New Zealand offers many business investment opportunities and welcomes businesses that want to move here. And by relocating your business, you’ll provide opportunities for New Zealanders to build their skills and connections with the world.
When a business relocates it’s often important for the continuity of that business that its key staff, such as a chief executive, moves with it.
If you’re planning to relocate your business to New Zealand, your key employees may be able to relocate as well.
Our Employees of Relocating Businesses Category is designed to help promote New Zealand as a place in which to invest and locate business.
It’s for key employees who are not able to meet the conditions of any of our other immigration options.
You will need to…
- be supported by New Zealand Trade & Enterprise in the relocation of your business
and
- ensure your business meets the requirements of New Zealand employment and immigration laws. This includes minimum wage rates, terms and conditions such as sick and holiday leave and requirements for health and safety of employees.
And to assist your employee’s application…
You’ll need to:
- provide a letter that tells us:
- the name and location of the business
- why it is relocating and how it will benefit New Zealand
- the business will meet New Zealand employment and immigration law
- provide proof of the business’ operation. This could include original or certified copies of:
- business registration
- company accounts or tax returns.
You may be asked to provide other material when your employee applies for residence. And we’ll check with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise that they support your business’ relocation.
Initially, we may approve in principle your key employee’s application for residence and grant a temporary multiple entry Work Visa or Permit. This allows your employee to stay in New Zealand for two years to work on the relocation of your business.
What happens when the two years is up?
At any time during the two year period your key employee may provide evidence that the business has relocated to New Zealand. They will then be granted residence. Their residence permit will be conditional for a two year period, as:
- they must be employed in the relocated business for two years
- the relocating business must meet all relevant employment and immigration law in New Zealand during that two year period.