850 with 25 hours a week of work rights.
Step 4: Deal with the transit question separately
If your route to New Zealand connects through Auckland, work out whether you need a Transit Visa before you book.
Step 5: Get advice if the route is not obvious
Comparing routes for a specific person is regulated immigration advice in New Zealand, and it carries penalties of up to NZ$100,000 and seven years' imprisonment if given without a licence. That is why this page describes options rather than recommending one. Use a licensed immigration adviser or a New Zealand lawyer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Indians get a New Zealand working holiday visa?
No. India has no such arrangement with New Zealand. The 45 schemes in Operational Manual section WI2 are the complete list and India is not one of them.
Which South Asian countries have a scheme with New Zealand?
None. India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka all have no arrangement, and neither does Indonesia. In Asia the participating countries are China, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
Do any African countries have a scheme with New Zealand?
No. There is no African country on the list of 45.
Why does India have no scheme when it sends the most migrants?
Because these are bilateral arrangements negotiated country by country, and no arrangement has been concluded with India. India was New Zealand's largest source of work visa approvals and residence approvals in FY2025/26, which makes the gap conspicuous, but volume does not create a scheme.
What is the closest alternative?
A Fee Paying Student Visa, from NZ$850, which carries work rights of up to 25 hours a week during study and leads to a Post Study Work Visa with open work rights. The other route is an Accredited Employer Work Visa from NZ$1,540, which needs a job offer from an accredited employer first.
Can I work in New Zealand on a visitor visa?
No. A visitor visa permits no work for a New Zealand employer. Since 27 January 2025 you may work remotely for an overseas employer while visiting, which is a different thing.
Is New Zealand negotiating a scheme with India?
Not that has been announced. The only country in negotiation is Iceland, announced on 23 October 2025, with no terms published.
Do I need a visa to change planes in Auckland?
India is on neither the visa-waiver list nor the transit-waiver list, so a Transit Visa is normally required — from NZ$235, valid for a maximum of 24 hours, and for Auckland International Airport only. An exemption for travel to or from Australia is stated in some places; confirm it with INZ for your routing.
Is India's student visa refusal rate really 21%?
That was the FY2025/26 figure. It is high enough that evidence of genuine intention and of funds needs care. See our guidance on student visa refusals for India and Nepal.
