It will be even easier for wealthy foreign investors to establish themselves and do business in New Zealand. The country has announced the abolition of the Entrepreneur Work Visa and the introduction of the new, more advantageous Business Investor Visa.
The programme, open to applications from November 2025, offers two options: the first allows for residency after three years with an investment of NZ$1 million (approximately €550,000) in an existing business; the second reduces the time to just one year for those investing NZ$2 million (approximately €1.1 million). Some sectors, such as the production of tobacco or other nicotine-containing products, remain excluded, while the age requirements – no older than 55 – and English proficiency (IELTS 5.0 or equivalent) remain unchanged. These criteria are not required for the Golden Visa, reserved for large investors.
From September 1, 2025, Golden Visa holders will also be able to purchase or build a house, provided the property’s minimum value is NZ$5 million (approximately €2.75 million).
At the same time, the government is working on a reform of the Overseas Investment Act, the law governing foreign direct investment (FDI). Currently, authorization is only required for investment involving fisheries, the so-called sensitive lands – residential land, lakes, and national parks – or significant business assets, meaning investment and assets valued at more than NZ$100 million (approximately €55 million).
The new regulatory framework, expected to be approved by the end of the year, aims to streamline bureaucracy and simplify assessment criteria, thus stepping up the entry of foreign capital and making the New Zealand market more attractive to international investors.
