IMMIGRATION

Business Investor Work Visa

A new Business Investor Work Visa will open for applications in 2025.

We are very experienced business, property and immigration specialist lawyers.  We have helped many hundreds of immigration clients as well as business clients and can provide you with expert legal assistance to help you into a business and obtain the new Business Investor Visa.

The requirements are substantially less than the Active Investor Plus Category, which requires an investment of NZD$5 million to NZD$10 million.

Requirements 

Applicants can either invest by purchasing outright, or a minimum of 25% of, an existing business:

• NZD$1 million investment in an existing business for a 3 year work to residence visa; or

• NZD$2 million investment for a 12 month fast-track work to residence visa.  

Your partner and dependent children can be included in your application.

To be eligible for the Business Investor Work Visa, applicants must:

• Meet the minimum investment threshold

• Demonstrate at least NZD$500,000 to support themselves (and their family if they are included in an application) while establishing their business

• Be aged 55 or younger when they apply

• Meet English language requirements (IELTS 5.0 or equivalent)

• Meet health and character requirements

• Meet business experience requirements

• Invest in a business that meets the financial threshold and employs at least 5 full time equivalent staff

• Pay the Immigration New Zealand fee of NZD $12,380 which includes the visa application fee and immigration levy.

A Business Investor Work Visa may be granted for up to 4 years and you can then apply for a Business Investor Resident Visa.

The Business Investor Work Visa complements the Active Investor Plus Visa, which was refreshed in April 2025, and is part of a broader update to business immigration settings to attract investment, talent and international connections.

Exclusions

The following businesses are excluded from this category:

• Drop-shipping 

• Gambling

• The manufacturing of tobacco or other nicotine-based products, including vaping

• Adult entertainment

• Convenience stores (for example, corner dairies) 

• Businesses that offer immigration advisory services, or that were purchased from a Licensed Immigration Adviser (LIA), or where a LIA is materially involved

• Discount or value stores (for example, NZ $2 shops)

• Fast food outlets

• Franchised businesses

• Home-based business (businesses only operating from a residential address) 

Active Investor Plus 

The Active Investor Plus Visa allows individuals to live, work and invest in New Zealand with a minimum investment of NZD$5 million in the Growth Category or NZD$10 million in the Balanced Category.

Applicants must specify certain 'nominated funds' to meet this investment threshold, demonstrate ownership of the nominated funds and that the nominated funds were acquired lawfully. 

Your partner and dependent children can be included in your application.

Acceptable investments for the Growth Category include direct investments and managed funds.  Acceptable investments for the Balanced Category include direct investments, managed funds, listed equities, philanthropy, bonds, or property developments.

Applicants must also meet requirements as to identity, health, good character, be a fit and proper person, and provide relevant information for the family members included on their application. 

Successful applicants will be granted approval in principle subject to conditions.  

The conditions will include a requirement to invest the funds and provide evidence of this within specified timeframes, that the funds remain invested for the entire investment period (36 months for the Growth Category or 60 months for the Balanced Category), and minimum requirements as to time spent in New Zealand 

Provided these conditions are met, at the end of the investment period the applicant and their included family members will become eligible to apply for permanent residence. 

Skilled Migrant & Work Visas

If you have a tertiary or other qualification in demand in New Zealand and / or a job offer you may be eligible to apply under the skilled migrant category, which is based upon points awarded for age, work experience, qualifications, job offer and other categories.

If you obtain an offer of employment, you may also qualify for an Accredited Employer Visa - depending on your profession this could be a work visa, work to residence visa, or fast track to residence.

Skilled Migrant Category Residence Visa: 

The Skilled Migrant Category ("SMC") Visa is designed to attract highly qualified individuals to New Zealand. Applicants are required to have a skilled job or job offer in New Zealand with an accredited employer to apply. Applicants will also need to demonstrate a total of 6 points against the SMC criteria.  Points are awarded for New Zealand occupational registration, qualifications (Bachelor's degree or higher), income from employment or the employment offer (if at least 1.5x the median wage in New Zealand) and skilled work experience. 

Accredited Employer Work Visa: 

Applicants must have a full time offer of employment in New Zealand for a role they are suitably qualified for.  The offer of employment must meet minimum pay thresholds.  Unless the role is on the "Green List", the employer will also need to demonstrate that the job has first been advertised to New Zealanders and that there are no suitable New Zealanders available to work in the role.  

Accredited Employer (Work to Residence) Visa: 

After two years working for an accredited employer in New Zealand in a role on "Tier 2" of the Green List, applicants may be eligible to apply for this residence visa.  Jobs on this list include nursing, certain trades, certain teachers and some farming roles.

Accredited Employer (Straight to Residence):

Applicants may be eligible to immediately apply for residence if they have a full time offer of employment or current employment with an accredited employer in a role on "Tier 1" of the Green List.   Jobs on this list include certain medical professionals, ICT specialists, engineers, and more. 

There are several other work visas which may be applicable depending on your circumstances, including post-study work visas, partnership work visa, specific purpose work visa or working holiday visa.

Partnership & Family Visas

If you have a partner who is a New Zealand citizen or resident then you may be eligible to apply under the partnership category for a visitor, work or residence visa.   You may be eligible to immediately apply for permanent residence if you have resided outside of New Zealand with your New Zealand citizen or resident partner for 5 or more years.  Please contact us for further information as strict timeframes apply. 

There are various other categories which may allow you to join family including the Parent and Grandparent Boost Visitor Visa, Parent Resident Visa, Parent Retirement Resident Visa, Parent and Grandparent Visitor Visa, Dependent Child Visa, and more.  Please contact us for further information. 

Difficult Matters, Appeals, Reviews, Injunctions, Special Direction, Deportation, Judicial Review

If you have a difficult case or a problem, we have substantial experience over decades in all manner of appeals, reviews, special directions, exceptions, waivers, prejudicial information, appeals to the Ombudsman, judicial review and all manner of difficult and complex cases and would be pleased to discuss this with you.

Please contact us for further information on immigration@becker.co.nz