Problems with visa settings not solved by targeting foreign students

Dr Eric Crampton
Newsroom
17 February, 2026

The furore over immigration settings in the trade deal with India provides an excellent reminder about a basic policy principle. You’ll have a hard time getting a policy right if you’ve misdiagnosed the problem.

Last week Newsroom’s Sam Sachdeva covered the political ruckus.

Among the concerns: the free-trade agreement puts no limits on the number of Indian students who could take up student visas. It ensures that students from India can work at least 20 hours a week, with current visas allowing up to 25 hours. The agreement summaries indicate post-study work rights of two to four years for students from India graduating with specific degrees. It also prevents this government and future ones from setting caps that target India specifically.

To read the article on the Newsroom website, click here.

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