New Zealand Investor & Business Visas from Australia

Suman Dua, principal of Nationwide Migration & Education, holds both credentials: Australian Registered Migration Agent, MARN 1800859, and New Zealand IAA Licensed Immigration Adviser, Licence 202600739. That dual licence means you can plan a New Zealand investor or business visa from right here in Australia, with one adviser who is legally authorised to act on both sides of the Tasman.

Why It Matters

Why work with a dual-licensed adviser

New Zealand law is strict about who can give immigration advice. Outside of a handful of exemptions, only a licensed immigration adviser or a New Zealand lawyer can lawfully advise on, or lodge, a New Zealand visa application, even from overseas. An Australian Registered Migration Agent on its own cannot legally advise on New Zealand visas, and a New Zealand adviser with no Australian registration cannot advise on Australian visas.

Suman Dua holds both credentials. For you, that means:

One point of contact for both countries

No referring you out, no piecing together advice from two firms who never speak to each other.

Lawful, licensed NZ advice from Australia

Your application is handled by a properly licensed New Zealand adviser, not an unlicensed referrer.

Genuine trans-Tasman strategy

Decisions about your Australian status and your New Zealand plans are made together, by someone who understands how the two systems interact.

This is the core reason clients come to us for New Zealand visas rather than going it alone or using an unlicensed offshore agent. Whether any visa is granted remains a decision for Immigration New Zealand alone.
Two Pathways

Choose your route to New Zealand residence

New Zealand mountain range and lake, Active Investor Plus visa
Passive Investment

Active Investor Plus (AIP)

The Active Investor Plus Visa is New Zealand's investor residence category. It suits high-net-worth individuals who want residence through capital, without running a business day to day.

  • Growth category. At least NZD $5 million in acceptable investments, held over a 36 month investment period. Acceptable investments are direct investments into New Zealand businesses, managed funds, and philanthropy up to a maximum of 20 per cent of the total amount invested.
  • Balanced category. At least NZD $10 million held over a 60 month investment period. A wider mix is acceptable here, including listed equities, bonds and property developments.
  • No English language requirement for this visa. It was removed in 2025. The Business Investor Work Visa does have one.
  • Minimal onshore time. At least 21 days in New Zealand as a resident visa holder across the 36 month period in the Growth category, or 105 days across the 60 month period in Balanced.
  • Immigration New Zealand states that for each additional NZD $1 million you invest in acceptable Growth category investments (excluding philanthropy), you can reduce the time required in New Zealand by 14 days, up to a maximum reduction of 42 days.
  • Your partner and dependent children aged 24 and younger can be included in your application.
  • You can apply for permanent residence after 3 years of keeping your funds in New Zealand under Growth, or after 5 years under Balanced.
  • Settings were substantially reduced from the previous NZD $15 million threshold on 1 April 2025, making the category more accessible than it once was.
Immigration New Zealand's own warning: the Growth category includes higher-risk investments, including managed funds and direct investments in New Zealand businesses. These investments are typically illiquid, meaning not easily converted to cash, and can require a long-term commitment that extends beyond the minimum investment period of the visa. We are not financial advisers. Take your own financial and legal advice before you commit funds.
New Zealand lake and countryside, Business Investor Work Visa
Hands-On Owner-Operator

Business Investor Work Visa

Opened in November 2025, the Business Investor Work Visa is for people who want to invest in and actively run an established New Zealand business as their route to residence. It is a work-to-residence pathway, not a passive one, and the residence stage is a separate Business Investor Resident Visa.

  • Standard pathway. At least NZD $1 million in an established business, with eligibility for a resident visa after 3 years of running it.
  • Fast-track pathway. At least NZD $2 million, with eligibility for a resident visa after 12 months of running it. Immigration New Zealand notes that under the fast-track you must still run the business for at least 3 years across both visas, and conditions are placed on the resident visa to make sure that happens.
  • Reserve funds. You must also show at least NZD $500,000 to support yourself, and your family if they are included, while running and growing the business. This is on top of the investment.
  • Age and English. You must be aged 55 years or younger when you apply, meet business experience requirements, and show you can speak and understand English.
  • The business itself. It must have been trading for at least 5 years, be lawful and currently operating, employ at least 5 full-time equivalent staff, and have a purchase price of at least NZD $1 million (not including property value or GST) that results in you owning at least 25 per cent of it. It cannot already be owned by you or a family member.
  • This is the right fit if you want to be on the ground, employing staff and actively involved in running a real business, rather than simply parking capital.
  • It requires a lower minimum investment than AIP, and it suits genuine operators.
Note the timing. The work visa is valid for up to 4 years, with a 12 month establishment stage in which you must purchase and start running the business. Immigration New Zealand requires evidence that you have done so within the first 9 months, or the visa expires at the end of that 12 month stage.

Figures on this page reflect Immigration New Zealand settings as at 1 September 2026. New Zealand investor and business visa settings change, sometimes at short notice. Always confirm the current requirements on the Immigration New Zealand pages for the Active Investor Plus Visa and the Business Investor Work Visa, or with us, before you commit any funds.

Side by Side

AIP or Business Investor: which is right for you?

Active Investor Plus (AIP) Business Investor Work Visa
Style Passive investment Hands-on owner-operator
Capital NZD $5M (Growth) or $10M (Balanced) NZD $1M (Standard) or $2M (Fast-track)
Reserve funds Not a separate requirement NZD $500,000 on top of the investment
Age limit No age limit 55 years or younger when you apply
English No English requirement You must show you can speak and understand English
Investment period 36 months (Growth) or 60 months (Balanced) Held while you run the business
Time to residence You hold a resident visa during the investment period Resident visa after about 3 years (Standard) or about 12 months (Fast-track), but the business must be run for at least 3 years either way
Day-to-day involvement Minimal. You invest, you do not operate High. You invest in and help run the business
Onshore presence Low. 21 days over 36 months (Growth), 105 days over 60 months (Balanced) Substantial. You live and work there
Best for High-net-worth passive investors Active business operators

In short: AIP may suit you if you have substantial capital and want residence with minimal hands-on commitment. The Business Investor Work Visa may suit you if you want a lower capital threshold and are happy to live in New Zealand and run a business. We will assess your funds, your goals and your timeline, and explain which may apply to your situation. Immigration New Zealand decides every application.

Why Being Here Helps

The Australia angle: why being here can work in your favour

Plenty of our clients are not New Zealanders or even Australian citizens. They are people currently in Australia who want a second, complementary option.

New Zealand lake and mountains, Glendhu Bay

Temporary visa holders in Australia

If you are on a subclass 485 graduate visa, a 482 work visa, a student visa, or a bridging visa, your Australian pathway may be uncertain or capped. The New Zealand business and investor routes can offer an alternative, capital-based path to residence. Once you hold New Zealand residence or citizenship, the trans-Tasman arrangement makes living in Australia simpler.

Australians and Australia-based investors

New Zealand residence diversifies where you and your family can live, invest and educate your children, while keeping your Australian base intact.

Trans-Tasman mobility

New Zealand and Australia have long-standing arrangements that make moving between the two countries straightforward for the right visa holders. Planning both sides with one adviser lets you use that mobility deliberately rather than by accident.

Because Suman Dua is licensed in both countries, we map your Australian position and your New Zealand options as a single plan, not two disconnected conversations. Eligibility in either country is decided by that country's government, not by us.

How It Works

The process

1

Consultation

We review your circumstances, funds, current Australian visa status and goals, and explain which pathway may fit best.

2

Strategy and eligibility

We assess your source-of-funds position and timeline against current Immigration New Zealand settings, and set out what you will need to evidence.

3

Documentation

We prepare and organise everything Immigration New Zealand requires, including evidence of funds and investment.

4

Lodgement

As your licensed New Zealand adviser, we lodge and manage your application directly. The decision is Immigration New Zealand's.

5

Investment and settlement

We guide you through the immigration requirements as you deploy funds (AIP) or acquire and operate your business, and through to residence. Your investment decisions themselves are made with your own financial and legal advisers.

Credentials

Why Nationwide Migration & Education

Dual licensing

Suman Dua is an Australian Registered Migration Agent (MARN 1800859), registered with OMARA, and a New Zealand IAA Licensed Immigration Adviser (Licence 202600739).

Rated 4.9 on Google

From clients across Australia and beyond.

Brisbane-based and accessible

320 Adelaide Street, Brisbane QLD 4000, with online consultations for clients anywhere. Appointment only.

One practice, two countries

Genuine trans-Tasman advice without the handballing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for a New Zealand investor or business visa while living in Australia?
Yes. Both the Active Investor Plus and the Business Investor Work Visa can be planned and lodged from Australia. As a New Zealand Licensed Immigration Adviser, Suman Dua can lawfully advise on and manage your application from our Brisbane office.
I'm on a temporary visa in Australia (485, 482, student or bridging). Can I still use these pathways?
Yes. Your current Australian visa does not prevent you from applying for a New Zealand investor or business visa. Whether it is the right move depends on your funds, your timeline and your Australian position, which we assess together at your consultation.
What's the difference between AIP and the Business Investor Work Visa?
AIP is a passive investment residence category (NZD $5M Growth or $10M Balanced) with minimal onshore time and no age or English requirement. The Business Investor Work Visa is a hands-on owner-operator route (NZD $1M Standard or $2M Fast-track) where you live in New Zealand and actively run an established business, and it does have an age limit of 55, an English requirement, and a separate NZD $500,000 reserve funds requirement. See the comparison table above.
Is there an English language requirement?
It depends on the visa. The English requirement for the Active Investor Plus Visa was removed in 2025. The Business Investor Work Visa does require you to show you can speak and understand English. Requirements differ by visa and category and they change, so we confirm the current position against Immigration New Zealand during your consultation.
How much time do I need to spend in New Zealand?
For AIP Growth, at least 21 days in New Zealand as a resident visa holder across the 36 month investment period. For AIP Balanced, at least 105 days across the 60 month period. Immigration New Zealand allows a reduction of 14 days for each additional NZD $1 million invested in acceptable Growth category investments excluding philanthropy, up to a maximum reduction of 42 days. The Business Investor Work Visa requires substantial onshore presence, because you are actively involved in operating a business.
Can I count a house purchase toward my AIP investment?
No. This is a common misunderstanding. AIP visa holders are permitted to buy or build one home in New Zealand with a minimum value of NZD $5 million. That is a separate entitlement under New Zealand's overseas investment rules. It does not form part of, or reduce, the NZD $5 million or NZD $10 million you must place in acceptable investments. Confirm the current position with us and with your own legal adviser before you buy.
Do you give investment or financial advice?
No. We are immigration advisers, not financial advisers. We advise on the visa requirements, what counts as an acceptable investment under Immigration New Zealand's rules, and how to evidence your source of funds. Decisions about where to put your money, and the risk you take on, should be made with your own qualified financial and legal advisers. Immigration New Zealand itself warns that Growth category investments are typically illiquid and can require a commitment beyond the minimum investment period.
Why use a dual-licensed adviser instead of two separate firms?
Only a licensed New Zealand adviser or lawyer can lawfully advise on New Zealand visas, and only a registered Australian agent can advise on Australian visas. Suman Dua holds both licences, so your trans-Tasman strategy is handled by one accountable professional.
Can you guarantee I will get New Zealand residence?
No. No immigration adviser or migration agent can guarantee a visa outcome or a processing time. All New Zealand visa decisions are made solely by Immigration New Zealand, and all Australian visa decisions solely by the Department of Home Affairs. We cannot influence or speed up either. What we can do is assess your position honestly against the current settings, prepare a complete application, and tell you before you commit funds if we think a pathway is not realistic for you.
Do you charge for an initial consultation?
Yes. The fee for each consultation type is shown at the time of booking on our website. If you go ahead, you receive a written service agreement setting out the work and our fees before we act for you.
Book Your Consultation

If you are considering New Zealand residence through investment or business, whether you are an investor, a business owner, or currently on a temporary Australian visa, talk to an adviser who is licensed on both sides of the Tasman.

New Zealand immigration assistance is provided by Suman Dua, New Zealand Licensed Immigration Adviser, IAA Licence 202600739.

New Zealand content. New Zealand immigration assistance is provided by Suman Dua, New Zealand Licensed Immigration Adviser, IAA Licence 202600739. Australian immigration assistance is provided by Suman Dua, Registered Migration Agent, MARN 1800859, registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA). This page is general information only. It is not personal immigration advice and it is not financial or investment advice. All New Zealand visa decisions are made solely by Immigration New Zealand, and all Australian visa decisions solely by the Department of Home Affairs. We do not guarantee any visa outcome, and we cannot influence or speed up processing. Nationwide Migration and Education is not affiliated with the New Zealand Government or the Australian Government. Investment thresholds, reserve fund requirements, age and English requirements, onshore requirements and acceptable investment categories are set by the New Zealand Government and change without notice. Confirm the current settings at immigration.govt.nz before you act.

Talk to a Brisbane Registered Migration Agent

Nationwide Migration and Education is a migration practice. Immigration assistance is provided by a registered migration agent. Suman Dua, MARN 1800859. This page is general information only and does not constitute personal migration advice. We do not guarantee visa outcomes; all decisions, queue positions and processing times are set by the Department of Home Affairs and may change.

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Whether you are sponsoring talent or seeking sponsorship, our Registered Migration Agent, Suman Dua (MARN 1800859), manages the full process and maps the permanent residency options that may apply to you.

Contact

  • Phone: +61 7 37265183​

  • Email: [email protected]

  • Address: 320 Adelaide St Brisbane QLD 4000

    Nationwide Migration and Education
    (by Appointment-only)

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