New Zealand has announced the termination of the Entrepreneur Work Visa and replaced it with a new Business Investor Visa. The Entrepreneur Category has been closed, and no new applications for the Entrepreneur Work Visa are being accepted.
The Entrepreneur Work Visa has been closed mainly on account of low application volumes, high decline rates, and its failure to deliver strong economic impacts.
Now, there are 2 major pathways for foreign investors – Business Investor Visa and Active Investor Plus. Overall, New Zealand offers 4 sets of investing options to foreign investors: NZD $1 million NZD $2 million, NZD $5 million, and NZD $10 million.
If you have applied for an Entrepreneur Work Visa
If you have recently applied for an Entrepreneur Work Visa, New Zealand will process it as per the earlier rules.
If you withdraw your application, you will not be eligible for a refund of any fees or levies already paid, regardless of the reason for your withdrawal.
If you currently hold an Entrepreneur Work Visa
Entrepreneur Work Visa holders will still be able to apply for residence, as the Entrepreneur Resident Visa will remain open. If you need more time to meet Entrepreneur residence requirements, you can still apply for an Entrepreneur Work Visa renewal to maintain your pathway to residence.
Business Investor Visa
The Business Investor Work Visa will open for applications in November 2025 and offer 2 investment options. The first option is to invest NZD $1 million in an existing business, for a 3-year work-to-residence pathway, and in the second option, one has to invest NZD $2 million 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.
Active Investor Plus
Starting April 1, the Active Investor Plus complex weighting system has been replaced with two simplified investment categories – Growth and Balanced.
The Growth category will concentrate on high-risk investments, including direct investments in New Zealand businesses, with a minimum investment of $5 million for three years. The Balanced category offers mixed investments with lower risk options, with a minimum investment of $10 million over five years.