New Zealand launches new investor visa. Here are all the details

As part of the Government’s Immigration Rebalance strategy, New Zealand has created a new investor migrant visa to attract experienced, high-value investors to invest in domestic businesses.

The new rules were announced by Minister for Economic and Regional Development Stuart Nash and Immigration Minister Michael Wood in Christchurch on Wednesday.

The new Active Investor Plus visa will replace the old investment visa categories and would require migrants to make investments in New Zealand businesses, Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash said in a statement.


He said the old visas had often resulted in migrants investing in shares and bonds rather than directly into New Zealand companies.

"We want to encourage active investment into New Zealand, which generates more high-skilled jobs and economic growth compared to passive investment," Nash said.

Eligibility criteria for the new visa includes a minimum NZ$5 million ($3.1 million) investment and only 50% of that can be invested in listed equities.

To be eligible, individuals will need to make a minimum investment of $5 million in New Zealand for active investments. It will cap so-called passive investment to 50% of a minimum $15 million investment.

Passive investment in listed equities (shares) will only be allowed to make up 50% of the new investment, while investment in bonds and property will not be counted as passive investments.

The new visa will replace the existing Investor 1 and Investor 2 visa categories.

The new Active Investor Plus visa will open on 19 September 2022. Applications under the Investor 1 and Investor 2 visas will no longer be accepted after 27 July 2022. All applications in the current pipeline will continue to be processed by Immigration New Zealand.