BK4.30 Business experience (04/02/2008)

1. Principal applicants must have a minimum of four years of recognised business experience.
2. Recognised business experience qualifies for points as set out below:

Note: The four years of business experience does not have to be consecutive.

BK4.30.1 Basic rules for business experience

1. Business experience is recognised for the award of points if it is experience in planning, organisation, control, senior change-management, direction-setting and mentoring acquired through ownership of, or management level experience in, a lawful business enterprise that has at least five full-time employees and an annual turn-over of NZ$1 million.
2. A principal applicant is considered to own a business if they own at least 25 percent of a business.
3. A lawful business enterprise is an organisation that:
   1. operates lawfully in a commercial environment with the goal of returning a profit; and
   2. is not set up primarily for passive or speculative purposes.

BK4.30.5 Length of business experience

1. The length of business experience is determined on the basis of full-time business experience of at least 30 hours per week. Credit for part-time business experience may be given on a proportional basis.

   Example: Business experience gained over eight years for 15 hours per week would equal four years' business experience based on a 30-hour week.

2. Credit is given for 30 hour weeks only, even where a principal applicant has worked more than 30 hours in any week.

BK4.30.10 Evidence of the principal applicant's business experience

1. Documents submitted as evidence of the principal applicant's business experience must show the position(s) and the responsibilities held.
2. Evidence of the principal applicant's business experience can include, but is not limited to, original or certified copies of the following documents as are necessary to allow a business immigration specialist to make a determination:
   1. business registration
   2. company financial accounts
   3. company tax returns and tax records
   4. shareholder certificates or proof of ownership of business
   5. job specifications
   6. job assessments
   7. personal tax returns
   8. letters of appointment
   9. certificates of service
   10. strategic planning documents
   11. references from employers on company letterhead, stating the occupation and dates of employment, and giving the contact phone number and address of the employer.
3. A business immigration specialist may require additional documents, evidence and information as they consider necessary to determine an application.
4. Evidence of part-time business experience includes that listed in paragraph (b) above, but must show actual weekly hours worked.

Note: Documents provided as evidence of business experience must, in combination, demonstrate experience of all the elements contained within the requirements for recognition of the business experience (see BK4.30.1).

BK4.30.15 Evidence of New Zealand business experience

Evidence of New Zealand business experience must include:

1. evidence of business experience as listed in BK4.30.10; and
2. evidence that the New Zealand business experience was lawfully gained.

BK4.30.20 Bonus points for business experience

1. A principal applicant will qualify for bonus points for business experience where skills in one or more of the following areas can be demonstrated:
   • export linkages
   • entrepreneurship
   • management skills.
2. Five points may be claimed for each of the areas set out in (a) above.
3. For each business experience area set out under (a) in which the principal applicant qualifies for five bonus points, the principal applicant is able to qualify for an additional five points if it is in an identified future growth area (see BK4.30.40).

BK4.30.25 Export Linkages

A principal applicant qualifies for bonus points for export linkages if they have owned or managed a lawful business enterprise for 12 months which has exported to at least one country or has imported from New Zealand.

BK4.30.30 Entrepreneurship

A principal applicant qualifies for bonus points for entrepreneurship if they have established a new lawful business enterprise that they still operate or have sold as a going concern, having operated that business enterprise for a minimum of 12 months.

BK4.30.35 Management skills

A principal applicant qualifies for bonus points for management skills if:

1. they have been responsible for managing a lawful business enterprise for a minimum of 12 months which has at least 10 full-time employees and/or an annual turnover of $2.5 million; or
2. they hold a recognised Master of Business Administration qualification which would qualify for 55 points for a recognised qualification under the Skilled Migrant Category (see SM14.10).

BK4.30.40 Future growth areas

As future growth areas are identified they will be listed in this provision. For the purposes of this policy, currently identified future growth areas are as follows:

• Biotechnology
• Information Communications Technology
• Creative industries (Advertising, Software & Computing Services, Publishing, TV and Radio, Film and Video, Architecture, Design, Designer Fashion, Music and Performing Arts, Visual Arts).

Effective 04/02/2008