Residence from Work Visa

Here we share some general information about Residence from Work policy. This material is for information purposes only. Contact one of our Licensed Immigration Advisers for personal immigration advice.

Related Visas

Approval in Principle

What does residence approval mean

Business Investor

Pathways to residence through business

Dependent Child

Reuniting with children in New Zealand

Humanitarian

Special Humanitarian situations

Investor

Residence by investment

Pacific Policies

Special polices for our neighbours

Parent

Reuniting with parents

Partnership

Kiwis and their partners

Skilled Migrant

The points system

Special Cases & Appeals

Fixing visa problems

Straight to Residence

Apply immediately for residence

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Residence From Work Category

A person holding a Work to Residence visa can apply for residence once key milestones have been met.

This visa is suitable for someone who does not qualify to apply under the Skilled Migrant or Straight to Residence Categories. If circumstances change such as health, character or employment before applying under Residence from Work take immediate advice from a licensed immigration adviser to avoid the risk of decline.

Residence From Work

A Residence from Work Visa requires an applicant (and their family) to pass mandatory health and character checks, and in some cases, an English language standard. Your eligibility will depend mostly on your skill set, qualifications, and career experience.

Talent Visa (Arts, Culture and Sports). Applicant's who have contributed their talent to New Zealand for two years or longer may be considered for residence. High thresholds of talent or excellence are required, and this policy is not often used.
Green List. Certain occupations on Green List may qualify for residence after working in that occupation in New Zealand for 24 months or longer.
Religious Workers. Under some circumstances, religious organisations can apply for Work Visas for religious workers after they have been in New Zealand for at least three years.
Accredited Employer. Applicant's paid 200% or more of the current median wage may qualify for residence after completing 24 months of employment in New Zealand.

Useful Information

The New Zealand Immigration Partners team of advisers and experts take away the stress and worry of navigating the complex world of New Zealand Residence from Work visas and immigration.

Helpful Links

The Route To Residence from Work

In all the above cases, opportunities for Residence usually follow two or three years of satisfactory work. It’s important to note that conditions are subject to change regarding the ages and health of applicants, their marital status, the circumstances surrounding the employment, and not to mention the policy itself.

Requirements for Work Visa are different, so the fact that a Work Visa is issued does not guarantee that residence will follow. These regulatory processes can be frustrating to follow, and the bureaucracy can be overwhelming.

If you need assistance in navigating these complicated conditions, don't hesitate to contact us. Residence from Work in New Zealand can seem overly complicated, but you can rely on the experts at New Zealand Immigration to help guide you through this maze.

General Comments

People who apply for Residence from Work are successful when they get the right immigration advice at the time of applying for their work visa. Planning a future residence application at the start of the visa journey is more likely to result in final approval.

Working with an experienced licensed immigration adviser means you can keep checking in to make sure you are still on track to qualify for residence while working over the next few years to qualify. Take advice now.

Immigration requirement	Growth category	Balanced category
Minimum NZD investment	NZD 5 million	NZD 10 million
Investment term	3 years	5 years
Acceptable immigration investments	Managed funds as approved by Invest New Zealand (NZ government agency) Direct investments as approved by Invest New Zealand (NZ government agency)	Managed funds as approved by Invest New Zealand (NZ government agency) Direct investments as approved by Invest New Zealand (NZ government agency) New Zealand listed equities Bonds (NZ government, local authority or corporate) Property development (residential, commercial or industrial) * Philanthropy
Minimum physical presence requirement of main applicant	21 days	105 days
Flexibility to physical presence requirement of main applicant	Not available	Reduction to 91 days by investing additional NZD 1 million Reduction to 77 days by investing additional NZD 2 million Reduction to 63 days by investing additional NZD 3 million **
Timeframe to transfer and invest funds	6 months from the date the application is approved in principle *** (potential to extend once only for another 6 months; 12 months maximum)	6 months from the date the application is approved in principle *** (potential to extend once only for another 6 months; 12 months maximum)
Age limit of visa applicants	Does not apply	Does not apply
English language requirement of visa applicants	Does not apply	Does not apply
Health & Character requirements of visa applicants	Applies to all applicants	Applies to all applicants

Immigration requirement	NZD 1 million or more (less than NZD 2 million)	NZD 2 million or more
Minimum NZD capital investment	NZD 1 million	NZD 2 million
Reserve funds or assets	NZD 500,000	NZD 500,000
Minimum time spent running business before applying for residence	3 years	12 months
Jobs for Kiwis	5 full time (or equivalent) at the time business is acquired and create one more full time job for 12 months before applying for residence.	5 full time (or equivalent) at the time business is acquired and create one more full time job for 12 months before applying for residence.
Days that must be spent in NZ by main visa applicant (not family) running the business	Minimum of 184 days each year from the date business purchased.	Minimum of 184 days each year from the date business purchased.
Timeframe to transfer and invest capital funds	Within 9 months from the date the Business Investor Work Visa was issued. No extensions.	Within 9 months from the date the Business Investor Work Visa was issued. No extensions.
Minimum Business Experience of main visa applicant	Three years of paid self-employment in a business that has annual revenue of NZD 1 million or 5 full time employees OR three years of paid senior management experience in a business that has annual revenue of NZD 5 million. Take advice to establish if your business experience will qualify.	Three years of paid self-employment in a business that has annual revenue of NZD 1 million or 5 full time employees OR three years of paid senior management experience in a business that has annual revenue of NZD 5 million. Take advice to establish if your business experience will qualify.
Age Limit of main visa applicant	55	55
English language requirement of visa applicants (16 years of age and above)	IELTS 5.0 or higher. Modest – at this level you have a partial command of the language and cope with overall meaning in most situations, although likely to make many mistakes. Should be able to handle basic communication in your own field. Partners and children aged 16 years and above may either meet this requirement or pre-purchase English language tuition (take advice).	IELTS 5.0 or higher. Modest – at this level you have a partial command of the language and cope with overall meaning in most situations, although likely to make many mistakes. Should be able to handle basic communication in your own field. Partners and children aged 16 years and above may either meet this requirement or pre-purchase English language tuition (take advice).
Health & Character requirements of visa applicants	Applies to all applicants.	Applies to all applicants.

* special conditions apply to all forms of property development to qualify as an acceptable immigration investment – take advice from a specialist licensed immigration adviser

** to secure a reduction in the number of days to be physically present in New Zealand under the Balanced category requires additional funds to be invested over and above NZD 10 million. The additional funds must be placed into approved managed funds or direct investments under the Growth category. Example – minimum 105 days spent in New Zealand reduces to 91 days, provided a total of NZD 11 million is invested (minimum $10 million into any of the Balanced investments plus a minimum of $1 million into Growth investments).

*** “approval in principle” is issued in writing by Immigration NZ when the Active Investor Plus Visa application has been fully assessed and cleared to proceed to the next phase which is the transfer and investment of the nominated funds. Take advice from a specialist licensed immigration adviser about this critical step. Frequently problems occur due to a misunderstanding the precise nature of the transfer and investment requirements.

The Active Investor Plus Visa residence application

The journey for an individual or family applying for the Active Investor Plus Visa typically looks like this.

Establish eligibility to make sure you qualify for residence. If you are ready to move ahead, connect with the specialist Investor Visa team at New Zealand Immigration Partners.
‍Gather specific documents required for the Active Investor Plus Visa. Documentation must be 100% correct to achieve a successful outcome (approval).
Lodge an Active Investor Plus Visa application with Immigration NZ.
Assuming no problems with any aspect of the application, Immigration NZ issues a letter called “Approval in Principle”.
From the date of the approval in principle letter, you have 6 months to transfer the nominated investment funds to New Zealand and fully invest these funds into acceptable Growth or Balanced investments. In limited circumstances, a one-off 6-month extension to the transfer and investment deadline is available. Immigration NZ policy limits completion of this step to 12 months maximum.”
Once Immigration NZ has cleared the transfer and investment, they will issue resident visas. Each family member included in the application must activate their own visa; they will need to arrive in New Zealand within 12 months of the date visas were issued. A resident visa allows a person to live, work, study and reside permanently in New Zealand.
Immigration NZ conducts audits of the investment funds at 24 and 36 months intervals for the Growth category and at 24 and 60 months for the Balanced category.
When the 3 or 5-year investment term is complete, and Immigration NZ verifies that all other requirements are met, the Resident Visas convert (on application) to Permanent Resident Visas. Permanent Resident Visas are valid for life.
With a Permanent Resident Visa, you may become eligible for New Zealand citizenship. For more information on citizenship, read here.

* age limit (must be younger than 56) applies to the main visa applicant at the time the first Business Investor Visa (Work Visa) application is lodged, does not apply at residence application stage.

** reserve funds/assets are additional to the capital investment funds and do not need to be transferred to New Zealand.

*** first work visa is valid for 12 months then a second 3 year work visa granted once capital funds transferred to New Zealand and business purchased.

The Business Investor Visa residence application

The journey for an individual or family applying for the Business Investor Visa typically looks like this.

Establish your eligibility to make sure you will qualify for the work visa and then residence. If you would like to connect with the specialist Business Investor Visa team at New Zealand Immigration Partners to determine eligibility now, click here.
‍Gather specific documents required for the Business Investor Visa. Getting these documents 100% right is key to a successful outcome of the application.
Lodge a Business Investor Visa application with Immigration NZ.
Assuming there are no problems with any aspect of the application, Immigration NZ will issue a 12-month work visa to be self-employed (and visas for family included in the application).
There is a maximum of 9 months from the date the Work Visa is issued to transfer investment funds to New Zealand and purchase the business.
Once you’ve transferred your funds and acquired the business, we submit evidence of this to Immigration NZ.
A 3-year work visa is issued if Immigration NZ is satisfied that the nominated funds were transferred and not substituted for other funds.
Apply for residence at the 12-month or 3-year milestone date.
Applying for New Zealand Citizenship becomes an option. For more information on citizenship read here.

Processing times

The processing timeframes for an Active Investor Plus Visa application will vary based on a number of factors including the available human resources at Immigration NZ. Typically, timeframes (always subject to change) are:

4 to 12 weeks to gather the documents required to lodge the application. This is a crucial step, and must be 100% right to avoid problems.
3 to 6 months for the application to be assessed and decided by Immigration NZ.
12 months maximum to transfer and invest funds. This is a crucial step that is often misunderstood and mismanaged
Immigration NZ audits of investment funds takes around 4 to 8 weeks to complete.
Permanent Resident Visa applications at the end of the investment term take on average 1 to 3 weeks to process.

How New Zealand Immigration Partners can help you

We have the largest and most experienced team of Licensed Immigration Advisers in New Zealand. In business for 40 years, our firm has a strong reputation in the immigration industry for success and delivering quality service.

Our specialist team are trained, experienced and focused on the Active Investor Plus Visa. We deliver high net worth clients a boutique service offering. Daniel Thomson, Director of Client Services, is a preeminent leader in this specialist immigration area. He and his team have a proven track record of successfully managing and navigating clients through the Active Investor Plus Visa proces

We assess your eligibility, answer questions and introduce you to a range of leading experts who can help you identify acceptable immigration investments.

We do not over promise or under deliver. The team will walk alongside with you on this journey that will last at least 3 years (Growth) or 5 years (Balanced) right through to qualifying for Permanent Residence Visas.

We deliver value for money. We do not quote low fees and then later surprise clients with additional or hidden costs because things took longer than was expected.

We keep it simple while others make it complex.

We do not try to be all things to all people. Our clients enjoy the fact we stick to immigration and surround ourselves with highly regarded professionals with strong reputations in providing advice on tax, banking, acceptable immigration investments, wealth managers, property experts, relocation professionals and so much more.

We are happy to introduce you some of our migrant investor clients for an independent reference of the work we do. They will provide you with extra peace of mind that you are making the right choice by engaging New Zealand Immigration Partners.

Connect with our specialist team today

How New Zealand Immigration Partners can help you

We have the largest and most experienced team of Licensed Immigration Advisers in New Zealand. In business for over 40 years our firm has a strong reputation in the immigration industry for success and delivering quality service.

We have specialists who are trained, experienced and focused on the Business Investor Visa by delivering clients a boutique service offering.

Our Business Investor team will assess your eligibility for the BIV visa and answer your questions. We will introduce you to a range of leading experts who can help you identify a suitable business and provide the professional services you need to successfully run a New Zealand business.

We deliver value for money. We do not quote low fees and then later surprise clients with additional or hidden costs because things took longer than was expected.

We keep it simple.

Connect with our specialist team today

FAQs

Cant find an answer?

Call us today on 0800 800 636 or +64 9 309 4187

Or watch our captioned FAQ videos on our YouTube channel

How much is the government application fee?

NZD 27,470 (subject to change without notice)

How long does the process take?

We have dedicated a section on this topic. You can read here. We keep you updated on progress and timeframes as we move your application forward.

What documents will I need for this application?

Your dedicated Licensed Immigration Adviser will work closely with you on what documents will be required for your application. Everyone’s situation is different and by understanding you and your family’s background we tailor our advice on the specific documents Immigration NZ require. Getting the documents right is crucial to avoid serious problems. A speciality area where misunderstandings lead applications to fall over because documentation was wrong.

Do I really need an immigration adviser?

Absolutely!
Immigration NZ would rather receive an Active Investor Plus Visa application from an experienced licensed immigration adviser than a person lodging their own application. Statistically more people are declined when they do not have a professional engaged. This is a specialised area of immigration work. You engage a range of professionals to manage your tax, business, investments and life! Immigration is no different – deal with people who are experienced and trusted.

How much do you charge?

The first consultation to assess your eligibility for an Active Investor Plus Visa is free. Once we fully understand your situation and the way forward you will receive a no obligation quotation of costs. From there you can decide whether to proceed with our services.

Meet some of our successful Investor clients

From Silicon Valley to a love affair with NZ

Craig’s career in the Silicon Valley began in 1985 after he was named the top salesman for Apple Computer just out of college. Instead of a bonus, Craig won a brand new Porsche from Steve Jobs and was later offered a job at Apple headquarters.

Following his tenure at Apple, Craig joined the founders of Packeteer, an innovative networking startup, to become employee number three and the company’s first CEO. Craig led Packeteer through an IPO with a two billion dollar valuation in 1999. Next, he founded Pertino, another networking company, where he also served as CEO.

Since his honeymoon in NZ in 1995, Craig has loved New Zealand and working with New Zealand companies. He built a programme for Computer Science students from New Zealand to participate in internships at high tech companies in Silicon Valley and founded the Kiwi Landing zone in San Francisco. He has also been a board member for New Zealand companies, Xero, Magic Memories, Enable Networks and ezyVet.

Craig Elliott

From Singapore to Auckland based CFO

Edmund is originally from Penang, Malaysia but spent most of his career in Singapore where he held senior management/financial roles. He studied in Australia to secure a degree in Economics before completing an MBA in the UK. Edmund was experienced in living life aboard.

After attending a New Zealand Investor focused seminar in Singapore, he discussed migration with New Zealand Immigration Partners. The rest is history. Edmund was approved under the Investor Visa programme and moved his family to Auckland.

Today Edmund is part of the senior team leading Evolve Education one of Australasia's largest and leading early childhood education providers. Edmund and his family have settled quickly into the New Zealand lifestyle and our country is benefiting from his senior management expertise.

Edmund Mah

Celebrating Thanksgiving Kiwi Style

Ron hails from New Jersey and ran his own plumbing, heating, and air conditioning business. He later joined the family business Alacer Corp who created “Emergen-C”. This is one of the world’s largest and most recognised brands of vitamins. With Ron putting his shoulder to the wheel at Alacer the company experienced significant growth until the family sold out in 2012.

Ron then looked for his next adventure and through a kiwi connection landed in New Zealand with his family. Ron successfully passed through the Investor migrant programme and today is a NZ citizen (officially a "kiwi"). Ron keeps himself busy with commercial/residential property investments and developments.

When Ron is not out enjoying the waters of the Hauraki Gulf you will find him looking for his next investment project. As Ron says “I cannot express the gratitude I have from the friendships and close friends I have developed in the past eight years. I have more people in my life today than I ever had. I can’t wait for another Thanksgiving”.

Ron Patrick

From Munich to supporting New Zealand’s sustainability and start-ups

Hans is a man of many talents. A Fulbright scholar with a PhD in medicine and a law degree from Harvard University plus admission to the New York bar. Hans has an impressive career in finance. Formerly managing partner at one of Germany’s leading private equity firms IMM, then establishing Carlyle Europe, the first non-US fund of The Carlyle Group, a global investment firm. Today Hans is the founding partner and MD of Nordwind Capital.

In his spare time, Hans has funded movie productions, charities including building schools in Myanmar, sponsoring medical students and teachers into schools. He keeps himself busy supporting NGOs and start-ups.

Hans and his wife Ursula sailed into New Zealand and were captured by the beauty of our country. The couple flew through the Investor Visa programme to secure residence. A variety of local investments by Hans are supporting New Zealand’s environment through green investments, recycling initiatives, start-ups, and seed investment into a “deep science incubator” with Icehouse. New Zealand is benefiting significantly from the Albrecht’s smart capital and people talent.

Dr Hans Albrecht

Contact our specialist Investor Visa team

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Our team of specialists are available to meet with you in person or through a video or phone call. We regularly travel overseas so let us know if you are interested in attending one of our offshore events and we will send more information.

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You can learn more about our team here or send an email to investors@malcolmpacific.com and we will get in touch to arrange a one on one meeting.

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We look forward to the opportunity to be of service.

FAQs

Cant find an answer?

Call us today on 0800 800 636 or +64 9 309 4187

Or watch our captioned FAQ videos on our YouTube channel

How much is the government application fee?

NZD 12,380 (subject to change without notice) This fee is paid twice; once with the first application (work visa stage) and again when applying for residence.

Can I buy or invest into any New Zealand business?

In general, yes but there are some specific business types that are excluded. These include businesses that offer:

commercial sexual services; or
gambling; or
labour hire; or
manufacturing tobacco or other nicotine-based products (including vaping); or
providing immigration advice; or
the sending of products from a supplier of the business directly to a customer (drop-shipping); or
business operating from a residential property; or
convenience stores; or
discount/value stores; or
fast food outlets; or
franchise businesses.

How long does the process take?

Timeframes will depend on a range of factors, including human resource at Immigration NZ, whether your visa application was fully documented, and the complexity of your business investment. Once we know more about your unique situation we will provide more detail on processing timeframes.

How hard is it to find a suitable business?

There is always a constant stream of businesses for sale. However, being new to the New Zealand business ecosystem and wanting to qualify for residence means you need to carefully select the business to invest into. You may need to be prepared to step out of your comfort zone to find a business that is quite new to what you have run in the past. You will need the help of professionals to get this right from start to finish. There are no shortcuts to protecting your investment when securing a future in New Zealand is the key mission.

Do I really need an immigration adviser?

Absolutely!
Immigration NZ would rather receive a Business Investor Visa application from an experienced licensed immigration adviser than a person lodging their own application. Statistically, more people are declined when they have not engaged a professional. This is a complex and specialised area of immigration work. You already engage a range of professionals to manage your tax, business and investments, etc. Immigration is no different; you should deal with trusted, experienced professionals to help guide you through the complexities of NZ Immigration policy.

How much do you charge?

The first consultation to assess your eligibility is free. Once we fully understand your situation and the way forward, you will receive a no obligation quotation of costs. From there, you can decide whether to proceed with our services.

Does property owned by the business qualify as part of the $1 or $2 million investment into a business?

No. The property component of any business you are considering buying is excluded from the capital investment requirement. You should take legal advice before entering any agreements whether any property component of a business you are considering needs special approval in order for you to purchase.

Does the business have to be profitable for me to apply for residence?

No, but it does need to be solvent and comply with immigration and employment laws.

Contact our specialist Business Investor Visa team

‍

Our team of specialists are available to meet with you in person or through a video or phone call. We regularly travel overseas, so let us know if you are interested in attending one of our overseas events, and we will send more information.

‍

You can learn more about our team or send an email to biv@nzimmigrationpartners.com and we will get in touch to arrange a one on one meeting.

‍

We look forward to the opportunity to be of service.

More Residence Visas

Read about other pathways to residence of New Zealand.

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Testimonials

Our clients regularly post Google reviews about their experience with our team.

"Our family is incredibly grateful to the New Zealand Immigration Partners team for their outstanding support. My parents’ residence visa has now been approved! A special thank you to Lily Wang for her professionalism, patience, and attention to detail, which were instrumental in securing this positive outcome. We feel so fortunate to have found such a trustworthy and ethical team."

Nicole Z

Residency

"We were so pleased to work with Victoria at New Zealand Immigration Partners for my partner’s permanent residency. Her experience and support made the process smooth and stress-free, and we always knew what stage our application was at. We’re so thankful for her help and highly recommend New Zealand Immigration Partners!"

Peter Cain

Residency

"I’m incredibly grateful to Hash and Liv Turner for their amazing support in securing my Accredited Employer Work Visa. My situation was complicated, but their professionalism, dedication, and patience made all the difference. They guided me every step of the way, and I highly recommend their services to anyone needing immigration help. Thank you both!"

Stegen Pham

Work Visa

“I’m so grateful to Federica Vallega for her incredible work as my advisor. Thanks to her professionalism, guidance, and constant support, I was able to achieve something amazing getting my New Zealand residence! Federica was always patient, clear, and genuinely cared about every step of the process. She made everything so much easier and stress free. I couldn’t recommend her enough, she’s knowledgeable, kind, and truly dedicated to helping her clients succeed.”

Pía Fernanda Beltrán Valdivia

Residency

“Thank goodness my husband convinced me to get an immigration adviser for my permanent residency. I don’t know how I would have navigated it alone. Jennifer Jung was incredible, personable, timely and professional. The process was seamless and her support made all the difference. The fee was worth every dollar. Thank you Jennifer and New Zealand Immigration Partners.”

Nicole Herlihy

Residency

“I recently worked with New Zealand Immigration Partners on a partnership work visa and couldn’t be happier with my experience. Jamie provided exceptional service, always responding promptly and offering thoughtful recommendations that made us feel comfortable and secure throughout the process. It’s clear he genuinely cares about the people behind each application, which made a real difference.”

Mathias Sebastian Douglas

Partnership Work Visa

"I am extremely pleased with the exceptional service provided by Helen. My work visa was approved within just a few weeks, exceeding my expectations. Communication was always clear and efficient, and she explained every step in a professional and reassuring way. Her expertise and attention to detail made the process smooth and stress free. I highly recommend her services."

Tupou Loata Taufa

Work Visa

"Right from the start, the service provided by New Zealand Immigration Partners have been excellent. I did consider making a direct application but I am so glad that I went to New Zealand Immigration Partners. It is such a specialist area and James took me through the process, and guided me over several months. In addition, to his excellent visa advice, he went out of his way to ensure that we had lots of background information on moving to New Zealand. James obtained my resident visa, and we are delighted."

Mike

Residency

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