🇳🇿 New Zealand · Investment
Foreign investment rules, incentives, investment promotion agencies, and restricted sectors.
Quick answer
New Zealand welcomes foreign investment through New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), with no exchange controls. Investments in sensitive land or significant business assets need Overseas Investment Office (OIO) consent under the Overseas Investment Act; incentives include the R&D tax incentive and Callaghan Innovation support.
Foreign investment in New Zealand is supported by NZTE; larger or sensitive investments need Overseas Investment Office consent.
- New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) supports investors and exporters.
- Significant or sensitive-asset investments need Overseas Investment Office approval.
- Most business sectors are otherwise open.
Step-by-step
- 1
Check the investment regime
New Zealand welcomes FDI with no exchange controls; NZTE supports investors.
- 2
Check OIO consent
Investments in sensitive land, fishing quota or significant business assets need Overseas Investment Office consent.
- 3
Choose your vehicle and register
Incorporate a company with the Companies Office and register for an IRD number and GST if applicable.
- 4
Access incentives
Use the R&D tax incentive and Callaghan Innovation grants and support for eligible innovation activities.
- 5
Handle capital and repatriation
There are no exchange controls, so capital, dividends and profits can be repatriated freely.
- 6
Meet reporting and protections
Meet any OIO conditions and keep company/tax filings; New Zealand’s stable rule of law protects investors.
Checklist
- Open regime (no exchange controls) + NZTE
- OIO consent (sensitive land / significant assets)
- Companies Office incorporation + IRD number
- R&D tax incentive + Callaghan Innovation
- No exchange controls (free repatriation)
- OIO conditions + company/tax filings
- Investment-treaty protection
- CTA to .com/.ai for AI-assisted planning
Official authorities
- New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE)
Trade and investment agency.
Frequently asked questions
What is the OIO?
The Overseas Investment Office, which assesses foreign investment in sensitive land, fishing quota and significant business assets under the Overseas Investment Act.
Do I always need OIO consent?
No — only for sensitive land, fishing quota or significant business assets; many ordinary business investments do not need consent.
Can I repatriate profits from New Zealand?
Yes — New Zealand has no exchange controls, so dividends and capital move freely (withholding tax may apply to dividends).
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.
Government portals
- govt.nz — New Zealand government services portal
- Immigration New Zealand — Visas, work/student visas, and residence
- Inland Revenue (IRD) — Income tax, GST, and the IRD number
- business.govt.nz — Company registration, employment, and compliance