The country, which sank into a recession last year, is trying to entice highly skilled “digital nomads” to work in the island nation for up to nine months.

How about working from home in New Zealand? New Zealand’s government is relaxing the rules around visas to allow tourists to continue their work while visiting the country. Under the new rules, which came in on Monday 27 January,

New Zealand eases visa policies amid a recession and continued struggles to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The New Zealand government has eased its visa requirements in a bid to lure more digital nomads to work in the country. Starting this week, the government relaxed restrictions to allow tourists to work remotely for a foreign employer while on holiday in New Zealand.

New Zealand has relaxed its visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting the country in an effort to boost its tourism sector. Under the new rules, visitors to the country can now carry out remote working for a foreign employer while holidaying for up to 90 days.

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said the change will enable many visitors to extend their stays, leading to more spending in the country.

The so-called "digital nomads" include visitors such as IT specialists, as long as they are not receiving any income from NZ sources.

Around 66 countries across the globe provide digital nomad visas/permits. Spain is the top destination for digital nomads, according to the Digital Nomad Visa Index. Other popular countries are Argentina, Romania, UAE, Croatia, Portugal, Uruguay, Malta, Norway, and Andorra.

New Zealand will introduce looser visa rules to allow holiday makers to work remotely while visiting the country, to boost its tourism sector and economy, it said on Monday.

Pack your laptops and grab your passports, because New Zealand is rolling out the welcome mat for digital nomads. Starting January 27, 2025, the land of stunning landscapes, Hobbiton Movie Set and friendly Kiwis is launching its brand-new “Visitor Visa for Remote Workers”.

While the United States, Canada and several European Union Member states are imposing stringent immigration restrictions, New Zealand has decided to join the Digital Nomad bandwagon by allowing visitor visa holders to work remotely for an overseas employer or client.