There are two great dreams many of us have. One is to emigrate. Another is to sack the boss. Here's how you can do both and apply for entry to New Zealand within two to three years.
Once it was possible to get a long-term business visa (LTBV) simply through buying a business franchise in New Zealand. If your business succeeded, you qualified for permanent residence. Now it's not so easy. Now you must show you are bringing relevant business skills to New Zealand.
What if, however, you could get these skills and hence qualify for a LTBV? This is where franchising can help you.
One of the best ways to get business experience is to buy a franchise. Running a franchise in your own country is almost certainly the fastest route to getting the experience you need for a New Zealand LTBV.
Your aim in buying a franchise in your home country should be to get the experience you need to buy a similar franchise in New Zealand. Or, with business experience behind you, you can come here and start up your own business from scratch provided your business is similar to the franchise you have run.
Is Franchising and a LTBV the best route for me?
I would recommend this strategy for people who don't qualify for migration by simpler routes.
Qualifying via SMC or by getting a job-offer is easier, quicker and cheaper than the business route. The rules are also much clearer for these routes.
I would only recommend this route for people who are desperate to migrate but have no chance of qualifying more straighforwardly.
Pursuing this route will by no means guarantee residence in New Zealand.
What Type of Franchise Should I Buy?
It's important you buy a franchise that offers the business experience NZIS officers look most favourably upon. I'd keep the following points in mind:
1. Nowhere does the NZIS state in precise terms exactly
what you need to do to qualify for a LTBV. In essence, they operate a
"brownie-point system" with few absolutes. Weakness in a LTBV application in one particular area can be compensated for by strength in another part.
2. Make sure you will enjoy the type of work involved in the franchise. If you end up not coming here, you'll still have something to show for your work.
3. The less time you operate the franchise for successfully in your own country, the less brownie-points your application will rack up. Two years in charge of your own business in your own country is generally the minimum required.
4. It is better if the franchise in your home country gives you experience of employing people. The NZIS would prefer that your franchise in New Zealand creates employment for New Zealanders. If you have already employed people, it is to your benefit.
5. Choose a franchise that gives you real, decision-making responsibilities for your business. The NZIS wants to see that you have experience of full business ownership such as making hiring, finance and marketing decisions, etc.
6. The NZIS often looks more favourably on applicants who intend buying larger franchises in New Zealand since these provide more scope for creating employment.
7. A method of compensating for weakness in one part of your application may be to operate a business or franchise in a more rural area of New Zealand.
8. The NZIS requires that your business will benefit New Zealand.
The most obvious way is through offering employment opportunities to New Zealanders. What the NZIS actually says is:
We consider a business is benefiting New Zealand if it promotes New Zealand's
economic growth. This might be through:
the introduction of new or enhanced existing technology, management or technical skills
the introduction of new or enhanced products or services or export markets
the creation of new or expansion of existing export markets
the creation of new job opportunities
revitalising of an existing business - the business must be trading at the time you apply and must clearly have the potential to become profitable within 12 months.
So, when reviewing franchises in your home market, bear these requirements in mind.
Also bear in mind the possibility that regulations may change and the experience you gain running your franchise will no longer allow you to settle here. To be honest, this seems unlikely because business skills are always in demand here, but trying to predict future government policies is difficult and it's best to bear this in mind before committing yourself enthusiastically to this route to moving to New Zealand.
Final Franchise Thoughts
Most people who run their own successful businesses find the experience considerably more rewarding than working for someone else. If you have always hankered after becoming your own boss, you've now got two reasons to do it - earning your money in a more satisfying way AND providing yourself with a route to New Zealand.
Top 15 effective tips for choosing the right franchise.
Simon Lord, Editor of Franchise New Zealand, looks closely at the issues involved in buying a franchise.
