About the Business Investor Visa

The Business Investor Work Visa will open for applications in November 2025 and offer 2 investment options:

• NZD $1 million investment in an existing business, for a 3-year work-to-residence pathway
• NZD $2 million investment in an existing business, for a 12-month fast-track to residence pathway

Applicants can purchase a business outright on either visa pathway or acquire at least 25% of the business, provided they meet the minimum $1 million or $2 million investment thresholds.

Applicants may also include their partner and dependent children in their application. 

Both options lead to eligibility to apply for the Business Investor Resident Visa.

A Business Investor Visa may be granted for up to 4 years.

The cost of the Business Investor Work Visa will be NZD $12,380. This includes the visa application fee and immigration levy. 

The Business Investor Work Visa complements the Active Investor Plus Visa, which was refreshed in April 2025, and is part of a broader update to business immigration settings to attract investment, talent, and international connections.

Visas for investing and doing business in New Zealand

Eligibility 

To be eligible for the Business Investor work visa, applicants must:

• meet the minimum investment threshold
• show they have at least NZD $500,000 to support themselves (and their family if they are including them in their application) while establishing their business
• be aged 55 or younger when they apply
• meet English language requirements (IELTS 5.0 or equivalent)
• meet health and character requirements
• meet business experience requirements
• invest in a business that meets the financial threshold and employs at least 5 full-time equivalent staff.

Business investment requirements

The following business types are not acceptable business investments under this visa:

• businesses involved in:
  • drop-shipping
  • gambling
  • the manufacturing of tobacco or other nicotine-based products, including vaping
  • adult entertainment
• convenience stores (for example, corner dairies)
• businesses that offer immigration advisory services, or that were purchased from a Licensed Immigration Adviser (LIA), or where an LIA is materially involved
• discount or value stores (for example, NZD $2 shops)
• fast food outlets
• franchised businesses
• home-based businesses (businesses only operating from a residential address).

Entrepreneur Category closure

The Entrepreneur Category is now closed to new applications for the Entrepreneur Work Visa.

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New Zealand is enhancing its investment landscape by updating the Active Investor Plus Visa, effective from 1 April 2025. These changes are designed to attract high-value investors by offering more appealing and flexible investment options.

• Simplified Investment Categories: The visa now features two distinct categories:
  • Growth Category: Requires a minimum investment of NZD $5 million.
  • Balanced Category: Requires a minimum investment of NZD $10 million
• Expanded Investment Opportunities: The scope of acceptable investments has been broadened to include bonds and property-type investments, providing investors with a wider array of options.
• Reduced Residency Requirements: Investors opting for more active investments will benefit from fewer immigration requirements, such as reduced time required to be spent in New Zealand.
• Accelerated Investment Timeline: Both categories must make all investments within six months of their approval in principle, with an option to apply for a six-month extension.
• Elimination of Language Barriers: The English language requirement has been removed, making the visa more accessible to a diverse range of investors.

These enhancements reflect feedback from investors and industry stakeholders, aiming to simplify the investment process and incentivize active investment in New Zealand’s economy. By broadening investment options and reducing barriers, New Zealand is positioning itself as an attractive destination for global investors seeking stable and diverse opportunities.

Investors can apply for the updated visa using the existing online application form, which will be revised to incorporate these new changes. Further details are expected to be published in early March.

With these strategic updates, New Zealand offers a compelling environment for investors looking to engage in a dynamic and growing economy.

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Immigration New Zealand has announced the 2025 opening dates for capped Working Holiday Schemes (WHS). These schemes allow young individuals from various countries to travel and work in New Zealand for a specified period. Each scheme has a set number of places available annually, and applications open on specific dates until the quota is filled. Once filled, the scheme will close until the following year.

Below is a table outlining the opening dates and available places for each country’s scheme in 2025:

If you’re from an eligible country, this is a fantastic opportunity to experience New Zealand’s unique culture while gaining valuable work experience. We encourage you to apply promptly once your country’s scheme opens, as spots can fill up quickly. For detailed information on application procedures and requirements, please visit the official Immigration New Zealand website.

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The New Zealand Government has announced significant reforms to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) to address skill shortages and streamline processes. These changes will be implemented in stages throughout 2025. Key updates include:

• Removal of Median Wage Requirement (March 2025): Employers will no longer need to meet a median wage threshold but must offer the market rate for positions.
• Reduced Experience Requirement (March 2025): The required work experience for migrants will decrease from three years to two, ensuring sufficient skill levels while addressing key issues raised during consultation.
• New Seasonal Worker Pathways (November 2025): Introduction of a three-year multi-entry visa for experienced seasonal workers and a seven-month single-entry visa for lesser-skilled workers
• Extended Visa Duration for Lower-Skilled Roles (March 2025): Visa duration for ANZSCO Level 4 or 5 roles will increase to three years, aligning with the maximum continuous stay allowed.
• Amended Work and Income Engagement (March 2025): Employers must declare that they have advertised ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5 jobs with Work and Income and interviewed suitable candidates, without a set 21-day engagement period.
• Enhanced Interim Visa Work Rights (April 2025): Interim work rights will be extended to AEWV applicants transitioning from any work visa type or from a student visa that allows them to work during term time, supporting migrants to maintain employment while their visa is processed.

These reforms aim to make it easier for employers to fill skill gaps and support economic growth. For detailed information, please refer to the official announcement by Immigration New Zealand.

Stay informed about these changes by following us for updates as they come into effect

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A student visa allows the applicant to be able to study in a country other than the one in which the applicant is a citizen of. The type of specific student visa depends on the duration of stays and caters to the likes of foreign students and dependent students.

If you need a student visa for New Zealand, the team at ASPAC immigration are highly skilled in Student Visas, Student Visa Applications and navigation the Immigration New Zealand rules and regulations.

For Further information on Student Visas and the application process, view more information here.

Student Visas NZ

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If you are thinking to hire migrants, our expert team can certainly help. 

Immigration has introduced a new approach to hiring migrant workers and simultaneously is encouraging businesses to hire/train New Zealanders. There are 3 steps to hiring a migrant on the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV). These are – Employer Accreditation > Job Check > Migrant check.  

Getting accredited 

You can apply for accreditation from 23 May 2022 and for a job check from 20 June 2022. This is a new type of accreditation. All employers must meet a minimum set of accreditation requirements, including: 

• being a viable and genuinely operating business 
• being compliant with employment, immigration, and business regulatory standards 
• completing activities to support the settlement of migrant employees. 

Employers will need to be accredited and depending on your organization structure it could be – Standard/High Volume/Franchise/Third-party accreditation. 


Passing the job check 
Once you are accredited, you need to apply for a job check (on the Immigration New Zealand website) for each job you want to hire a migrant worker for. Multiple positions for the same job can be included in one job check if the job details are the same and are all covered by the same advertising (where required) and proposed employment agreement. The applicants must be paid more than the median wage ($27.76 an hour from 4 July 2022) 


Visa application 
If the job passes the job check the migrant worker can apply for a visa from 04^th July 2022. Immigration Department will check their suitability for the role, medical and character issues. All migrants would require an accredited employer work visa to work for an accredited employer. 


Estimated application processing timeframes are: 

• Standard and high-volume accreditation 10 working days 
• Job check 10 working days 
• Accredited Employer Work Visa 20 working days. 

We can assess and guide you throughout the process with our expert knowledge to achieve the best outcome for you. 

The post How to become an Accredited employer for a work visa appeared first on Aspac Immigration.

Visa applications for all the schemes will reopen in stages, with all uncapped schemes, which account for around three quarters of all working holidaymakers, opening for applications at 10am on Monday 14 March (NZ time) and capped schemes being staggered after that.

All schemes will reopen by 13 September.

Approximately 19,500 people offshore who previously held a Working Holiday Visa but were unable to use it because of the border restrictions will be granted a new visa on 13 March. They will need to travel to New Zealand within the next six months (before 13 September 2022).

These people will receive an email saying they have been granted a new visa on 14 March.

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