New Zealand has ushered in a sweeping change to its business-related immigration pathways by discontinuing the Entrepreneur Work Visa and replacing it with a more targeted Business Investor Visa.
This newly designed visa, set to launch in November 2025, offers two structured investment pathways aimed at attracting seasoned investors who will actively operate businesses in the country. The shift reflects ongoing efforts to make immigration policy both economically impactful and administratively effective.
Clearer, Impactful Pathways to Residence
The Business Investor Visa introduces two defined investment routes. The first option requires a NZ$1 million investment in an existing business – either via full purchase or a minimum 25% equity stake – with a three-year work-to-residence timeline.
The second option, offering a NZ$2 million investment in an existing business, fast-tracks residency within just 12 months. Both pathways are designed to ensure that investors are hands-on participants in the businesses they support, with requirements including English proficiency, relevant business experience, and the financial capability to live comfortably (at least NZ$500,000 beyond the investment amount).
Applicants must be 55 years old or younger and commit to spending a significant portion of each year – at least 184 days – physically present in New Zealand to maintain their visa.
Additionally, the businesses they invest in must be well-established, employing at least five full-time equivalent staff, and cannot involve sectors like convenience stores, franchises, adult entertainment, or home-based operations. The application fee is set at approximately NZ$12,380, and family members, including partners and dependent children, can join under the same visa.
Recognising that the Entrepreneur Work Visa had struggled with low interest, high rejection rates, and limited economic impact, officials framed this change as a necessary modernisation. By focusing on established businesses and active management, the Business Investor Visa aims to drive real economic growth, job creation, and business continuity across the nation.
Strategic Rationale and Broader Immigration Context
This policy overhaul is part of a broader reimagining of New Zealand’s business and investor immigration system. Earlier in 2025, the government revamped its high-investment “golden visa” program – the Active Investor Plus Visa – introducing clearer pathways and simpler requirements.
Both the new Business Investor Visa and the refreshed Active Investor Plus framework now function in tandem to balance immediate business-driven investment with longer-term capital accumulation across multiple levels of entry.
At the same time, many stakeholders welcomed the Business Investor Visa’s focus on succession planning. Immigration advisers pointed out how it offers retirees and exiting business owners a valid exit strategy, allowing reputable businesses to continue under informed ownership instead of being shuttered. This stability is especially significant given New Zealand’s aging business population and gaps in domestic succession.
To support this revamped system, the government is creating a framework for innovation-driven entrepreneurs – developing a future startup visa to complement the current investor offerings. Agents and advisors anticipate detailed guidelines and a comparison between visa options arriving in October, helping investors choose the route best suited to their goals.
By emphasising capital, experience, and active engagement, New Zealand has created an investor visa system that values substance over speculation. The Business Investor Visa stands as a cornerstone in the nation’s strategic effort to blend immigration with sustainable economic development and global partnerships.
