New Zealand Visa - Government Opens New Path To Entice Expats

Tasman Glacial River, Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand. Getty.

New Zealand opened a new visa pathway for applications this week. The Business Investor Work visa is intended to accompany its existing other New Zealand visa programs and pathways that have opened throughout 2025 and will continue to do so through 2026.

New Zealand has been expanding the ways it can entice expats into the country in a move intending to restore visitor numbers to pre-pandemic levels—in 2024, arrivals into the country stood at around 17% less than pre-2019 figures.

A New, New Zealand Visa: The Business Investor Plus Visa

The new Business Investor Plus visa offers residency for up to 4 years, with a pathway to permanent residence. There is an application fee of NZD $12,380 (about $7,010), and investors can invest NZD $1 million (about $567,300) for a three-year work-to-residency track, or NZD $2 million (about $1,134,480) for an expedited one-year path.

In addition to this investment amount, applicants must also prove that they have the money to stay and cover their expenses to the tune of NZD $500,000 (about $283,700) and that they already have an existing business that pulls in around NZD $1 million (about $567,300) or employs at least five full-time workers.

New Zealand Visas Are Luring Expats In A Number Of Ways

In addition to its breathtaking landscapes, vibrant Māori culture, and reputation as a global adventure capital, the government provides incentives and a number of other visa options for Americans looking to call New Zealand their home:

In February 2025, the New Zealand government launched a digital nomad visa that, unlike others, doesn't have a minimum monthly income requirement. It also made it possible for travelers to work for a foreign employer while on this visa, something that was previously prohibited. American travelers looking to apply for a digital nomad visa, should first apply for a visitor visa, which is the right to stay for six months without a full visa application. But then you can also ask to work remotely as part of the process of getting a visitor visa, which gives you this long-stay working visa, and the right to stay for nine months.

In April 2025, the government relaxed rules around its New Zealand golden visa program. It eliminated the English language requirement part of the process and also introduced two new portfolio types with varying minimum stay requirements in the country, ranging from 21 days to 105 days. The investment amounts range from $2.9 million over three years to $5.8 million over five years. Americans currently account for 40% of all New Zealand golden visa program applicants, spurred on by the relaxation of government rules.

Foreigners have not been allowed to buy property in New Zealand since 2018, a move that was intended to level the playing field for locals needing affordable housing. The government has now said that New Zealand golden visa holders are exempt from the ban on buying property in the country, expected to begin in early 2026.

The government also plans to have two new visa pathways in place by mid-2026, one for skilled migrants and the other for migrants in trade and technical roles, both of which must meet relevant experience and either salary or wage thresholds.

And this week, in November 2025, these are joined by the newly-opened Business Investor Work visa. 

The country also offers financial incentives to Americans looking to relocate—New Zealand has no gift, estate or wealth tax, no capital gains tax and an extensive tax treaty network.

New Zealand Visa Offers Unparalleled Living And A Good Work-Life Balance

New Zealand's cost of living is slightly less than in the U.S., where monthly living expenses, not including rent, are on average around $1,012, compared to $1,166 across the U.S.   When rent is included, however, the cost of living in New Zealand is approximately 38% lower than in the U.S.

New Zealand recently featured in CNTraveler's Top 10 Countries for Best Work-Life Balance, and a recent survey found that the city of Wellington on the South Island offered the best potential for a great work-life balance.

New Zealand has just over five million people, making it one of the least populated countries on the planet. There are 23.6 million sheep and 5.3 million people, translating to about 4.5 sheep for each New Zealander. While it can be remote for Americans traveling back and forth, its geographical location keeps it pretty isolated from geopolitical conflict, and it also has low crime rates and a stable government.

New Zealand is also on Travel + Leisure's 50 best places in 2026. Visitors can cycle or hike the new 20-mile Kawarau Gorge Trail, linking Queenstown to Lake Dunstan. The country's first dark sky community will open in Naseby, where visitors can take in the night sky in complete peace. And in 2026, Air New Zealand will launch the Skynest, the first fully flat economy pod beds, flying direct from New York to Auckland.

Client Experience Director Mischa Mannix-Opie at Greener Pastures New Zealand, an integrated residency-by-investment and lifestyle advisory firm, believes the new Business Investor Work visa offers a great way for families or individuals to come to the country who want to build or grow a business and are looking to gain a foothold.

Mannix-Opie adds, “We are hearing from American investors who are rethinking their long-term plans in light of domestic politics and are seeking a second home, or a thoughtful Plan B, in a country with a stable economy, strong rule of law, and no capital gains, wealth, or estate taxes. New Zealand offers that mix, along with a lifestyle that is deeply aligned to what many families are now prioritising—safety, connection, wellbeing, and the ability to build meaningful lives in a place that values quality and authenticity.

”If none of these options seem like they might be the right sort of New Zealand visa for you, Erica Stanford, the country’s immigration minister said that work is underway to create another new “visa pathway for startup-entrepreneurs with scalable, innovative business ideas”.