You can apply for the Entrepreneur Resident Visa if you have been self-employed in New Zealand at least 6 months, or have operated a self-employed business for 2 years on another visa.
With this visa you can
- Continue to operate your own business in New Zealand.
- Live, work and study in New Zealand.
- Include your partner, and dependent children aged 24 and under, in your visa application.
Things to note
- If you apply after less than 2 years of being self-employed, you’ll need to have an Entrepreneur Work Visa, have invested capital of at least NZ $500,000 and have created 3 new jobs in New Zealand.
Your work visa
You must have a current Entrepreneur Work Visa if you have been self-employed for less than two years
We may be able to accept another current visa, if you’ve been working in your own business in New Zealand for at least 2 years and both:
- your visa allows self-employment in New Zealand
- you meet all the requirements for an Entrepreneur Work Visa.
New Zealand business
You must have either set-up or purchased at least 25% of the shareholding in a New Zealand business and have been running that business for at least 6 months
- a certificate of incorporation
- audited financial statements
- GST records
- other tax records
- export documents
- employment agreements
- wage and salary records
- documents showing you’ve purchased or leased the business site
- invoices for business equipment and supplies
- any other documents that demonstrate the operation of the business.
Business plan
Your business must have realised the benefits outlined in your business plan
Business profitability
Your business must be profitable
- trading profitably (or have the potential to become profitable within 12 months)
- making enough money to pay yourself an annual salary that’s at least as much as New Zealand’s full-time minimum wage.
Economic growth
Your business must be contributing to New Zealand’s economic growth
- introducing new technology, management or technical skills
- enhancing existing technology, management or technical skills
- introducing new products or services
- enhancing existing products or services
- creating new export markets
- expanding existing export markets
- creating at least 1 full-time job for a New Zealander (or at least 3 full-time jobs, if you’ve been in business for less than 2 years)
- offering new skills, networks, management capability and/or capital that increase an existing business’ financial performance.
For us to consider a product or service ‘new’ it would need to:
- be the only one of its kind in New Zealand
- be not previously available in the New Zealand location you run your business.
- offer a significant enhancement or product line not previously provided by an existing New Zealand business or in the location you run your business.
Capital investment
You must have invested at least as much capital as outlined in your business plan
Capital investments exclude:
- passive or speculative investments, like reserve funds or term deposits
- items for your own use, like your car, boat or home
- any salary or wages paid to you or your immediate family
- residential property investments, unless they’re part of the business plan.
Businesses less than 2 years old
If you’ve been running your business for less than 2 years, there are extra requirements you must meet
- your business is in science, ICT or another high-value export sector
- your business shows a high level of innovation or short-term growth prospects.
For us to consider your business high-value export business, it would need to aim to:
- create 5 or more jobs for New Zealanders
- turnover NZ $500,000 in annual exports.
For us to consider your business has an high level of innovation, you would need show us:
- you’ve discovered new ways to produce more goods or services without increasing the production costs
- your business is likely to succeed because of your innovation.
Immigration costs
NZD ($)$ 6,860
This is the charge for Immigration New Zealand to process your application. We do not refund application costs if we decline your application.A non-refundable immigration levy is charged and is included in the cost.
within 19 months
90% of applications are currently completed within this time. Timeframes are in calendar days.
Green List and other immigration changes
Employing overseas chefs and median wage threshold
New Zealand’s International Border Reopening Plan
Claiming Points for your Age
Claiming Points for your Partners Recognised Qualifications
Claiming Points for Recognised Qualifications