New Zealand is a country in which many desire to go to, no matter to study, work, or reside in. There are many reasons to do so such as the fact that it is a safe country with world-class education and healthcare, and it provides business owners a lot of ease to do business with a high level of economic freedom.
As people are looking at the attractions of New Zealand, the possibility of obtaining a residential visa, permanent residency and citizenship is drawing a lot of attention. Currently, the most popular pathways to do so are the: Skilled Migrant Resident visa, pathway to the Skilled Migrant Resident visa post-study, Entrepreneur Resident visa, and Investor Resident visa.
Understanding the most popular pathways:
Post-Study, Skilled Migrant, Entrepreneur and Investor Resident Visa
- Post-study Work Visa
New Zealand is a country with one of the best education with affordable fees. Apart from the fact that it is one of the safest and most beautiful countries in the world, the country provides excellent study opportunities and world-class education. Moreover, 1 in 5 international students have a chance of obtaining a permanent residency in New Zealand.
After graduating from an institution in New Zealand with an acceptable qualification, work visa is available for 1, 2 or 3 years depending on the level of the qualification and the institute. For those who plan on applying for the Skilled Migrant Resident Visa afterwards, they can start by getting a skilled job in an occupation where there is a shortage, improving the chances of getting the residence visa. Throughout the duration that the work visa is in place, dependent children can also move over and study fee-free as domestic students. Therefore, creating a clear path to applying for resident visa and further into permanent residency.
2. Skilled Migrant Resident Visa
The ‘Skilled Migrant Resident Visa’ is for those who have the skills, qualifications or experience that New Zealand needs and is interested to live and work in New Zealand indefinitely. Since applicants are able to include their partner and dependent children aged 24 and below in their residence application, this is the best visa for those who want to obtain permanent residency and seek a better lifestyle.
This category of visa is a points system based on factors such as age, work experience, qualifications, and an offer of skilled employment. Applicants must also be aged 55 or under, and meet English language, health, and character requirements.
3. Entrepreneur Resident Visa
According to the 2019 World Bank survey, New Zealand is ranked number one in the country for ease of doing business. The Entrepreneur Resident Visa is one for people who are looking to run a business in New Zealand and have been self-employed in New Zealand for at least 6 months, or have operated a business for at least two years on another visa that allows self-employment.
Similar to the skilled resident visa, this visa allows applicants to live, work and study in New Zealand for any amount of time together with a partner and dependent children aged less than 24 years. The only difference is that this visa allows for the operation of a New Zealand business.
There are a few conditions of Entrepreneur Resident Visa that applicants should be aware of, when the business in question is less than 2 years old; Applicants would need to have an Entrepreneur Work Visa, must continue to work in the said business for the next 2 years, have invested a capital of at least NZ$ 500,000 and have create 3 new jobs in New Zealand for a minimum of 2 years.
After the 2 years of obtaining the Entrepreneur Resident Visa, the travel conditions will expire. To travel after that, applicants will need to apply for a variation of conditions or a Permanent Residency Visa.
4. Investor Resident Visa
New Zealand’s quality of life and thriving but stable business environment makes it an ideal destination for savvy investors. The Government’s investor policies also show a willingness to attract investors looking for a higher quality of life for themselves and their family. By investing in New Zealand, people are simultaneously investing in opportunities for lifestyle, opportunities for innovation with access to stability and security, and a different style of education. In this turbulent world and time, New Zealand stands out as a reassuringly sturdy beacon of economic, political and social stability, making it a low-risk, well-functioning environment for investments.
To invest in New Zealand and become a New Zealand resident, there are two visa options to consider. The Investor Visa is for migrants who plan to invest a minimum of NZ$ 3 million over a 4-year period and the Investor Plus Visa is for investors looking to invest NZ$ 10 million over a 3-year period. The main differences between the 2, apart from invested amount and duration, is that for Investor Visa, there are additional requirements such as minimum business experience, English language ability and age, whereas no additional requirements are needed for the Investor Plus Visa.
To apply for an Investor Resident Visa, the money must be invested into an acceptable investment. Acceptable investments are defined as:
- being able to make a commercial return
- being invested in New Zealand
- being invested in New Zealand dollars
- being invested in legal enterprises or managed funds
- having the potential to contribute to New Zealand’s economy
- not be for your personal use, for example, home, boat or car.
Investments must be in bonds, equities, property or other investments.
For further information relating to migration, feel free to contact our team at +6010 229 2114 or email
