Check if you need an International Qualification Assessment
You may need to get an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) to show that your qualifications can be used in New Zealand.
Assessing qualifications for a visa application
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
An IQA is an assessment done by the
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
or - qualifications on the list of exemptions for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa (SMC) — use the tool on this page to check the list.
Note
Even if your qualification is on the list of exemptions, Immigration New Zealand may still ask you to get an IQA when we process your application. This might happen if the visa requirement is to show credit or knowledge instead of type of level or qualification.
How to get an assessment
If you need an assessment, apply for it on the NZQA website.
The types of assessments you can apply for are:
- skill shortage list IQA — for Green List jobs
Green list roles - standard IQA — for comparing your qualifications with New Zealand ones, or to get occupational registration
- teaching IQA — to register as a teacher or to get a teacher salary assessment.
The NZQA will compare your international qualifications with similar ones on the
You will need to include the results in your visa application.
Apply for an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) —NZQA
Washington Accord and Sydney Accord degrees in engineering
You do not need an IQA if your qualification is an:
- engineering degree accredited by the
- engineering technology degree accredited by the
The country you gained your qualification in must be on the relevant list of signatories when you were awarded your engineering degree.
Washington Accord: List of signatories on the International Engineering Alliance
Sydney Accord: List of signatories on International Engineering Alliance
Qualifications for an SMC visa that do not need an assessment
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 — unless we ask for one when we process your application.
If your qualification is not on the list, you will need an IQA — unless it is a Washington Accord or Sydney Accord accredited degree in engineering or engineering technology.
Use the tool to find the list of qualifications that are exempt for an SMC application.
Find out if an IQA is needed
You may need an IQA if your qualification is not in the exemption list