The Global Impact Visa pilot
A message from Yoseph Ayele, co-founder and CEO of EHF – I’m writing to update you on the Global Impact Visa pilot, which is planned to end in October 2020, we will have updates for you in 2021 about the future of this innovative visa programme.
The last known opportunity to access the Global Impact Visa is by applying to EHF before 5th April for Cohort 7, and between 6th April - 17th May for Cohort 8, with late applications open until 1st June 2020.
It’s just over 3 years since the first applications came through to join the Edmund Hillary Fellowship (EHF). Today we have over 250 global entrepreneurs, investors, and changemakers on a journey to create positive global impact, who are building long-term roots in New Zealand.
Creating positive impact is a journey.
Our journey started with a bold vision: bringing purpose-driven entrepreneurs and investors together in New Zealand to catalyse positive change for the world. This vision was founded on the conviction that entrepreneurship is a powerful tool to address systemic challenges, and that Aotearoa New Zealand has fertile soil to lead positive change on the global stage.
Based on this vision, EHF and Immigration New Zealand took the first action by designing a partnership and building the Global Impact Visa in 2016, so that New Zealand can access top entrepreneurial talent from all over the world. This is the first visa policy to focus on impact, and we believe it’s the world’s most entrepreneur-friendly visa. It was launched as a 4-year pilot, and the New Zealand Government committed 400 visas.
The Global Impact Visa pilot is planned to end in October 2020, and we will share updates about the visa programme in 2021.
It has been a tremendous journey to get the first version of our work off the ground over the past 3 years. In this period of time, EHF has attracted an exceptionally talented group of entrepreneurs, investors and changemakers who are at different stages of their journey in creating lasting impact in New Zealand. A number of EHF Fellows have been driving tangible change in a short period of time that is creating ripple effects, including developing new industries, building cutting edge climate solutions, and supporting New Zealand’s transition towards regenerative agriculture. We will be sharing more case studies of the impact in the coming weeks.
Over the past 3 years, we built EHF as a startup, with scrappy resourcefulness, agility to learn and iterate fast while developing an immigration programme and entrepreneur community from the ground up. We attract and support entrepreneurs, and we had to breathe entrepreneurship day in and out. Our successes in the past years have come about thanks to the support from the EHF Fellows community, our partners in the New Zealand Government, indigenous leaders from Te Ātiawa, and the innovation ecosystem in New Zealand.
The work EHF is doing will continue beyond the end of the visa pilot. We are still on our impact journey, and we are still early on the path to see the full impact that the EHF community is catalysing in New Zealand and around the world. When we started building EHF, this was always a 10+ year vision, and we have a long way to go. Our team is looking to build the next chapter of our work.
I am writing this during a time of great global turbulence and uncertainty with the coronavirus pandemic, which is having dire effects in every aspect of human civilisation. I really don’t know how this will play out, but we have much work to do in creating stronger resilience in all corners of the world. We are living in a time when the climate change impact is accelerating and causing irreversible damage. We need to give it our best shot to reduce human impact on the biosphere and help restore balance of our planetary system. We have been offered incredible tools with technology, business, and global connectivity, which we can harness to create a fairer and just society. There is real work ahead. And New Zealand’s role continues to be more and more important on the world stage. We have a good shot of addressing these issues, and creating new types of solutions to serve humanity.
That is what motivates us at EHF. Each EHF Fellow who has joined comes at it from a different angle, is in their own stage in the journey to create impact, and brings a different world view that enriches the potential of this community.
There are now only two application rounds left before October 2020 to be part of this community and lead global impact from New Zealand. If you have been looking to apply to EHF and access the Global Impact Visa, now is the time to apply.
Apply before 5th April 2020 for Cohort 7.
Cohort 8 applications are open 6th April - 17th May, and late applications will be received until 1st June 2020.
Successful candidates will be notified in July and August, and international Fellows will have to submit completed Global Impact Visa applications before 30th September. Both cohorts will be welcomed in New Zealand early 2021.
You would be joining EHF at a time when the momentum for impact is building up, and you will help the community reach a point of critical mass to help unlock new potential.
EHF Fellows are catalysing positive impact across many industries and sectors. Some impact areas we are seeing strong momentum and have high relevance for New Zealand include:
The transition to regenerative agriculture: Agriculture has been the backbone of the New Zealand economy, and helping it to be more regenerative, resilient, and adding more value to people eating our food.
Growing the space industry: New Zealand is primed to be a global hub for space innovation, where we can apply space technology to solve massive global challenges.
Wellbeing: New Zealand is setting bold goals to improve its society’s wellbeing. Innovative approaches to tackle mental health, addiction, youth suiside, and to create thriving work environment can make New Zealand a leading model.
Developing decentralised technology: top global talent is building decentralised technology infrastructure and applications to transform most industries. EHF and New Zealand continue to attract global leaders in this space.
Transforming education for the future of work: New Zealand faces growing income inequality between cities and regions, and job loss due to automation and globalisation. New models of education, democratised access, and retraining are creating positive impact.
Creating a circular economy: Being an island, New Zealand feels the waste problem. Innovations are changing how we build and use products, and how we think of waste.
Digital media: New Zealand has world-leading film and creative industries, and attracts top global talent in digital media that is changing how we tell stories. Indigenous voices are also telling their own stories and sharing wisdom with the world, through gaming, interactive media, and new tools available.
Growing clean energy: New Zealand has committed to being carbon zero by 2050, and using 100% renewable electricity by 2035, while closing coal mines and stopping new licence for oil explorations. Bold innovations are needed to realise this vision, and you can join the Fellows rising to this challenge.
This is just the start of areas where EHF Fellows are catalysing positive impact, and it’s a sample of where you can make a valuable impact in New Zealand.
Journey with us
Impact is a journey and it doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It takes a group of inspired, committed, and informed individuals to get a world-changing idea off the ground. You can help amplify EHF Fellow impact as they work to develop solutions to some of humanity’s biggest problems. Here is how you can join us in this work as we journey together on a path to a better world:
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Amplify our impact - Share our impact stories with your networks and connect with our Fellows. Learn more about their projects here.