Master prompt
Entrepreneur Work Visa + transition to Entrepreneur Resident Visa (NZ)
Lower-capital business immigration pathway under BJ4: NZ$100K minimum + comprehensive business plan + active operator role. 12-month start-up stage + 24-month balance stage. Transition to Resident Visa on successful establishment.
NZInvestor visaEntrepreneur Work VisaBJ4Resident Visa100K
Advise [CLIENT_NAME] on the Entrepreneur Work Visa (EWV) + Entrepreneur Resident Visa (ERV) pathway under Immigration Instructions BJ4 (work) and BJ5 (resident).
CLIENT SUMMARY
- Business type / sector: [BUSINESS_TYPE]
- Capital deployable (NZD): [CAPITAL_DEPLOYABLE_NZD]
- Prior business experience: [PRIOR_BUSINESS_EXPERIENCE]
- Target NZ location: [TARGET_LOCATION_NZ]
- Employment plan: [EMPLOYMENT_PLAN]
- Export potential: Domestic primarily
REGULATORY FRAME
The Entrepreneur Work Visa (BJ4) is for individuals who want to buy or establish a business in NZ. Successful operation for 2 years (or 6 months for "high-value" tier) can lead to the Entrepreneur Resident Visa (BJ5).
This pathway is appropriate where:
- Capital is below the NZ$5M AIPV threshold
- Applicant wants an ACTIVE operator role (not passive investor)
- Business creates NZ employment + economic benefit
- Applicant has demonstrable business experience
§1 — ENTREPRENEUR WORK VISA — CORE REQUIREMENTS (BJ4 instructions)
(a) Minimum capital investment: NZ$100,000 (waivable in narrow circumstances — typically high-tech / science / IP-driven start-ups where capital requirement is lower)
(b) Detailed business plan demonstrating viability
(c) Sufficient business experience or qualifications
(d) Sufficient English language (IELTS 4.0 or equivalent — lower than AIPV)
(e) Good character + acceptable standard of health
(f) Minimum 120 points on the EWV points scale (verify current INZ scale; covers business experience, sector benefits, NZ-region preference, age, qualifications, export potential)
(g) Minimum age (typically not <18; soft upper limit ~55 — confirm current settings)
(h) Funds available + transferable to NZ via legitimate channels
(i) Genuine intention to establish + operate the business
Visa stages:
- "Start-up" stage: initial 12 months — set up business; deploy capital
- "Balance" stage: further 24 months — operate established business
- Total EWV: up to 3 years
§2 — POINTS SCALE — INDICATIVE FACTORS (verify current INZ points table)
(a) Capital invested:
- NZ$100K: minimum (some points)
- NZ$500K+: significantly more points
- Each NZ$100K above minimum adds incremental points
(b) Employment created for NZ workers:
- 1 FTE NZ employee: base points
- 3+ FTE NZ employees: substantial points
- Each additional FTE adds incrementally
(c) Sector benefits:
- Technology / advanced manufacturing / primary industries / export-oriented: bonus
- Saturated / declining sectors: lower points
(d) Location:
- Regional NZ (outside Auckland metro): bonus points
- Auckland: no bonus
(e) Age: prime working age (25-55) generally higher
(f) Business experience: years operating own business; sector relevance
(g) Qualifications: tertiary qualifications in business / relevant field
Indicatively score [CLIENT_NAME] based on inputs:
- Sector benefit ([BUSINESS_TYPE]): high / medium / low
- Capital ([CAPITAL_DEPLOYABLE_NZD]): bracket
- Employment ([EMPLOYMENT_PLAN]): bracket
- Location ([TARGET_LOCATION_NZ]): regional bonus or not
- Export (Domestic primarily): bonus or not
- Experience ([PRIOR_BUSINESS_EXPERIENCE]): bracket
Provisional points estimate: __ / 120+ (clear / below threshold).
§3 — BUSINESS PLAN REQUIREMENTS (see slot 5 for full plan structure)
INZ requires a comprehensive business plan covering:
- Executive summary
- Market analysis + competitive landscape
- Marketing + sales strategy
- Financial projections (3-5y P&L, cash flow, balance sheet)
- Capital deployment schedule + use of funds
- NZ employment plan (FTE + skills)
- Risk analysis + mitigation
- Founder / management team CVs
- Sector strategy (if claiming sector benefit)
- Export strategy (if claiming export benefit)
The plan must be GENUINE + ACHIEVABLE — INZ scrutinises for templating, hyperbole, and post-hoc rationalisation.
§4 — APPLICATION DOCUMENTS
(a) Application form (paper or online — verify current INZ pathway)
(b) Passport + previous travel history
(c) Detailed business plan (40-80 pages typical)
(d) Proof of funds:
- Bank statements (6-12 months) showing NZ$100K+ deployable
- Source-of-funds dossier (see slot 4)
- FEMA-compliant remittance plan
- 15CA/15CB readiness for outbound transfer
(e) Personal CV + qualifications
(f) Business experience evidence:
- Companies House records (or Indian MCA equivalent)
- GST returns / annual returns for prior business in India
- Bank statements showing business operating
- Photos of premises / customers / products
- Tax returns showing business income
(g) Letters of support from NZ-based advisers (accountant, lawyer, business mentor)
(h) Police clearance (NZ + every country resided 12+ months in last 10y)
(i) Medical + chest X-ray
(j) English evidence (IELTS / PTE / equivalent / exemption)
(k) EOI submission (if required for selection pool)
§5 — TIMELINE
Month 0-2: Business plan drafting + adviser engagement
Month 2-3: EOI lodgement (if required)
Month 3-4: Invitation to apply / direct application route
Month 4-10: INZ processing (6-12 months typical)
Month 10: EWV granted — 12-month start-up stage begins
Month 10-22: Set up business, deploy capital, hire NZ staff, build records
Month 22-46: Balance stage — operate established business
Month 30+ (high-value) or Month 34+ (standard): Apply for Entrepreneur Resident Visa (BJ5)
§6 — ENTREPRENEUR RESIDENT VISA (BJ5) — TRANSITION REQUIREMENTS
Two tiers:
HIGH-VALUE TIER (6-month operation):
- NZ$500,000+ capital invested
- 3+ FTE NZ employees
- Operated for at least 6 months
- All EWV business plan commitments substantially met
Permits transition to residence after 6 months of EWV operation.
STANDARD TIER (24-month operation):
- NZ$100,000+ capital invested
- 1+ FTE NZ employees (typically expected; confirm current OM BJ5)
- Operated for at least 2 years
- All EWV business plan commitments substantially met
Standard transition after 2 years operating.
ERV is a Resident Visa (residence permission permanent unless travel conditions breached); after 2 years as Resident + relevant criteria, transition to Permanent Resident Visa (PRV — no travel conditions). See slot 6.
§7 — COMMON REASONS FOR EWV REFUSAL / ERV REFUSAL
(a) Business plan templated / unrealistic — copy-paste plans from agents are flagged
(b) Sector saturation — yet another generic Indian restaurant in Auckland may struggle
(c) Insufficient capital — minimum NZ$100K is a floor, most successful applicants invest more
(d) Insufficient business experience — first-time founder + complex sector = harder
(e) Funds not legitimately sourced — source-of-funds is heavily scrutinised
(f) Employment commitments not met by ERV stage — major refusal trigger
(g) Business has not commenced operating in any meaningful sense
(h) Applicant has not engaged in NZ — running the business from India remotely
§8 — STRATEGIC ADVICE FOR [CLIENT_NAME]
Given the inputs, state:
(a) Likelihood of EWV approval: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW with reason
(b) Recommended tier for ERV: High-value (NZ$500K+ + 3 FTE) vs Standard
(c) Top 3 risks specific to this application
(d) Top 3 mitigations / steps to strengthen the application
(e) Recommended timeline to lodgement
§9 — INDIAN-SIDE COMPLIANCE
(a) Capital remittance: LRS USD 250K/FY/individual; for NZ$100K-NZ$500K typically single-year LRS suffices (with spouse pooling); for higher amounts may need ODI route
(b) GST + Income Tax in India: close out prior business filings before relocation; obtain Income Tax Clearance Certificate
(c) FEMA Section 6 compliance for any retained Indian business interests
(d) PMLA + Black Money Act — full disclosure of foreign assets in NZ once tax-resident there
(e) Form 15CA/15CB for outbound NZ$ remittance via authorised dealer bank
§10 — COMPARISON: EWV vs AIPV
EWV (this prompt):
+ Lower capital threshold (NZ$100K vs NZ$5M weighted)
+ Active operator role — suits founders / business owners
+ Direct path to residence via business operation
- More work — must actually run the business
- 3 visa stages (Work Start-up + Balance + Resident)
- Higher refusal risk if business doesn't meet plan
AIPV (slot 1):
+ Passive investor — no operational obligation
+ Single application pathway (Resident on grant + deployment)
+ No business-establishment risk
- High capital threshold (NZ$5M weighted)
- Strict 117-day presence + investment maintenance
- Limited operational involvement
For [CLIENT_NAME] with capital [CAPITAL_DEPLOYABLE_NZD] + experience [PRIOR_BUSINESS_EXPERIENCE]: state which path fits.
End with: "DRAFT EWV + ERV pathway advisory — for IAA-licensed immigration adviser review. Verify current Operational Manual BJ4 + BJ5 instructions, current points threshold and scale, and any 2025-2026 reform changes. The EWV is heavily scrutinised for genuine business intent and substantive capital deployment; templated business plans are a common refusal cause. Engage NZ-side accountant + business mentor before lodgement."Unlock the vault to see the full prompt