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 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 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, compliant 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.
Choose your route to New Zealand residence
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. NZD $5 million held over a 36 month investment period. Acceptable investments are direct investments into New Zealand businesses, managed funds, and philanthropy up to 20 per cent of the total invested.
- Balanced category. 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. It was removed in 2025.
- Minimal onshore time. At least 21 days in New Zealand across the 36 month period in the Growth category, or 105 days across the 60 month period in Balanced.
- From 1 June 2026, up to 20 per cent of a Growth category investment can go to philanthropy.
- Separately, AIP visa holders are permitted to buy or build one home in New Zealand, with a minimum value of NZD $5 million. That home does not count toward your investment requirement.
- Your partner and dependent children aged 24 and under can be included in your application.
- Settings were substantially reduced from the previous NZD $15 million threshold on 1 April 2025, making the category more accessible than it once was.
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, with eligibility for a resident visa after 3 years.
- Fast-track pathway. At least NZD $2 million, with eligibility for a resident visa after 12 months.
- The business must have been trading for at least 5 years. You can buy it outright, or acquire at least 25 per cent of it, provided you meet the investment threshold.
- 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 rewards genuine operators.
Figures on this page reflect Immigration New Zealand settings as at 28 August 2026. New Zealand investor and business visa settings change, sometimes at short notice. Always confirm the current requirements at immigration.govt.nz or with us before you commit any funds.
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) |
| Investment period | 36 months (Growth) or 60 months (Balanced) | Held while you work toward residence |
| Time to residence | You hold a resident visa during the investment period | About 3 years (Standard) or about 12 months (Fast-track) |
| 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: choose AIP if you have substantial capital and want residence with minimal hands-on commitment. Choose the Business Investor Work Visa 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 before recommending one.
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.
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.
The process
Consultation
We review your circumstances, funds, current Australian visa status and goals, and confirm which pathway fits best.
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.
Documentation
We prepare and organise everything Immigration New Zealand requires, including evidence of funds and investment.
Lodgement
As your licensed New Zealand adviser, we lodge and manage your application directly.
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.
Why Nationwide Migration & Education
Dual licensing
Australian Registered Migration Agent (MARN 1800859) and New Zealand IAA Licensed Immigration Adviser (Licence 202600739).
Rated 4.9 on Google
From clients across Australia and beyond.
Brisbane-based, accessible team
320 Adelaide Street, Brisbane QLD 4000, with online consultations for clients anywhere. Appointment only.
One firm, two countries
Genuine trans-Tasman advice without the handballing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for a New Zealand investor or business visa while living in Australia?
I'm on a temporary visa in Australia (485, 482, student or bridging). Can I still use these pathways?
What's the difference between AIP and the Business Investor Work Visa?
Is there an English language requirement?
How much time do I need to spend in New Zealand?
Can I count a house purchase toward my AIP investment?
Do you give investment or financial advice?
Why use a dual-licensed adviser instead of two separate firms?
Do you charge for an initial 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 a 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. 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, 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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