New Immigration Pathways Open for Global Investors

In a move that has aspiring cafe owners everywhere, the New Zealand government has officially called time on the Entrepreneur Work Visa. The era of building a business from the ground up for residency is over, making way for a new, shinier (and significantly more expensive) model “the Business Investor Visa”.

Frankly speaking, the old Entrepreneur visa had its charms. An underdog of immigration pathways, even. But it seems the government has decided it's time to skip the 'building' part and go straight to the 'coming'. With a mission to attract established players with serious capital who are ready to hit the ground running.

What’s the deal with the New Business Investor Visa?

Opening for applications in November 2025, this visa is essentially a two-tiered system for deep-pocketed individuals who want to buy their way into the New Zealand business scene and eventually, residency.

1.  A cool NZD $1 million investment in an existing Kiwi business gets you a 3-year work visa with a pathway to residence. 

2.  The "Express Lane" Tier: Double the investment to NZD $2 million and you can fast-track to residency in just 12 months. Because why wait?

The key here is that you cannot just have this money in government bonds. You have to be actively running the business, either by buying it outright or acquiring at least a 25% stake. As well as the business you buy has to be a "proper" one, it must employ at least five Kiwis, similarly with other conditions to be met.

Who Actually Qualifies for This Thing?

This is not a simple ‘provide documents and you will get it” visa, the bar is set high. To even be considered, you must:

*   Be 55 or younger

*   Prove you have at least NZD $500,000 just for living costs while you get settled. 

*   Have a decent level of English (IELTS 5.0).

*   Meet all the usual health and character checks.

*   Have proven business experience

Lastly, the application cost: a whopping NZD $12,380!

The Gentle Judgement: Is This a Good Thing?

Is it a bad thing? Not necessarily. The government is not just after money, it's after experienced business operators who can immediately inject funds, expertise and jobs into the economy. By requiring investment into businesses that already employ people, they're aiming for a more direct and guaranteed economic boost. It’s less of a gamble. It's efficient.

The new Business Investor Visa is a clear signal: New Zealand is open for business, but it prefers established businesspeople with very healthy bank accounts. It’s a pragmatic swap of hustle culture for investment culture.

If you have the capital, the experience and the desire to take an existing New Zealand company, your golden ticket arrives in November 2025. For everyone else dreaming of the old way, it might be time to pour one out for the Entrepreneur Visa. It had a good run.