Information about Entrepreneur Work Visa
This visa is for people who want to work in their own business in New Zealand. To apply, you’ll need to provide a detailed business plan, have at least NZ $100,000 to invest in your business and be able to claim 120 points on our points scale. If you’re granted this visa, you can buy or set up a business without living here permanently, or as a first step towards New Zealand residence.
With this visa you can
- Come to New Zealand to buy or set up your own business.
- Work in your own business in New Zealand for up to 3 years in total.
- Include your partner, and dependent children aged 19 and under, in your visa application.
Things to note
- You can stay 12 months in the start-up stage of your visa, then another 24 months once you’ve shown us that you’ve set-up your business
- If your business is in the science or ICT sectors, shows a high level of innovation or export potential, we may consider waiving the NZD $100,000 capital investment requirement.
- We won’t be able to grant you an Entrepreneur Work Visa if you’ve been made bankrupt or been involved in a business failure in the last 5 years.
- If you’ve been involved in any kind of business fraud or financial wrongdoing, we won’t be able to grant you a visa.
Check that you meet the detailed criteria.