Investor and Business Visas for New Zealand

Do you want to run your own business or invest your funds in New Zealand?

Dr. Carsten Hallwass, principal Immigration Adviser and director at NZIC, has many years of experience with advising business and investor clients from all over the world.

Investor Migration specialist Dr. Carsten Hallwass says:

"If you want to run a business in New Zealand or invest your funds, there are a number of options that might be attractive for you, but the visa application process under the Business and Investor policies is highly intricate."


Key benefits for Investor Visa applicants:

Direct path to Permanent Residence in New Zealand;

  • No job offer or obligation to work in New Zealand required
  • Reduced obligation to spend  time in New Zealand
  • English language requirements less strict
  • Partner and dependent children are included in the application
  • You choose how and where you invest your funds in New Zealand
  • Applications to be determined only by immigration officers known as business immigration specialist



Key investment requirements for the Active Investor Plus Visa at a glance:

NZ $ 15 million investment "or weighted equivalent":

           - Listed equities - Maximum: NZ$7.5 million - x1 - Each $1 invested will be accorded the value of $1.

            - Philanthropy - Maximum: NZ$7.5 million - x1 - Each $1 invested will be accorded the value of $1.

           - Managed Funds - x2 - Each $1 invested will be accorded the value of $2

           - Direct investment - x3 - Each $1 invested will be accorded the value of $3

Which Investor or Business Visa is right for you?

Business and Investor Visas are divided into two main groups: Residence Visas and Temporary Visas.

Residence Visas:

Business Categories

  • Entrepreneur Residence Category
  • Employees of Relocating Businesses Category

Investment Categories

  • Active Investor Plus Category
  • Parent Retirement Category

Temporary Visas:

  • Entrepreneur work visa*
  • Temporary Retirement visa

* If you are granted an Entrepreneur Work Visa, you will have the opportunity to apply for residence, providing you meet the specific requirements.

Investor/Retirement Visa Policies

The objective of New Zealand's Investment Migration Policies is to attract capital to our economy.

Will you qualify for an Investor Visa?

Different levels of investments are required for different investor visa types.

Business Visa Policies

While Entrepreneur Work and Entrepreneur Residence Visas also require considerable investments, they are primarily based on establishing and running a business in New Zealand and are covered by a separate visa policy.  

Will you qualify for a Business Visa?

Business Visitor Visa

A temporary visa allowing those with business purposes for visiting to stay for up to 3 months.

Global Impact Work Visa

Path to residence for talented innovative entrepreneurs, investors and start-up teams to work and live for up to 3 years

Parent Retirement Category

For parents of a NZ citizen/resident. Requires NZD $1 million over 4 years. Settlement fees and income also required.

Active Investor Plus Category

Resident visa for investors who have  between  NZD $5 and 15  millions to invest over 4 years.

Entrepreneur Residence Category Visa

Resident visa for people who have been self-employed in New Zealand at least 6 months, or ran a business for 2 years.

Entrepreneur Work Visa

Work visa for people who want to work in their own business in New Zealand.

The Key Requirements - A Quick Self Check:

Compare the different visa types for investors and entrepreneurs and see whether you might qualify.
In short, the more capital you can invest, the less further requirements you will have to meet.

Investor and Business Self Assessment

Residence Visa applicants will have to meet further generic requirements:

  • English language requirements
  • Fit and proper person requirements
  • Health and character requirements



Distinctive benefits for Investor and Entrepreneur Visa applicants in comparison to other visa types:

Lifestyle

You can enjoy the New Zealand lifestyle without having to find employment.

Options

There are safe and easy to understand investment options in New Zealand.

Choice

You have a choice of how and where you invest your funds in New Zealand.

Stability

New Zealand's political stability ensures that your investment is secure.

Family

Your partner and dependent children are included in your visa application.

Timeframe

Streamlined and prioritised visa application process.

Language

Minimum level of language competency for a resident visa is lower in Investor policies than in Skilled Migrant Category.

Choice of Locations

If you want to divide your time of the year between two locations in the world, you might be able to do so as investor.

Age

If you have reached the age limit of 56 years under the Skilled Migrant Category, you might still be able to migrate as business owner or investor.

You may also be interested in:

Do you want to migrate to New Zealand?

Base your move on solid grounds: Ask us for a Free Assessment and join our Immigration Webinar.

Migrate from South Africa
Migrate from the UK
Migrate from the US
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Dr. Hallwass handled our application to immigrate professionally, giving us a clear picture of what was required, updating us along the way and providing excellent follow up service on our arrival in New Zealand. We are delighted with his professionalism and thoroughness. He comes highly recommended.

FB
South Africa
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Anna was worth her weight in gold---she was fantastic at helping me format my CV and search for jobs that suited my skill set.  In the end, I got a great job in a great city.  Carsten and his team were very thorough and helpful when it came time to apply for and get our visas. They are now helping us with our resident visas, and I'm certain that the process will be the same. I'd recommend them highly.

KJ
USA
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NZIC guided me all the way through getting my first work visa to permanent residency. Their job seeking support was key when I first arrived in NZ, communication was always easy and clear. I'm very thankful for their help and definitely recommend their services.

DO
Brazil
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Dear Jannie, just want to drop a note to thank for your everything. Your help is much appreciated! You are a wonderful and professional job search coach! I am so lucky to have you supporting me!

MK
Hong Kong