New Zealand has become the latest addition to the list of nations tightening visa rules to curb the inflow of immigrants into the nation, after Australia and Canada. The country has also raised the formalities and requirements foreigners must meet to qualify for jobs.
The measure is likely going to affect the Indians who are looking forward to working in New Zealand.
Now, with this new set of rules, the nation's government aims to control the number of migrants who are deemed unsuitable for entry into New Zealand, the mint reported.
Under the new requirements, proficiency in the English language, work experience and skill criteria are a must. The guidelines have also reduced the duration of an individual's stay with a work visa from five to three years.
The amendments were introduced on Sunday by New Zealand's Immigration Minister, Erica Stanford, to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV).
The new rules, on the one hand, may protect the rights of those native to or already living in New Zealand; however, on the other, they may make it more challenging for Indians and other immigrants from countries outside the Anglosphere to come and work in New Zealand.
Earlier this year, similar restrictions were introduced by the Canadian authorities as well when they announced a 35 percent reduction in international student admission in 2024. This was done in response to the crippling housing crisis in the North American nation. Last year in December, New Zealand's neighbouring nation also introduced stricter visa rules for international students and skilled workers migrating to the nation. This was done to bring down immigrant intake into the continent nation.