New Zealand Eases Visa Rules for Foreign Investors

SYDNEY (Reuters) – New Zealand will relax visa rules to attract more foreign investors, aiming to stimulate economic growth, according to its center-right government on Sunday.

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford stated that the country’s investor visa category would be made “simpler and more flexible” to encourage investors to choose New Zealand for their “capital, skills, and international connections”.

“These changes will turbocharge our economic growth, bringing brighter days ahead for all Kiwis,” Stanford said in a statement announcing the creation of two new visa categories – for “higher-risk investments” and “mixed investments”.

The changes, effective from April 1, follow the government’s relaxation of visa rules allowing holidaymakers to work remotely while visiting, aimed at boosting tourism.

After slipping into a technical recession in the third quarter of 2024, the New Zealand government seeks ways to bolster growth. In January, it announced plans to establish Invest New Zealand, part of the international economic development agency, to serve as a one-stop-shop for overseas investment.