The Business Immigration policy is designed for people with business experience to enter New Zealand to develop business opportunities. It is comprised of both temporary entry and residence categories.
1. What does the Active Investor Migrant Category require for eligibility?
The applicant must be prepared to invest in considerable funds to develop their chosen business opportunity. There are 3 levels of investment to this residence category. It is based on investment funds of NZD 20 million, 10 million or 2.5 million respectively. There are also age specifications and English language requirements.
2. What does the principal applicant have to achieve?
The successful establishment of a business in New Zealand that can be shown to be of benefit to New Zealand is a paramount requirement. (Refer to LTBV details below for criteria). All criteria must be met regarding shareholding and personal employment. This category of visa does not apply to any applicant who has:
• Had a failed business in the last 5 years
• Who has ever filed for bankruptcy
• Who has been involved in any act of fraud or financial impropriety.
Principal applicants must achieve an English standard of IELTS, band 5. Non-principal applicants may pre-purchase English language tuition if they cannot achieve that level at the time of application. Our Aotearoa Abroad education consultants can assist you with course and educational institution selection and enrolment.
If you feel you wish to pursue this visa and require further information, please feel free to Contact Us. A brief summary of your business and the length of time it has been trading in New Zealand will be helpful in us providing you with further information and guidance.
3. Long Term Business Visa (LTBV)
This is a temporary entry category that may lead to residency opportunities utilizing other visa options. It provides people interested in applying for residence under the Entrepreneur Category or those wishing to establish a business in New Zealand but not intending to live permanently in New Zealand the opportunity to establish their business activities and lives in New Zealand. Successful applicants along with their spouses/partners and children will be granted a multiple-entry 3-year Work Visa. This may be extended to as much as six years. Successful LTBV holders are eligible to apply for residence under the Entrepreneur category after two years under LTBV.
Again the immigration policies that pertain to this category of visa are ever changing. Currently the INZ immigration policy requires that Long-term Business Visa (LTBV) applicants must:
1. Have owned and operated a business overseas
2. That the business must be relevant to the NZ business that they are proposing
3. That the applicant must have the financial and other ability to travel to NZ and to conduct the appropriate research into the viability of the business
4. The applicant must present a viable and credible business plan. We work with our clients to ensure that the business plan meets the requirements.
5. That the business plan must identify the economic benefit that the proposed business will be to NZ which may include such attributes as:
a. The employment of staff
b. The introduction of new skills or products
c. Exporting
6. The applicant must be able to satisfactorily demonstrate that they have adequate personal funds of a nominal $100,000 in additional to the financial resources required to establish/purchase the business
7. The applicant must be of good standing and have no previous convictions for fraud, or bankruptcy.
The business plan or proposal must follow strict criteria. This includes the provision of comprehensive financial and business records. The principal applicant must achieve an English standard of IELTS, band 5. Non-principal applicants may pre-purchase English language tuition if they cannot achieve that level at the time of application. Our Aotearoa Abroad education consultants can assist you with course and educational institution selection and enrolment.
Once the LTBV is granted, the spouse of the principal applicant is eligible to apply for an open work visa which will allow them to pursue employment either in the principal business or elsewhere.
Having reviewed this information, if you believe you qualify for a Long Term Business Visa, you may complete a questionnaire which will download to us for assessment. Our comprehensive assessment is designed to identify your eligibility for a visa under this category.
Please note, your assessment is performed by skilled and qualified members of our team. Because of the increasing complexity of immigration policy, the time and expertise involved in performing assessments and our legal responsibilities under New Zealand legislation, there is a NZD $100 fee for each assessment. The fee may be paid via PayPal by major credit card. If you do not wish to use PayPal you are welcome to contact us for an alternative mode of payment. To complete an assessment, please go to our Visa Eligibility Assessment
* As per terms and conditions
If you don't qualify under the Business criteria, please go to Skilled Migrant, or Family