Why Top Investor Immigrants Choose New Zealand

“People do not usually think of New Zealand as an investment destination,” Andy Semotiuk, a US and Canadian immigration lawyer, writes in an article for Forbes. “However, the country is rated number one for ease of doing business by the World Bank. Transparency International ranked New Zealand highest as the world’s least corrupt country. In addition, Forbes magazine put it in second place in its list of best countries for business.

“Peter Thiel, the billionaire venture capitalist who co-founded PayPal and was an early investor in Facebook, declared in 2011 that he found ‘no other country that aligns more with my view of the future than New Zealand,’” Semotiuk writes. “He invested $3 million in Xero, a New Zealand accounting firm, according to the company, and $4 million in Pacific Fibre. Such advertising from a prominent investor turned a lot of entrepreneurs and investors on to New Zealand.

“New Zealand offers two residence-by-investment programmes for investors who want to gain residency in New Zealand – the Investor Visa (Investor 2 Category) and the Investor Plus Visa (Investor 1 Category).

“For those exploring investment opportunities, New Zealand might be a good option as the two visa categories open doors to all types of investors, whether you are looking for a passive investment or are willing to be actively engaged in managing a business.”

Original article by Andy Semotiuk, Forbes, August 3, 2018.