Investor Visa-Citizenship-by-Investment > New Zealand Entrepreneur Program

New Zealand Entrepreneur Program

Why Choose New Zealand?

New Zealand consistently ranks as one of the easiest countries to do business, with minimal bureaucracy and a welcoming culture for entrepreneurs and investors. 

According to the World Bank’s Doing Business report 2023, New Zealand is ranked as the easiest place in the world to start a business. The country also ranks highly in transparency and ease of doing business, offering a stable environment that supports entrepreneurial growth (World Bank, 2023). In addition, New Zealand’s high quality of life makes it an attractive destination for both business growth and family well-being.

Here are some it’s Rankings in 2024:

• Civil Liberties: 2nd (Freedom House)

• Corruption (lack of): 3rd (Transparency International)

• Security/Peace: 4th (Global Peace Index)

• Gender Equality: 4th (Global Gender Gap Report)

• Economic Freedom: 6th (Index of Economic Freedom)

• Rule of Law: 6th (World Justice Project)

• Happiness: 11th overall (World Happiness Report), with older generation ranking 6th and younger generation 27th.

• Social Progress (HDI): 16th (Human Development Index)

• Quality of Urban Life (Auckland): Top 10 (Economist's Global Liveability Index)

• Innovation: 25th (Global Innovation Index)

New Zealand Entrepreneur Work Visa

The Entrepreneur Work Visa allows aspiring business owners to establish and operate businesses in New Zealand. Whether you’re an experienced entrepreneur or someone with strong management experience, this visa provides you the chance to be part of New Zealand’s thriving business ecosystem.

Key Features:

• – Flexible Investment Requirement: You need a minimum investment of NZ$100,000 (approx. INR 50 lakhs) to get started. Business must be setup within 12 months

• However, we recommend an investment of NZ$300,000 or more for the best possible outcomes. 

• Funds can be jointly held with your spouse/partner. 

• This investment may be waived for high growth areas like IT, Biotech and the creative industries. A waiver needs to be formally requested for however.

• No Age Limit: This visa has no strict age cap, although points are not awarded for applicants above 60. 

• Profile Needs: Good health, Character and English ability is a must.

• Business Experience: You must have prior experience in running a business or a senior management role. A detailed business plan is mandatory

• – Start or Invest in a Business: You have the freedom to start your own business or invest in an existing New Zealand business, acquiring at least 25% of the shareholding.

• Support for Family: Spouses/Partners of applicants receive an open work visa with no restrictions and children under 18 years can attend primary and secondary schools as domestic students with free education. Health is covered too.

• English Language Requirement: IELTS score of 4 or equivalent in PTE for both applicants and family members over 16.

• Points System - You must be awarded at least 120 points on the points scale

You may be awarded points for:

• your age

• your capital investment

• your business experience

• the benefits of your business to New Zealand

• the location of your business.

• You can use our points scale to get an idea of how many points you may be able to claim. You can also use it to check the evidence you’ll need to provide to support your claims.

• Residency Pathway: After successfully operating your business for at least 6 months and creating three full-time jobs, or after 2 years of running your business, you can apply for residency. This period can be lowered to 6 months only if you invest $500,000 or more into a business and hire 3 or more NZ residents/citizens in your venture.

For more details refer this link: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/visas/visa/entrepreneur-work-visa

New Zealand Entrepreneur Resident Visa

Apply for this visa if you have been self-employed in New Zealand at least 6 months, or have operated a self-employed business for 2 years on another visa.

With this visa you can

• Continue to operate your own business in New Zealand.

• Live, work and study in New Zealand.

• Include your partner, and dependent children aged 24 and under, in your visa application.

If you apply after less than 2 years of being self-employed, you'll need to have an Entrepreneur Work Visa, have invested capital of at least NZ $500,000 and have created 3 new jobs in New Zealand.

What you need to apply

Check if you are eligible to apply for this visa and what supporting documents and information you need to provide.

Identity

You must provide proof of your identity

• 2 acceptable photos of your head and shoulders

• your original or a certified copy of your passport or certificate of identity

• your original or a certified copy of your full birth certificate.

Health

You must be in good health. You must have a chest x-ray and a medical examination as proof of your good health.

Character

You must be of good character

If you, or anyone else included in your application, are aged 17 or older you must provide a police certificate from:

• all the countries you are a citizen of, and

• any other country you have stayed in for 12 months or more over the last 10 years, even if it was not all in the same stay.

Fit and Proper Person

You must be a fit and proper person

You must confirm in the application form that you meet fit and proper person requirements.

To be a fit and proper person, all businesses you have influence over must have complied with all immigration, employment and taxation laws. You must also:

• have never been investigated by the Serious Fraud Office or the New Zealand police for any offence resulting from business dealings

• have no convictions for an offence involving dishonesty

• have never been involved in business fraud or financial impropriety.

English Language

You must speak and understand English

You can show you speak English by either providing:

• an acceptable English language test result

• evidence you have an English-speaking background

• evidence you are a competent user of English for other reasons.

Relationship with Family

If you include your partner and children in your application, you must have a genuine relationship with them

You must provide evidence:

• of your relationship with your partner and dependent children, like a marriage certificate and birth certificates

• that your partner and dependent children meet the identity, character, health and English language requirements for this visa.

Your work Visa Status

You must have a current Entrepreneur Work Visa if you have been self-employed for less than two years

We’ll check our records for evidence you hold an appropriate work visa.

We may be able to accept another current visa, if you’ve been working in your own business in New Zealand for at least 2 years and both:

• your visa allows self-employment in New Zealand

• you meet all the requirements for an Entrepreneur Work Visa.

New Zealand Business

You must have either set-up or purchased at least 25% of the shareholding in a New Zealand business and have been running that business for at least 6 months

You must provide evidence that shows how long you’ve been running your business in New Zealand, which may include:

• a certificate of incorporation 

• audited financial statements

• GST records

• other tax records

• export documents

• employment agreements

• wage and salary records

• documents showing you’ve purchased or leased the business site

• invoices for business equipment and supplies

• any other documents that demonstrate the operation of the business.

Business Plan

Your business must have realised the benefits outlined in your business plan

You must provide evidence your business has met or exceeded the goals outlined in your business plan.

Business Profitability

Your business must be profitable

Your business must be both:

• trading profitably (or have the potential to become profitable within 12 months)

• making enough money to pay yourself an annual salary that’s at least as much as New Zealand’s full-time minimum wage.

Economic Growth

Your business must be contributing to New Zealand’s economic growth

You must provide evidence that your business is contributing to New Zealand’s economic growth in one of the following ways:

• introducing new technology, management or technical skills

• enhancing existing technology, management or technical skills

• introducing new products or services

• enhancing existing products or services

• creating new export markets

• expanding existing export markets

• creating at least 1 full-time job for a New Zealander (or at least 3 full-time jobs, if you’ve been in business for less than 2 years)

• offering new skills, networks, management capability and/or capital that increase an existing business’ financial performance.

For being considered a product or service ‘new’ it would need to:

• be the only one of its kind in New Zealand

• be not previously available in the New Zealand location you run your business.

• offer a significant enhancement or product line not previously provided by an existing New Zealand business or in the location you run your business.

Capital Investment

You must have invested at least as much capital as outlined in your business plan

You must have invested at least as much capital as outlined in your business plan. If you’ve been running your business for less than 2 years, your investment must be no less than NZ $500,000.

Capital investments exclude:

• passive or speculative investments, like reserve funds or term deposits

• items for your own use, like your car, boat or home

• any salary or wages paid to you or your immediate family

• residential property investments, unless they’re part of the business plan.

Employment and Immigration Law

Your business must comply with New Zealand employment and immigration law

You may be asked to provide evidence that the business:

• pays workers no less than the minimum wage or other contracted industry standard

• meets holiday and other leave requirements

• provides a safe workplace

• only employs people who are allowed to work in New Zealand.

If the business is included on the list of non-compliant employers maintained by the Labour Inspectorate then your application will not be approved.

No Welfare Assistance

You must not have received any welfare benefits or assistance

If you or anyone included in your residence application, have received any welfare benefits or assistance since you were granted a Work Visa, you won’t be eligible to apply for residence.

When you complete your residence application, you will be asked for your authority to contact Work and Income to check if you’ve received any welfare benefits or assistance.

Businesses less than 2 Years old

If you’ve been running your business for less than 2 years, there are extra requirements you must meet

Waiving the minimum capital investment requirement will be considered only, if both:

• your business is in science, ICT or another high-value export sector

• your business shows a high level of innovation or short-term growth prospects.

For considering your business as a high-value export business, it would need to aim to:

• create 5 or more jobs for New Zealanders

• turnover NZ $500,000 in annual exports.

For your business being considered as an high level of innovation, you would need show:

• you’ve discovered new ways to produce more goods or services without increasing the production costs

• your business is likely to succeed because of your innovation.

Casual or contract roles as evidence of new jobs are not accepted.

More Details: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/visas/visa/entrepreneur-resident-visa