New Zealand is a highly developed capitalist country and one of the most beautiful nations in the world. The World Bank ranks New Zealand as one of the easiest countries in the world to do business. Its economy has successfully transitioned from being agriculture-based to a globally competitive, industrialized free-market economy. New Zealand is also one of the most beautiful countries in Oceania, with approximately 30% of its land designated as protected areas. It boasts 3 World Heritage sites, 14 national parks, 3 marine parks, and hundreds of nature reserves and ecological areas. So, how can one immigrate to New Zealand?
1. Skilled Migrant Category
2. Family Category
3. Entrepreneur Category
4. Investor Category
5. Parent Retirement Category
6. Humanitarian Category
Regardless of the method through which an applicant obtains a New Zealand Green Card, one person holding the Green Card can sponsor their entire family for immigration.
Skilled Migrant Category
The Skilled Migrant Category accounts for approximately 60% of New Zealand's total immigration quota. According to public data, about 3,000 to 3,500 Chinese citizens obtain a New Zealand Green Card through the skilled migrant route each year. Most first-generation immigrants belong to the skilled migrant category, as most ordinary people lack the funds for entrepreneur or investor immigration. Furthermore, having no relatives or friends abroad makes the sponsorship route unfeasible. In such cases, the only way to achieve overseas immigration and settlement is through the skilled migrant route. In the Hong Kong film "The Chinese Feast," the character Zhao Gangsheng, played by Leslie Cheung, decides to learn culinary arts to immigrate to Canada because his idol, Noriko Sakai, had immigrated there, hoping to be closer to her.
This mindset of needing at least a skill to immigrate is exactly what ordinary people understand. To seek skilled migration, as the name implies, one must possess a specialized skill to meet the basic requirements.
Family Category
The basic requirement for this type of immigration is having blood relatives or a spouse in New Zealand. However, this is not applicable to most people, as not everyone happens to have a father, mother, or sibling who is a resident or citizen of New Zealand. Nevertheless, this category is a very popular pathway because marriage-based immigration falls under this classification. Among the various immigration methods, marriage-based immigration is indeed the easiest and has the lowest requirements. There are no age limits, educational requirements, or English language proficiency requirements for the applicant, and there are no gender restrictions (New Zealand recognizes same-sex partnerships). Simply put, if you find a partner in New Zealand and establish a romantic relationship with a New Zealand citizen or resident (marriage is not required, a de facto relationship suffices), you meet the basic application criteria.
Precisely because of these advantages, "sham marriages" that skirt the rules have always been a hot topic. Although illegal, many people still pay attention to it (sham marriage refers to paying for a fake marriage to immigrate, where the parties do not have a genuine marital relationship but are merely assisting one party in obtaining a Green Card). Furthermore, the success rate of marriage-based immigration is relatively high, and many people who are already in New Zealand obtain their Green Cards through dating or marriage.
Entrepreneur Category
Entrepreneur immigration has also been one of the most popular pathways in recent years. Since the New Zealand Immigration Service under the National Party government lowered the threshold for this type of immigration in 2009, many people have moved to New Zealand through the entrepreneur route. The characteristics of entrepreneur immigration are that the capital requirements are lower compared to investor immigration (200,000/500,000 NZD) and the English language requirement is lower (IELTS 4.0). For Category II entrepreneur immigration, only 200,000 NZD is required, which is approximately 1 million to 1.2 million RMB. Generally speaking, most people doing entrepreneur immigration buy an existing business, such as a small shop, supermarket, or cafe in New Zealand. The scale does not need to be large; a small shop of 10 to 20 square meters is sufficient (Latest note: business categories lacking innovation are currently not easily approved).
Many people are suited for entrepreneur immigration. The basic process is to first apply for a 9-month business visa to enter the country and inspect businesses. After arriving in New Zealand, you find a business, take it over, and apply for a two-year self-employed work visa. As long as the business does not fail within 2 years, you can apply for a Green Card.
Overall, the feasibility of entrepreneur immigration is relatively high. It solves the problem of livelihood in New Zealand while also allowing one to obtain a New Zealand Green Card, killing two birds with one stone. Entrepreneur immigration is relatively difficult to operate entirely on your own because it involves business plans, business transfers, lawyers, and other related aspects. To pursue entrepreneur immigration, it is only feasible if the person is already in New Zealand.
Investor Category
Investor immigration has a high capital threshold, but the IELTS requirement is lower. New Zealand's investor immigration is divided into two categories: Category I has no English requirement but an application threshold of 10 million NZD (exchange rate 1:5, approximately 50 million RMB), while Category II has an English requirement (IELTS 3.0) and an application threshold of 1.5 million NZD. Compared to entrepreneur immigration, investor immigration is a one-step process; you do not need to run a business. As long as the funds are transferred, the Green Card is obtained. These funds can be invested by purchasing government bonds, stocks, funds, or even lottery tickets. Simply put, as long as the money reaches New Zealand and is deposited in the designated place, it is sufficient. Before the implementation of the investor immigration reform in 2009, only 23 people worldwide successfully obtained a Green Card in 7 years. However, with the policy relaxation in 2009, where the threshold for the no-English requirement was lowered from 20 million NZD to 10 million NZD, and the threshold for the English-required category was lowered from 2.5 million NZD to 1.5 million NZD, the number of applicants has increased accordingly.
Parent Retirement Category
The Parent Retirement Category is an immigration method introduced by the New Zealand Immigration Service last year. Both the applicant and their spouse can obtain a Green Card. The basic condition is that the applicant must be over 66 years old, with no language or background requirements. Simply put, like investor immigration, if you have money, you are eligible. The capital threshold for the Parent Retirement Category is 750,000 NZD, which is also invested in designated areas such as government bonds, stocks, or funds. After the applicant submits the application, the whole family can obtain a 3-month visitor visa to enter the country together. After entry, during this period, the money must be injected into the designated investment area, and then the Green Card is obtained.