WELLINGTON, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand government announced a new visa type on Wednesday to attract investment and talents to help grow the New Zealand economy.
New Zealand Immigration Minister Erica Stanford announced the Business Investor Visa on Wednesday in a statement.
"The Business Investor Visa (BIV) will provide a pathway to residence for business migrants who are ready to invest in, operate and grow established businesses here," said Erica Stanford.
"This new visa will bring overseas investment to maintain and create jobs, grow incomes, and breathe new life into existing businesses across the country," added the minister.
The BIV, which will open for applications in November 2025, offers investment options of 1 million New Zealand dollars and 2 million New Zealand dollars with residency pathways.
The new visa is designed for experienced businesspeople with capital to invest and the hands-on experience and skills needed to run a successful business. The New Zealand government expects the new visa type to deliver real economic benefits to the country, according to the statement.
The BIV is part of the New Zealand government's broader change to the business visa settings, alongside the updated Active Investor Plus visa, to attract investment and talents.
According to the government official data agency Stats NZ, the quarterly figure for the unemployment rate in New Zealand reached 5.2 percent for the June quarter, and yearly gross domestic product growth decreased 1.1 percent in the March quarter.
New Zealand's net migration gain of 13,700 in June 2025 was down from a net gain of 70,400 in June 2024, while the main driver of the fall was fewer migrant arrivals of non-New Zealand citizens, according to Stats NZ figures earlier in August. (1 New Zealand dollar equals 0.58 U.S. dollars) ■
