Relocate your business to New Zealand
Oceania
Thinking about business immigration to New Zealand? Below are the residency routes for founders, investors and startups, and the set-up services a foreign-owned business needs: company registration, a bank account, tax, payroll, trademark and licences. Set-up comes first, because a company does not grant residency on its own. See also business immigration explained and relocating your business abroad.
About 5
sheep for every person
1893
year women won the vote, a world first
2
main islands, North and South
- Capital
- Wellington
- Population
- About 5.2 million
- Currency
- New Zealand dollar (NZD)
- Languages
- English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language
Best things about doing business in New Zealand
- Simple and quick company set-up
- English-speaking and business-friendly
- Strong agriculture, tech and film sectors
Fun facts
- New Zealand was the first self-governing country to give women the right to vote.
- Parts of New Zealand are among the first places in the world to see each new day.
Figures are rounded and approximate.
Business Setup Services
Company, bank, payroll, brand and licencesNot a residency routeWe handle company incorporation, bank account and payroll set-up, trademark filing and the licences and permits your business needs. Tell us what you need.
Cards without a "last verified" date have not been independently checked yet. Confirm the details with the official source before you act.
Warning: These do not grant residency on their own. A separate visa is required.
Company Registration
Set up your legal entity so you can operate, hire and pay tax.
Charitable Trust / Incorporated Society Registration
Official source: charities.govt.nz
NZBN Company Registration (Companies Office)
Last verified October 2026 · Official source: companiesoffice.govt.nz
Business Bank Account
Opening an account with a bank in New Zealand
Open a business bank account for your new company. ORBIZLY prepares the application, and the bank decides.
Official source: rbnz.govt.nz
Employer and Payroll Registration
Registering as an employer in New Zealand
Register as an employer so you can hire and run payroll. Handled by Inland Revenue (PAYE) and ACC (accident compensation).
Official source: ird.govt.nz
Trademark Filing
Trademark Filing (IPONZ)
Last verified October 2026 · Official source: iponz.govt.nz
IP and Patent Filing
IP and Patent Filing (IPONZ)
Protect your invention with a patent. Filed with the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand.
Official source: iponz.govt.nz
Licences
Permits that let your products and business operate legally: import permits, tax and goods/services registration, sector-specific permits, export licences, drug and health, food safety, lab test reports and product trials.
Import Permits and Importer Registration
Register as an importer and get permits for regulated goods. Handled by the New Zealand Customs Service and the Ministry for Primary Industries.
Official source: customs.govt.nz
Tax and Goods/Services Registration
Register for tax and for goods and services tax. Handled by Inland Revenue (IRD number and GST registration).
Official source: ird.govt.nz
Sector-Specific Permits
Permits for regulated industries. Overseen by the sector regulator and your local council.
Official source: business.govt.nz
Export Licence
Get permission to export controlled goods. Handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (strategic goods) and the Ministry for Primary Industries.
Official source: mfat.govt.nz
Drug and Health Product Licence
Approval to sell medicines, devices and health products. Handled by Medsafe.
Official source: medsafe.govt.nz
Food Safety Licence and Registration
Register your food business and get approval to import or sell food. Handled by the Ministry for Primary Industries.
Official source: mpi.govt.nz
Lab Test Reports and Product Certification
Get your product tested and certified for the market. Overseen through laboratories accredited by IANZ.
Official source: ianz.govt.nz
Product Trial and Sample Approval
Approval to trial a new product before launch. Handled by Medsafe.
Official source: medsafe.govt.nz
Residency & Visa Pathways
Programs that grant residenceThese grant a right to live and work in the country. Talk to an expert before you apply.
Business Investor Visa
New route launched November 2025: NZ$1M (3-year, work-to-residence) or NZ$2M (12-month fast-track).
Last verified September 2026 · Official source: immigration.govt.nz; nzte.govt.nz
Active Investor Plus Visa (AIP)
NZ$5M (Growth) or NZ$10M (Balanced) investment. Thresholds cut and English requirement removed in a major April 2025 overhaul.
Last verified September 2026 · Official source: immigration.govt.nz
No longer available
Entrepreneur Work Visa · Closed, since 2025
Replaced by the Business Investor Visa in November 2025.
Questions about moving a business to New Zealand
What business immigration options are there for New Zealand?
ORBIZLY lists business and entrepreneur routes (Business Investor Visa) and investor programs (Active Investor Plus Visa (AIP)). Each is shown on this page with its status, the official source and when it was last verified. Rules change, so confirm the details with the official source before you apply.
Can I relocate my business to New Zealand?
It depends on your business and the route you choose, and it is really two separate things: setting up or moving the business, and getting the right to live there. Company registration, a bank account, tax and licences are the set-up side. A visa or residence permit is the residency side. Start with the free eligibility check to see which routes fit your business.
Does registering a company in New Zealand give me residency?
No. Registering a company does not give you the right to live in New Zealand on its own. Residency needs a separate visa or residence permit.
What do I need to set up a business in New Zealand?
The usual order is: plan, register the company, open the tax and bank accounts, register as an employer, protect your brand, then get any licences and permits. For New Zealand, ORBIZLY lists company registration, drug and health licences, export licence, food safety, ip and patent filing, import permits, lab test reports, business bank account, product trials, employer and payroll registration, sector-specific permits, tax and goods/services registration, and trademark filing. Government fees are paid to the authorities and are separate from ORBIZLY's fees.
How do I start moving my business to New Zealand?
Take the free eligibility check, which takes about three minutes, or book a free 15-minute discovery call. ORBIZLY then shows which routes look like a fit and what to do first. ORBIZLY gives directional guidance and is not a law firm or immigration adviser.
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Brands built in New Zealand
Well-known companies from New Zealand, including unicorns and businesses that grew a global presence.
Xero
Cloud accounting software for small business
Rocket Lab
Small-satellite launch company, founded in New Zealand
Fonterra
One of the world's largest dairy exporters
Fisher & Paykel
Appliances and healthcare equipment
Allbirds
Sustainable footwear, founded by a New Zealander
Examples only. Logos belong to their owners and are shown to identify the companies. A unicorn is a private start-up valued above US$1 billion at some point.
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