Immigration Update - October 2025

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) and the government continue to make changes in the in the New Zealand visa, employer compliance, and investment visa spaces.

We have set out below a summary of some of the changes:

Business Investor Visa

The full immigration instructions associated with the Business Investor Visa Category (BIV) have been released. Information on the category can be found here. In essence, the BIV will provide migrants who are open to being a tax resident in New Zealand, a pathway to residence through purchase of a business (where other core requirements are also met). We will release a further article on the BIV in future.

For investors that wish to spend less time in New Zealand, the Active Investor Plus category numbers continue to grow with 396 applications as of 24 October 2025.

Job Check redesign

The Job Check application has been redesigned including the removal of the requirement to provide a template employment agreement at the Job Check stage.

Summary of the changes:

• Low risk employers will have Job Check applications streamlined with default assessment (2-4 questions where roles align with business time and claimed ANZSCO code. 
• INZ have confirmed requirements for roles where a AEWV worker genuinely needs to work in two locations at the same time via WA3.20.1(d)(ii). The requirement here is that evidence of advertising that meets the requirements must be provided for each location.
• Additional checks and requests for information for employers that are not low risk.

We anticipate that employers will need to be more careful with Job Check applications as the bulk of requirements are satisfied using declarations which will likely be audited in future. It is important that any declarations including requirements for advertising with the Ministry of Social Development are complied with.

Changes to the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa

Initial changes to the Skilled Migrant Category have been announced including changes that will allow more skilled migrant workers to apply for residence earlier/after August 2026. INZ have released some information which can be found here. The full policy with changes will be released in early 2026.

87 roles assessed as skill level 1-3

INZ is updating how 87 new occupations are assessed under the AEWV programme from 3 November 2025 (to be skill level 1-3). This is to ensure higher skilled occupations in the National Occupation List (NOL) are recognised.

Moving Forward

The New Zealand immigration space continues to change. Our team of specialists are ready to help with bespoke and practical advice and solutions on navigating the tricky and constantly changing immigration landscape. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need help.

Disclaimer: We remind you that while this article provides commentary on employment law, health and safety and immigration topics, it should not be used as a substitute for legal or professional advice for specific situations. Please seek legal advice from your lawyer for any questions specific to your workplace.