Investment Options in New Zealand

Get In Touch with experts

Click Here To Submit Form

The New Zealand Government welcomes investors and entrepreneurs with capital, experience and international connections. If you have business acumen, skill and capital, then New Zealand offers a variety of visa options.

Global Impact Visa (GIV)
Entrepreneur Visa
Investor Visas

Impact of COVID-19

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a lot of disruption worldwide. Processing of temporary visa applications from outside New Zealand or a quarantine free travel zone is currently suspended due to stringent border restrictions, unless you are exempt.

However, earlier in the year, Immigration New Zealand (INZ) confirmed that timeframes for lodgement processing and customer service expectations would remain the same including priority processing of Investor 1 and 2 categories and all Business Migration applications.

However, immigration officials are still promoting ‘investor interest in New Zealand’ so that high value investors can immediately enter the country once the borders open. Border and Visa Operations General Manager of INZ has confirmed that investor applications are processed to the point of decision to enable this.

Global Impact Visa (GIV)

This visa is for entrepreneurs, investors and changemakers who want to make a scalable & positive global impact. This visa is a pathway to gaining permanent residence in New Zealand.

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) has partnered with the Edmund Hillary Fellowship (EHF) to deliver this innovative new visa.

EHF is a fellowship programme that provides determined entrepreneurs, investors and start-up teams with a platform to nurture global impact ventures from New Zealand. You must be accepted into the EHF before applying for a Global Impact Visa.

Applying for the EHF involves 2 stages – (i)Submitting an application & being accepted into the EHF and (ii)Applying for the Global Impact Visa

An offer letter from EHF, NZ $ 36,000 to support yourself and your family for the first year and meeting the health, character & English language requirements are the main requirements of a GIV.

The GIV is a three-year open work visa. Family members can apply under the Partnership/ Dependent Child categories.

Click here to know more about GIVs.

Entrepreneur Visa

This visa is for experienced business people interested in being self-employed in their own business.

People usually start out on an Entrepreneur Work visa which allows you to move to New Zealand and buy or establish a business. After either six months or two years you can apply for residence under the Entrepreneur Residence Category.

Entrepreneur Work Visa

This is a three-year work visa divided into 2 stages –

The start-up stage – You will initially be given a 12-month work visa, which allows you to buy or establish your business in New Zealand.

The balance stage –One you have taken the steps to set up your business, the remaining 24 months of the visa is granted.

Requirements

minimum capital investment of NZ$100,000 (excluding working capital)
120 points or more, with points awarded for factors about the likely success of the business and its value to New Zealand
clear business plan
clean recent history of bankruptcy, business failure and fraud
health, character and English language requirements.

Entrepreneur Residence Category

The visa allows you to live in New Zealand permanently if you have established a high growth and innovative business with export potential in New Zealand.

Partners and dependent children can be given work or student visas. They can also be included in the Entrepreneur Residence Visa application.

Investor Visa

An investor visa allows its holder to invest and get residence in NZ. However, not every investment you make within the boundaries of NZ is eligible for an investor visa.

There are two investor categories:

Investor 1	Investor 2
minimum investment of NZ$10 million for three years	minimum investment of NZ$3 million for a time of four years
no maximum age	maximum age 65
no English language requirement	English language is a must
No annual quota required	Minimum 3 years business experience is required

Investor 1 category requires you to be in NZ for 44 days in each of the last two years of a three-year investment period or 88 days over the three-year investment period.

Investor 2 category l requires you to be in NZ for 146 days in each of the last three years of a four-year investment period or 438 days in NZ over the four-year investment period. Also, you will need to meet the English language requirements.

With either category, you are given 12 months to transfer your investment funds in an acceptable investment in New Zealand. Also, both the categories allow you to include your partner, and dependent children aged 24 and under, in your visa application.

Acceptable investments -

Five types of investments are accepted –

New Zealand Companies owned by overseas companies

The investment must be in the form of equity in the New Zealand company.

Residential Property

It has to be a new development and not a renovation or extension of an existing one.
Purchasing an existing residential property for rental purposes is not an acceptable investment.

Commercial Property

Investment in commercial property cannot be used for residential or domestic use. You, your family or anyone associated with you cannot live in the development.

Philanthropic investment

They make up 15% of the acceptable investments.

Growth investments

They are acceptable investments except for bonds and philanthropic investments.

If you would like to know more about the appropriate visa category for investing in New Zealand including the process, assessment criteria and the pitfalls that you should be aware of, please contact Immigration Advisers New Zealand Ltd at contact@nzimmigration.info or call on +64 09 3790219. Our experienced team of licensed immigration advisers will be happy to guide you.