WELLINGTON, April 22 (Reuters) – New Zealand’s “golden visa” programme has drawn nearly NZ$4 billion ($2.4 billion) in committed and pipeline investment in its first year, the government said on Wednesday, as Wellington seeks to lure wealthy migrants and growth capital.
Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said the Active Investor Plus (AIP) visa had delivered NZ$1.49 billion already invested, with a further NZ$2.415 billion in the pipeline, taking the total to NZ$3.905 billion since the scheme was overhauled last year. The government said it had received 609 applications covering 1,988 people since the reset.
New Zealand loosened visa rules from April 1, 2025, cutting the minimum investment threshold to NZ$5 million for the higher-risk “Growth” category over three years and NZ$10 million for the “Balanced” category over five years. It also removed the English-language requirement and reduced time-in-country requirements for more active investors.
The government has pitched the programme as part of a broader “Going for Growth” agenda aimed at lifting productivity, expanding firms and creating jobs, even as critics of investor visas globally have questioned whether such schemes deliver lasting economic benefits.
Stanford said private credit investment was proving particularly important for businesses seeking flexible capital without diluting ownership.
She cited Dunedin manufacturer United Machinists, which produces specialty parts for the aerospace and medtech sectors, as one recipient of AIP-backed private credit to support expansion and job creation.
($1 = 1.6932 New Zealand dollars)
(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
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