Trading Up - Why NZ?

A little over a week ago, the President of the United States announced sweeping tariffs, applied to pretty much every country the United States does business with. These tariffs sent shockwaves around the globe and in a heartbeat wiped $6.6 trillion of the value of the US stock market. Now, the United States has pulled back, announcing a 90-day pause on some of the increased tariff levels, and in the same breath escalating tariff levels for China to astronomical levels. In what amounts to a trade-war between these two economic giants, most of which impacts everyone else anyway, there is understandably some real uncertainty as to what happens next and what people should do to protect themselves and their wealth.

This uncertainty is also creating an incentive for many people (particularly in the US) to rethink their longer terms plans and as a consequence, interest in migrating to other countries (New Zealand being one of them) is surging - that surge started with the US elections back in late 2024 and seems to be continuing day by day, given the continual and ever-changing news coming out of the US. People are seriously considering their options and in some cases panic is setting in.

So what can New Zealand offer to those, looking for an escape plan? We take a look at the reality of making a move like this, along with exploring some of the visa options that New Zealand has available, particularly for those with skills and funds to invest.

Safe Haven?

For some people the current global turmoil is invoking the “flight” part of the natural “fight or flight” response and it has them reaching for travel guides and clicking through various Government websites to find a viable escape plan. It is a pretty normal reaction to have, particularly when your commander in chief is sending global markets in to turmoil and potentially engineering some pretty significant and ultimately self-inflicted economic chaos.

Under these circumstances, it can be quite appealing to start considering life in another country, however it can also mean you end up doing so with those tricky rose-tinted glasses on. Making a move to another country is a big deal and you have to consider not just the immediate desire to escape your current situation, but what that life might look like when you are finally settled and living in your country of choice.

A Life Boat

New Zealand does offer a pretty attractive escape plan for many people, but living here has its own challenges.

For every client I speak to, I try to remind them that New Zealand is not perfect and whilst it might offer a lot more than they can currently obtain in their home country, living here has its own unique challenges.

That being said, New Zealand does offer some pretty attractive benefits, compared to many other parts of the world. Some of these included:

✅ We offer a stable political environment - not much happens here politically, at least not compared to many other, larger countries. In fact some might argue that not much happens here at all, which can make a nice change. ✅ We have transparent regulatory systems and an ease of setting up and doing business. We are well known for having a very transparent and open system, that encourages people to invest and bring their entrepreneurial skills with a minimum of red-tape (and we are cutting more that red tape out by the day). ✅ We have a welcoming culture and great quality of life - one of the big attractions for many migrants is the fact that we are a pretty laid-back and friendly lot and it is relatively easy to settle here.

However for most migrants, the challenges they will face are usually centered around their ability to adapt, feelings of homesickness, our geographic distance (from anywhere) and being able to recreate those social links and networks.

My advice to anyone considering this move is to expect the following when trying to settle in:

• The first six months - the honeymoon phase, where everything is shiny new and exciting.

• The second six months - where you start to question why you moved, you feel homesick and doubt settles in.

• The final six months - where you begin to find normality and routine and you acclimatise.

If you can get through that second six month period (the hardest part), you will have found yourself a new home. Where many migrants struggle is letting the doubts that creep in over that period, take over and that can see some of them leave and return to their country of origin. Of course the timeframes will be longer or shorter for some, however just knowing you will go through these emotions and thought processes can sometimes be the difference between making it or not.

Options To Consider

Since the US elections took place, I have spoken to hundreds of Americans looking to make the move and almost of all of them are deadly serious. Some might take a bit longer to put the plan in to action, however all of these interested candidates seem to be very determined (and given recent events, probably more so).

What is also fascinating is the quality of the people we are talking to - skilled and experienced IT professionals, highly qualified engineers, senior finance professionals, doctors, nurses and teachers and a whole range of other very skilled and talented individuals. Good news for New Zealand as we gain these skills, perhaps not so great for the US.

Visa Pathways

New Zealand offers pathways to those who are skilled, have the money or have family already living here.

Obviously all of these people are approaching this process not really understanding what options exist, and so we have summarised (very briefly) a few of the key options below.

Skilled Migrants - for those applicants who have experience, qualifications (although these are mandatory) and are employable here in skilled roles, there are various skilled pathways available. We have specific visa options for people who appear on our Green List, which in some cases can see Residence being granted in a matter of weeks. We have other Work to Residence options, which provide a pathway to Residence after working here for a period of time (also using the Green List) and then a points based system that offers various ways to secure Residence for skilled candidates who dont appear on that list. In short, if you are under 56 years of age, and can find skilled employment in New Zealand, odds are, there is a way you can make this work.

Investment Options - We also have various investment pathways which are based on applicants being able to invest a sum of money in New Zealand for a period of time. There are two main options here, being “Growth” ($5 million invested for three years) or “Balanced” ($10 million invested for five years). These lead to Residence directly, conditional on keeping your investments maintained. There are of course plenty of other rules in relation to these two options, but for those with the funds available, these are great options.

Business - If you are interested in running a business here, then we also have an entrepreneur pathway, however be warned this is not for the faint of heart. This is a multi-stage process, involving time spent establishing and running the business, which will then eventually lead to Residence. These applications can be quite tricky, so require a fair bit of research.

Family - if you have children who have relocated here previously or you have a NZ partner, then we have various options under our family categories to secure temporary visas and also Residence.

There are of course a lot of other visa options (both temporary and residence) that New Zealand offers, but it would take a much bigger article to do them justice. The key point is that for those looking to work, invest or join family, we can potentially make that happen. The trick is in how it happens.

Next Steps?

If you are considering the big move, our advice is always to start with an assessment of your situation, your options and some clear guidelines as to the challenges you might face. Knowing whether you qualify upfront, might sound obvious, but is usually the first thing people miss.

Immigration rules are complex and often very confusing and while the website might look sparkly and inviting, INZ very rarely explains the full picture in terms of how a person qualifies. Getting some good upfront advice is the key to making sure you can plan your move correctly, efficiently and successfully.

There are plenty of people who will “sell you the dream” but very few advisers who will explain the reality. We appreciate that to make this move work, you have to know both the good parts and the not so good parts, what to expect and to explain the challenges. Clients are successful when they have a clear understanding as to what a permanent move really takes.

To get some clarity and a realistic view of what the immigration process means, talk to us today - we might just be able to help you trade up to the life you have been looking for.

Until next week…why not take a look at our more comprehensive guide.