New Zealand hikes visa requirements for foreign job seekers, India to be affected

New Delhi : A number of countries have been tightening their visa rules to curb the number of immigrants. Latest to join the list is New Zealand, which has increased its requirements for foreigners to qualify for job opportunities.

The move will be affecting Indians drastically.

It has been noted that the new visa guidelines will be aiming to control the influx of migrants deemed 'unsuitable' for entry into the New Zealand.

The new guidelines have included the introduction of English language proficiency, work experience and skill criteria. The duration of stay with work visa has been reduced from five years to three years.

Erica Stanford, New Zealand’s Immigration Minister, announced the amendments to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) on Sunday.

Erica Stanford also clarified that the government is focused on attracting and retaining highly skilled migrants, such as secondary teachers, where there is skill shortage. At the same time, New Zealand is keen on ensuring that the job priority is given to the skilled labours only.

She also mentioned that the visa restrictions would be beneficial for migrants rights. However, the new amendments will make it difficult for Indians to reach New Zealand for work purposes.

According to a data, since 2011, around 18,000 Indians have been migrated to New Zealand.