New Zealand has been actively encouraging skilled immigration to fill labor shortages as well as providing numerous other paths to residence.
New Zealand's Skilled Migration Category (SMC) allows people with the skills and qualifications that New Zealand values to get residence or a permit to work. Applicants are scored against a points-based system and entered into a pool of potential migrants. Applicants are chosen every fortnight for an invitation to apply for migration to New Zealand. To test if you can qualify, our website provides a free New Zealand SMC point’s calculator.
Skilled Migration is only one of many options for immigrating to New Zealand, including general work visas, family reunification, investment, and study. Migrant Investment categories
Our Migrant Investment categories are for investors who want to gain residence in New Zealand.
There are two categories: Investor Plus (Investor 1 Category), and Investor (Investor 2 Category). Compare the basic criteria below:
|
Key requirements |
Investor Plus |
Investor |
|
Maximum age |
No requirement |
65 or younger |
|
Business experience |
No requirement |
Minimum of three years |
|
Investment funds |
NZ$10 million invested in New Zealand for three years |
NZ$1.5 million invested in New Zealand for four years |
|
Settlement funds |
No requirement |
NZ$1 million (transfer not required) |
|
Principal applicant's English language |
No requirement |
- an English speaking background, or - an International English Language Testing system(IELTS) test report with an overall band score of three or more, or - a computer user of English |
|
Family member's English language |
No requirement |
Same as principal applicant or pre-purchase ESOL tuition |
|
Minimum time in New Zealand |
44 days in New Zealand in each of the last two years of the three-year investment period. |
146 days in New Zealand in each of the last three years of the four-year investment period. |
|
Health and character |
Applicants under both categories must meet health and character requirements. |
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