Business Categories
Objective
The objective of Business Immigration policy is to contribute to New Zealand’s economic growth through:
- Increasing New Zealand’s level of human capital
- Encouraging enterprise and innovation
- Fostering external links
Business categories are:
- Investor category
- Long-term Business Visa/Permit
- Entrepreneur Category
- Employee of Relocating Business
Investor Category
Applicants applying under the investor category are assessed by a points system. Points are awarded for age, business experience and investment funds.
The pass mark is set by the Minister of Immigration.
The points for investor category are as follows:
A minimum of one point for investment funds is required. The applicant should prove that the funds have been earned legally.
- An applicant over the age of 84 will not be approved under this category.
- All applicants must meet health and character requirements.
- Applicants aged over 16 years must meet English language requirements.
Once the application is approved under this category, residence visas and permits and returning resident’s visas are granted to the principal applicant and any accompanying spouse of parents and dependents with requirements imposed under section 18(a) of the Immigration Act as follows.
- The principal applicant retains investment funds in an acceptable investment for a minimum of two years.
- The principal applicant informs the New Zealand Immigration Service of any changes of New Zealand address during the two year investment period.
Long-term Business Visa
A Long-term Business Visa (LTBV) is a three year multiple entry work visa. It is intended that temporary entry under the category will lead the residence under the Entrepreneur category.
Applicants for a LTBV are required to have a satisfactory plan of business and in addition to investment capital, sufficient funds for the maintenance and accommodation of themselves and any non-principled applicants included in the application, and also meet health and character requirements.
A business plan is a proposal to establish a specific business in New Zealand and contains the following information:
- An outline of the proposed business and its viability
- Financial information
- Business experience of the applicants
- Applicants knowledge of the New Zealand market
Entrepreneur
The Entrepreneur category has been set up to grant residence to those people who have successfully established a business in New Zealand which is benefiting New Zealand in some way. The ways in which a business must be successfully established in New Zealand are:
- Applicant must have established or purchased or made substantial investment in a business operating in New Zealand.
- The business has been established for at least two years.
- Applicant has been lawfully self-employed in New Zealand in that business for at least two years.
- The business is benefiting New Zealand.
All applicants must meet health and character requirements, and applicants over 16 years of age must meet English language requirements.
Employee of Relocating Businesses to New Zealand
The objective of the Employee of Relocating Business category is to assist in promoting New Zealand as a place in which to invest and locate businesses. The category facilitates the granting of residence to the applicants who do not qualify for residence under any other category.
A relocating business is a genuine business that proposes the operate in New Zealand.
A key employee is an employee of the business whom the chief executive officer of that business reasonably considers will be essential to the operation of the relocated business in New Zealand.
All applicants must meet health, character and English language requirements.
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