Printed from https://fyi.org.nz/request/35048-coordination-between-india-fta-immigration-provisions-and-skilled-migrant-category-residence-pathway-changes on July 25, 2026 17:48

Coordination between India FTA immigration provisions and Skilled Migrant Category residence pathway changes

Joshua Riley made this Official Information request to Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Currently waiting for a response from Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, they must respond promptly and normally no later than (details and exceptions).

From: Joshua Riley

Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request:

Request 1 — Cross-agency coordination
All correspondence, briefings, meeting notes, and records of discussion between MBIE and MFAT officials regarding how the India FTA's immigration provisions (including Annex 8K, Annex 8L, and Annex 8F) would interact with New Zealand's domestic residence pathways, including but not limited to the Skilled Migrant Category reforms announced on 23 September 2025 under the Going for Growth programme.

Request 2 — Interlock analysis
Any analysis, modelling, briefing, or advice — whether by MBIE, MFAT, Immigration New Zealand, or any other agency — assessing, identifying, or noting the alignment between:
(a) The FTA's treaty-locked post-study work visa duration of 24 months for bachelor's graduates (Annex 8F paragraph 4(a)) and the reduction of the SMC work experience requirement from 36 to 24 months;
(b) The FTA Specialist/ICT visa term of 36 months (Annex 8K) and the new Skilled Work Experience pathway requiring 24 months of NZ work experience — enabling qualification within the visa term with 12 months to spare;
(c) The FTA Specialist visa's absence of a degree requirement, salary floor, or prior employment requirement, and the new residence pathways' removal of the degree requirement and wage progression requirement.

Request 3 — Ministerial awareness
All briefings, aide-mémoires, and advice provided to the Minister of Immigration and/or the Minister for Trade regarding the interaction between the FTA's immigration provisions and the domestic residence pathway reforms, including any analysis of how FTA visa holders would access the new residence pathways.

Request 4 — Going for Growth coordination
All records of discussion, meeting notes, and programme documentation from the Going for Growth programme that reference both the India FTA and the SMC residence reforms, including any programme-level planning documents that identify both workstreams as components of a single policy objective.

Request 5 — Immigration New Zealand operational assessment
Any assessment by Immigration New Zealand of the expected volume of FTA visa holders (Annex 8K Specialists, Annex 8L TEE holders, Annex 8F students and post-study work visa holders) who would be expected to transition to residence through the reformed SMC pathways, including any modelling of residence application volumes arising from the FTA.

Public interest
The India FTA and the SMC residence reforms were developed during an overlapping period (March-December 2025). Both were announced under the Going for Growth programme. Both are administered through the same Immigration Minister's portfolio. The FTA's Specialist visa creates an uncapped supply of workers with no degree or salary requirement. The residence reforms, taking effect one month before the FTA enabling legislation vote, remove the degree requirement and reduce the work experience threshold to a duration that aligns precisely with the FTA's visa terms.

The public interest in understanding whether these two policy streams were coordinated — and if so, whether that coordination was disclosed to Parliament or the public — is compelling. Parliament is being asked to pass FTA enabling legislation in September 2026 on the assurance that the FTA's visas are "temporary" and that visa holders "have to leave." If the domestic residence settings were designed to receive FTA visa holders, that assurance is materially misleading.

I am content to receive documents in electronic form. If any part of this request is considered too broad, I welcome consultation under section 18B to refine scope.

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From: ENQUIRIES
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Kia ora,

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Ngâ mihi
 
MFAT ENQUIRIES
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade | Manatû Aorere
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New Zealand
[16]www.mfat.govt.nz | [17]www.safetravel.govt.nz
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References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
http://www.immigration.govt.nz/contact
3. https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/embassies/
4. https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/
5. mailto:[email address]
6. http://www.customs.govt.nz/
7. http://www.nzte.govt.nz/
8. http://www.passports.govt.nz/
9. http://www.dia.govt.nz/New-Zealand-citiz...
10. http://www.dia.govt.nz/document-authenti...
11. https://www.police.govt.nz/faq/having-fi...
12. mailto:[email address]
13. https://vacancies.mfat.govt.nz/
14. mailto:[email address]
15. https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/about-us/con...
16. file:///AMasters/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/AGDSL449/www.mfat.govt.nz
17. http://www.safetravel.govt.nz/

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From: PHILLIPS, Tatum (ESD)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

[UNCLASSIFIED]

UNCLASSIFIED

Kia ora Joshua,

 

Thank you for your OIA request received on 11/07/2026 for:

 

Request 1 — Cross-agency coordination

All correspondence, briefings, meeting notes, and records of discussion
between MBIE and MFAT officials regarding how the India FTA's immigration
provisions (including Annex 8K, Annex 8L, and Annex 8F) would interact
with New Zealand's domestic residence pathways, including but not limited
to the Skilled Migrant Category reforms announced on 23 September 2025
under the Going for Growth programme.

 

Request 2 — Interlock analysis

Any analysis, modelling, briefing, or advice — whether by MBIE, MFAT,
Immigration New Zealand, or any other agency — assessing, identifying, or
noting the alignment between:

(a) The FTA's treaty-locked post-study work visa duration of 24 months for
bachelor's graduates (Annex 8F paragraph 4(a)) and the reduction of the
SMC work experience requirement from 36 to 24 months;

(b) The FTA Specialist/ICT visa term of 36 months (Annex 8K) and the new
Skilled Work Experience pathway requiring 24 months of NZ work experience
— enabling qualification within the visa term with 12 months to spare;

(c) The FTA Specialist visa's absence of a degree requirement, salary
floor, or prior employment requirement, and the new residence pathways'
removal of the degree requirement and wage progression requirement.

 

Request 3 — Ministerial awareness

All briefings, aide-mémoires, and advice provided to the Minister of
Immigration and/or the Minister for Trade regarding the interaction
between the FTA's immigration provisions and the domestic residence
pathway reforms, including any analysis of how FTA visa holders would
access the new residence pathways.

 

Request 4 — Going for Growth coordination All records of discussion,
meeting notes, and programme documentation from the Going for Growth
programme that reference both the India FTA and the SMC residence reforms,
including any programme-level planning documents that identify both
workstreams as components of a single policy objective.

 

Request 5 — Immigration New Zealand operational assessment Any assessment
by Immigration New Zealand of the expected volume of FTA visa holders
(Annex 8K Specialists, Annex 8L TEE holders, Annex 8F students and
post-study work visa holders) who would be expected to transition to
residence through the reformed SMC pathways, including any modelling of
residence application volumes arising from the FTA.

 

This email confirms receipt of your request and advises that we will
respond to it as soon as reasonably practicable, and in terms of the
timeframes and requirements of the OIA.

 

Please note that our response letter to you (with your personal details
redacted), and any enclosed documents, may be published on the Ministry’s
website.

 

Ngâ mihi

 

Executive Services Division
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade | Manatû Aorere

 

The information contained in this email message is intended only for the
addressee and is not necessarily the official view or communication of the
Ministry. It may be legally privileged. If you are not the intended
recipient you must not use, disclose, copy or distribute this message or
the information in it as this may be unlawful. If you have received this
message in error, please email or telephone the sender immediately ..

UNCLASSIFIED

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