New Zealand Opens New Investor Visa Pathways to Residence

Big news in New Zealand's immigration space: the Entrepreneur Work Visa is gone, and in its place comes the Business Investor Visa (BIV).

BIV will exist in addition to the Active Investor Plus Visa as explained below.

Frankly, the closure isn’t a surprise.

The Entrepreneur category had been limping along for years — low applications, high declines, and businesses that too often didn’t last. It wasn’t giving New Zealand the outcomes it needed.

So what’s new? The BIV shifts focus.

Instead of “anyone with a business idea,” it’s clearly aimed at experienced businesspeople with real capital and proven skills.

From November 2025, the Business Investor Work Visa will open with two pathways:

• NZD $1 million investment → into an existing NZ business, leading to a 3-year work-to-residence pathway.
• NZD $2 million investment → into an existing NZ business, giving a 12-month fast-track to residence (while continuing to operate for 3 years).

Applicants can either purchase a business outright or acquire at least 25% ownership — as long as they meet the minimum thresholds.

Both pathways eventually lead to eligibility for the Business Investor Resident Visa. The visa can be granted for up to 4 years, and Immigration fee will be NZD $12,380 (application fee + levy).

Who can apply?

To qualify, applicants must:

• Meet the minimum investment threshold.
• Show at least NZD $500,000 in personal funds to support themselves (and family, if included).
• Be 55 years or younger.
• Meet English requirements (IELTS 5.0 or equivalent).
• Meet health, character, and business experience requirements.
• Invest in a business that employs 5+ full-time equivalent staff.

Importantly, applicants can include their partner and dependent children — making this not just a business decision, but a family pathway.

What kinds of businesses qualify?

INZ has been clear: not every business is eligible. The following are excluded:

• Drop-shipping
• Gambling
• Tobacco/nicotine/vaping manufacturing
• Adult entertainment
• Convenience stores & $2 shops
• Fast food outlets
• Franchises
• Home-based businesses
• Immigration advisory businesses (or those linked to Licensed Immigration Advisers)

How this sits with the Active Investor Plus Visa

The BIV complements the Active Investor Plus Visa (AIPV), refreshed in April 2025, which remains open for high-net-worth individuals:

• Growth Pathway: $5million over 3 years.
• Balanced Pathway: $10million over 5 years.

Together, they form a tiered investor framework:

• BIV → business operators with $1–2m who want to be hands-on.
• AIPV → large-scale investors with $5–10m who want to diversify into funds, bonds, or direct investment.

My take

This is more than just another visa announcement. It’s a real signal of intent: NZ is opening its doors to experienced entrepreneurs and investors who can contribute directly to our economy.

But beyond the dollars, there’s another angle I see every day in my work: families.

A few questions come to mind:

• Will this attract the right kind of investors — those who can genuinely turn around or grow Kiwi businesses?
• Will the $1m and $2m thresholds be enough to draw strong international interest, or too low to deliver real impact?
• And how does this play into the ongoing foreign buyer debate around property?

Immigration Minister, Hon Erica Stanford, says this visa will “breathe new life into existing businesses.” And that’s the exact hope.

If you have experience running successful businesses overseas, and you’re looking not only to invest but to give your children a chance to study, grow, and thrive in New Zealand, this is worth exploring. I’ve seen how powerful this pathway can be — parents building on their business legacy, children settling into schools and universities, families setting down roots in a safe and supportive environment.

Let us help you explore whether this new pathway could be the right fit for your family’s future.