Canada Start-Up Visa vs New Zealand Investor 2 Visa
A factual side-by-side comparison of two residency programmes. All figures are drawn from the canonical program pages — follow either link in the table header for sources and the full profile.
Key Differences at a Glance
- ›New Zealand Investor 2 Visa is faster: 9 months vs 14 months for Canada Start-Up Visa.
- ›Faster to citizenship: Canada Start-Up Visa at ~3 years, vs 5 for New Zealand Investor 2 Visa.
- ›New Zealand Investor 2 Visa requires a 1,800,000 USD investment; Canada Start-Up Visa does not.
Canada Start-Up Visa Canada · entrepreneur | New Zealand Investor 2 Visa New Zealand · investment | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Canada | New Zealand |
| Category | Entrepreneur | Investment |
| Application Fee | $1,575 | $3,525 |
| Minimum Income | — | — |
| Minimum Investment | — | $1,800,000 |
| Processing Time | 14 months | 9 months |
| Family Included | Spouse/common-law partner and dependent children are included and receive permanent residency simultaneously | Partner and dependent children included in the residence visa application |
| Path to PR | Yes — 0 years | Yes — 0 years |
| Path to Citizenship | Yes — 3 years | Yes — 5 years |
| Physical Presence | Must be physically present in Canada; PR holders must reside 730 days in 5 years to maintain status | Must spend at least 438 days in New Zealand over the 4-year investment period to meet residence obligations |
| Dual Citizenship | Allowed | Allowed |
| Tax Impact | Permanent residents are subject to Canadian worldwide income tax from landing date | Resident visa holders are subject to New Zealand tax on worldwide income; a four-year transitional tax exemption on foreign-sourced income may be available for new residents |
| Tax Residency Trigger | 183 days/yr | 183 days/yr |
| Worldwide Taxation | Yes | Yes |
| Renewal Cost | — | — |
About Canada Start-Up Visa
Canada's Start-Up Visa grants permanent residence directly to innovative entrepreneurs whose business secures a letter of support from a designated Canadian venture capital fund, angel investor group, or incubator. There is no set investment, but applicants need a qualifying ownership stake (10%+ individually, over 50% collectively across founders), CLB 5 language ability (roughly A2) in English or French across all four skills, and settlement funds. Up to five co-founders can apply on one business, and spouse plus dependent children receive PR simultaneously. The business must be incorporated in and actively managed from Canada; abandoning it, or franchise/non-innovative models, is disallowed. Budget about USD 13,000-30,000 in the first year; processing has slowed sharply, with IRCC targeting 2-3 years. PR holders must reside 730 days per 5 years and become taxable on worldwide income from landing. Citizenship is reachable after 3 years, with an A2 language test, civic test, oath, and dual nationality allowed.
Full Canada Start-Up Visa profile →About New Zealand Investor 2 Visa
New Zealand's Investor 2 Visa is a high-net-worth residence route requiring a minimum NZD 3,000,000 (~USD 1.8M) in acceptable New Zealand investments, excluding residential property, held for a mandatory four-year period. Applicants must be aged 65 or under, show at least three years of senior business experience, meet a basic English standard (IELTS 3.0 or a settlement course), and spend at least 438 days in New Zealand across the four years; day-counting is strict and inflexible. Partner and dependent children are included. Beyond the investment, budget roughly USD 65,000-110,000 in the first year; decisions target about 9 months but complex source-of-funds reviews can run 12-18 months. Completing the investment and presence obligations delivers permanent residence, with citizenship available after 5 years (basic language, oath), and dual nationality permitted. Holders are taxed on worldwide income once tax-resident (183-day rule), though a four-year transitional exemption covers most foreign-source income for those not NZ-resident in the prior decade. This stream replaced the former Investor 2 category in September 2022.
Full New Zealand Investor 2 Visa profile →Gotchas to Watch For
Canada Start-Up Visa
- ⚠2024 IRCC announced 2-3 year processing target; inventory caps prioritise certain applications
- ⚠Business must be actively operated in Canada post-PR; inactive companies risk review
- ⚠Multiple founders (up to 5) can share one Letter of Support — but all must be essential
- ⚠Designated organizations have varying reputations; due diligence critical
New Zealand Investor 2 Visa
- ⚠**Replaced the old Investor 2 category in September 2022**. Old Investor 2 (NZD 3M passive) is closed to new applicants.
- ⚠NZ taxes worldwide income once tax-resident after the 4-year transitional window — plan carefully
- ⚠Day counting is strict: 117 days (direct) vs 335 days (managed) over 3 years is not flexible
Neutral reference — we don't recommend one programme over another. Programmes change: always verify each detail against the official source linked on the individual program pages.