New Zealand is a desirable country for migrants to invest in due to its stable political structure, innovative approach to business, and overall quality of life.
The Government is actively seeking successful entrepreneurs, business people and investors willing to invest in the New Zealand economy.
There is a wide range of NZ investor migrant visa options. However, they need to meet specific investment obligations and requirements.
Acceptable investments carry different weightings towards the Active Investor Plus Visa's new guidelines with an increase to the threshold, now at NZ$15 million. Migrant investors can invest across a combination of different investment types.
Immigration New Zealand opened the Active Investor Plus Visa category on 19 September 2022. This investor visa attracts experienced, high-value investors to help build globally successful Kiwi businesses.
Four eligible investment classes both direct and indirect. They carry different weightings towards the NZ$15 million investment threshold. Investors may be able to invest across a combination to meet the threshold.
When a migrant makes a direct investment, they put money into one or more specific New Zealand businesses.
When a migrant makes an indirect investment, they put money into a managed fund or venture capital fund, which then makes investments in NZ businesses. It can also take the form of investments made through the purchase of shares, or securities investment funds, in which migrant investors don't actively manage their investments.
Direct Investments
As part of the conditions, the NZTE must confirm that either the applicant is investing in acceptable listed equities that were pre-approved by NZTE before funds were invested or that the investee entity is an acceptable direct investment.
Direct investments into private businesses receive the highest weighting (3x). For example, you can meet the required amount by investing NZ$5 million into direct investments.
Managed Funds
Investments in managed funds are acceptable when they meet either:
Investments in managed funds such as private equity or venture capital are upweighted (2x). For example, you can meet the required amount by investing NZ$7.5 million into private funds.
Contact our specialist Investor team for licensed immigration advice to help you understand your AIPV investment options.
Philanthropy
Acceptable philanthropic investments must be registered charities with at least two years of annual returns and have an approved donee status from Inland Revenue which has not ceased.
Investments in philanthropy receive no additional weighting. However, it is capped at 50% of the NZ$15 million investment requirement. For example, you can meet the required amount by putting NZ$7.5 million into eligible philanthropic causes and NZ$7.5 million into listed equities.
Listed Equities
For an investment in listed equities to be considered acceptable, the funds must be invested directly or through an exchange-traded or managed fund. An exchange-traded or managed fund must be handled by someone that is licensed by the Financial Markets Authority to provide that service in the equities of a New Zealand resident entity that:
Equities in entities engaged in managing property assets may be counted towards the principal applicant's investment in listed equities, provided they comprise no more than 20 per cent of the value of the total assets held by the fund.
Investments into listed equities receive no additional weighting. However, they are also capped at 50% of the NZ$15 million investment requirement. For example, you can meet the required amount by putting NZ$7.5 million into listed equities and NZ$7.5 million into eligible philanthropic causes.
Bonds and Property are not considered an acceptable investment. However, INZ has noted that as part of listed equity investments, AIPV holders can invest in exchange-traded funds or managed funds that own companies engaged in the acquisition, development, ownership, leasing, management, and operation of property assets as long as it accounts for only 20% of the investment.
Acceptable investments can be changed during the investment period in some circumstances.
An investment may become ineligible during the investment period. For example, if a company goes out of business and ceases operations. In this case, contact Malcolm Pacific Immigration today, and we'll work with you and NZTE to ensure your investment continues to be acceptable.
After an application is approved in principle, applicants have six months to make a minimum initial investment and invest the remainder of the funds into holding or other acceptable investments. The total value of the investments must be at least NZ$15 million or the weighted equivalent. The acceptable holding investments are:
Funds invested in a holding investment must be in the applicant's name, remain separate from any other funds and are not for personal use. They should only be withdrawn to make an acceptable investment.
There is a range of other visas that allow you to start a business or get involved in the entrepreneurial environment in New Zealand. You can read more about NZ investor visa pathways here. However, here we discuss the parent retirement visa, which includes investment requirements and can lead to residency, much like the AIPV.
Learn about the changing NZ Investor Visa requirements for residency here.
The NZ parent retirement visa enables parents to join their adult children in New Zealand. To be eligible, applicants must meet INZ's financial requirements of keeping at least NZ$1 million invested in an acceptable investment in New Zealand for four years.
While allowing migrant parents to live, work and study in New Zealand, it also allows them to apply for permanent residence after four years of keeping their funds invested in New Zealand.
Beyond New Zealand's standard acceptable investments, as listed at the beginning of this article, the Parent Retirement visa is unique in that it considers a residential property development to be an acceptable investment.
However, it must be a new development, not a renovation or extension to an existing residential property, and have the necessary approvals and consents. Furthermore, it must be to make a commercial return on the open market – it must not be for the applicant or the applicant's family or friends to live in.
Loss in investment value can happen. If an investment decreases in value below INZ's required investment level, the applicant does not need to invest more to top it up.
Applicants may want to reinvest part of their acceptable investment. In the case of selling investments during the investment period, the principle and any capital gains must be reinvested. However, applicants can reinvest part of their acceptable investments into other business ventures or expansions.
The new Active Investor Plus visa category replaced two existing categories, Investor 1 and Investor 2 visas, that have been running for over 12 years. These visas closed to new applications on 27 July 2022, while the current pipeline of applications continues to be processed by INZ.
Previously, the applicant had to meet the following criteria:
Previously, the applicant had to meet the following criteria:
Migrant investors that previously gained residence under the Investor 1 and Investor 2 category were required to invest in acceptable investments, as listed below:
Malcolm Pacific Immigration has one of the most skilled Investor Visa teams in the business. Our Investor Visa team regularly travels overseas with major New Zealand banks, investment advisers, tax experts and government officials to meet with and advise high-net-worth individuals planning on moving to New Zealand.
Contact our specialist Investor Immigration Team for answers to your questions and find out if you are eligible to apply.
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Today the government announced a pathway to residence for migrant workers who are living and working in New Zealand. Applications open on 1 December 2021 for the first wave who are eligible to apply. The second wave can apply from 1 March 2022. The deadline to lodge an application is 31 July 2022 or else they will miss out on this one off opportunity.
Today the government announced a pathway to residence for people living and working in New Zealand. Applications open on 1 December 2021 for the first wave eligible to apply. The second wave can apply from 1 March 2022. The deadline to lodge an application is 31 July 2022 or else you miss the boat.
The government has moved the introduction of the new employer accreditation process across to mid-2022. At the same time, the Minister of Immigration announced new work visa rules for migrant workers who are already in New Zealand and working full time.
The government has increased the median wage to $27 per hour from 19 July. Any Skilled Migrant residence application lodged after this date will need to include a skilled job offer that pays at least $27 per hour. For some lower-skilled occupations, the minimum pay rate increases to $40.50 per hour.
From 19 July 2021
From 30 June 2021
Employers of migrant workers must become accredited from 1 November 2021 before work visa applications can be processed. Most employers are not accredited. Those that are accredited will have to roll into the new system when it goes live in late September.
From mid-2020 (delayed)
Skilled occupation "Dairy Cattle Farmer" spilt into three occupations. New occupations are: "Dairy Farm Manager", "Assistant Dairy Farm Manager" and "Dairy Herd Manager". Each sit at different skill levels, therefore, the award of points will depend on pay rates, job tasks and other requirements.
From 15 February 2021
The government has deferred the fortnightly selection of Expressions of Interest from the Skilled Migrant pool for six months (to be reviewed in April 2021). Invitations to Apply for Residence remain suspended. The last selection from the Skilled Migrant pool took place on 18/03/2020.
From 7 October 2020
The government added four new occupations that are now regarded as skilled employment and may qualify for job offer points under the Skilled Migrant Category. These are:
Aged or disabled carer, Bicycle mechanic, Driller and Nursing Support worker.
From 27 July 2020
Anyone invited by Immigration NZ to apply for residence under the Skilled Migrant Category where their invitation is dated between 1 November 2019 and 15 April 2020 (inclusive) has now been granted an additional six months to lodge their residence application.
From 27 May 2020
The government has deferred the fortnightly selection of Expressions of Interest from the Skilled Migrant pool. This means Invitations to Apply for Residence are also suspended. Malcolm Pacific Immigration does not anticipate selections to resume until after the general election held on 17 October 2020.
Immigration NZ is now prioritising Skilled Migrant Residence applications where the main (principal) applicant meets the criteria:
From 24 February 2020
From 7 October 2019
The government recently added more occupations that are now to be regarded as skilled employment and may qualify for job offer points under the Skilled Migrant Category. In order to qualify for points, the job must be paying at least the current median wage (or higher for certain occupations) at the time the residence application is lodged.
From 1 November 2021
From 1 November 2021 anyone who is not a NZ citizen must be fully vaccinated (unless exempt) before travelling to New Zealand. Fully vaccinated means your last dose of vaccine was given at least 14 days before travelling and it was an approved vaccine.
Applications for employer accreditation closed at the end of June 2021. Applications lodged before the closure date are still being processed. New applications for accreditation open on 9 May 2022. The process will be quite different to what employers have experienced in the past. Businesses will need to meet minimum standards.
Wednesday, 1 December is fast approaching and it is estimated that around 16,000 individuals and families can apply in the first wave for the 2021 Resident Visa opening next month. It is exciting for the thousands of people who have been waiting patiently to become residents that finally the finish line is in sight.
The first wave of applicants can apply from 1 December 2021. Around 16,000 applications are expected in this first wave. The second wave opens on 1 March 2022. In total, the government expects approximately 110,000 applications that will include about 165,000 people.
The second group of workers who can apply online for the 2021 Resident Visa that opens on 1 March 2022 are those who hold an eligible work visa and either meet "Settled", "Skilled" or "Scarce" as set out above. In total Immigration NZ estimate around 110,000 people will qualify to apply for this visa.
The first group of workers who can apply online for the 2021 Resident Visa that opens on 1 December 2021 are those that on 29/09/2021:
Is this the only requirement to qualify for residence? No. In addition to the eligible work visa criteria workers also need to be regarded as one of the following:
People who were lawfully in NZ (or in Australia when the travel bubble closed between April and July 2021) on 29/09/2021 need to meet the visa eligibility criteria:
The government has introduced a limited pathway to residence for people who are already living and working in New Zealand. Applications open on 1 December 2021 for the first wave of people eligible to apply. The second wave opens on 1 March 2022. The deadline to apply for the 2021 Resident Visa is 31 July 2022.
A small number of critical health workers (taking up jobs for six months or longer) or specialist workers (taking up jobs that are for longer than six months) who were granted border exemptions may also have eligibility for the 2021 Resident Visa. They will need to have arrived in NZ and lodge a 2021 Resident Visa application.
*Excludes high-risk countries.
*Excludes high-risk countries.
The work visa categories set to close are:
From September 2022 people holding job offers in a small number of occupations may apply for residence. Some occupations are a direct pathway to residence and others require a period of two years or longer before applying.
There are qualification and/or occupational registration requirements to meet. Establishing if an overseas qualification matches the NZ equivalent qualification before applying is paramount for success.