The Immigration Minister says they've seen a spike in immigration applications from wealthy American investors. 

The Golden Visa system was re-jigged to attract those with a minimum of $5 million to invest in New Zealand's economy. 

Applications so far amount to a minimum investment of $260 million, with Erica Stanford saying most are from North America. 

Lane Neave immigration expert Mark Williams told Mike Hosking that's not surprising. 

He says any country in the world facing economic uncertainty would be a source of immigration. 

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