The Government has confirmed that the Entrepreneur Work Visa is now closed to new applications and will be replaced with the Business Investor Visa, designed to attract experienced investors committed to actively running businesses and growing New Zealand’s economy.
About the Business Investor Visa
The new Business Investor Work Visa will open for applications in November 2025 and will offer two distinct investment pathways:
- NZD $1 million investment in an existing business
– 3-year work-to-residence pathway - NZD $2 million investment in an existing business
– 12-month fast-track to residence pathway
Applicants may purchase a business outright or acquire at least 25% ownership, provided the minimum investment thresholds are met. Both options lead to eligibility for the Business Investor Resident Visa.
Applicants can include their partner and dependent children in their visa application. A Business Investor Work Visa may be granted for up to four years, and the application fee and immigration levy will total NZD $12,380.
This visa complements the Active Investor Plus Visa, refreshed in April 2025, and is part of a broader strategy to update business immigration pathways and attract capital, skills, and international networks.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the Business Investor Work Visa, applicants must:
- Meet the minimum investment threshold.
- Show evidence of at least NZD $500,000 to support themselves and their family while establishing the business.
- Be aged 55 or younger at the time of application.
- Meet English language requirements (IELTS 5.0 or equivalent).
- Satisfy health and character requirements.
- Demonstrate relevant business experience.
- Invest in a business that employs at least five full-time equivalent staff and meets the financial thresholds.
Excluded business types
The following are not eligible as acceptable investments:
- Drop-shipping businesses
- Gambling ventures
- Tobacco or nicotine-based product manufacturing (including vaping)
- Adult entertainment businesses
- Convenience stores (corner dairies)
- Immigration advisory services or businesses purchased from a Licensed Immigration Adviser (LIA), or where an LIA is materially involved
- Discount or value stores (e.g. NZD $2 shops)
- Fast food outlets
- Franchised businesses
- Home-based businesses
Entrepreneur Category Closure
The Entrepreneur Category is now officially closed.
- Pending applications: Any applications already submitted will continue to be assessed under the rules in place at the time of lodgement. If withdrawn, no refunds will be provided for fees or levies.
- Current visa holders: Those holding an Entrepreneur Work Visa may still apply for residence, as the Entrepreneur Resident Visa remains open. Renewals of the Entrepreneur Work Visa will also remain available to allow applicants more time to meet residence requirements.
To transition to the new Business Investor Visa, applicants must lodge a new application once the visa opens in November 2025 and pay the applicable fees.
More Information
Further details, including guidance on how the Business Investor Visa compares with the Active Investor Plus Visa, will be available in October 2025.
You can read the official announcement on the Beehive website:
New Business Investor Visa to support growth — Beehive.govt.nz
