On 6 July 2026, Immigration New Zealand widened the Business Investor Work Visa: applicants can now invest in eligible franchise businesses, purchase a business through a New Zealand resident entity, and fund the investment with lawfully-earned gifted capital. The visa (opened Nov 2025 with NZ$1m and NZ$2m business-investment options) had drawn just one approval between November 2025 and March 2026, prompting the changes.
Home › Founders News › Visa & Immigration
NZ eases Business Investor Work Visa: franchises, NZ entities, gifted capital
Why this matters for founders
Founders raising capital or bringing on an overseas operator-investor now have a wider structuring toolkit, including franchise vehicles, NZ holding entities and gifted funds, to help a co-founder or investor qualify for residence while actively running the business.
Source: Immigration New Zealand
Related updates
More that helps you.
NZ eases Business Investor Work Visa: franchises and gifted capital now allowed
From 6 July 2026, Immigration New Zealand made three rule changes to the Business Investor Work Visa: applicants can now invest in qualifying franchise businesses, purchase a busin…
Greece adds startup investment route to Golden Visa from EUR 250,000
Greece has operationalized a new Golden Visa pathway granting five-year residency to non-EU investors who put at least EUR 250,000 into a startup registered on the Elevate Greece n…
International Entrepreneur Rule 2026: $311K investment bar, new parole fee
The International Entrepreneur Rule remains active for 2026, letting qualifying foreign founders with at least a 10% stake obtain up to 30 months of parole (extendable to five year…
International Entrepreneur Rule now needs $311,071 investment plus a $1,000 fee
Under the International Entrepreneur Rule in 2026, foreign founders need at least $311,071 in qualified U.S. investor funding (or $124,429 in government grants) and a 10% ownership…
Get briefs like this tuned to you.
In the app, Founder Briefs are personalized to your country, industry and stage, and you can save the ones that matter.
See plans →
Keep exploring
Related across the site
ToolClerkyClerky handles startup incorporation and legal paperwork specifically for founders raising venture capital, generating Delaware C-corp filings, founder stock, and fundraising documents. It focuses on getting the legal details right for future investment.TermLLC vs. C-CorpThe two most common US business structures: an LLC offers pass-through tax and flexibility; a C-corp is standard for raising venture capital.Case studyJack MaAlibabaCase studyReginald F. LewisTLC Beatrice InternationalGuideGet your cosmetology license firstFinish your required training hours and pass the state board exams. It is the longest lead time on your list and gates every salon permit.GuideGet your real estate license fasterFinish the pre licensing coursework, pass the exam, and find a sponsoring brokerage so you can legally represent clients and earn commission.