New Zealand relaxes visa rules to lure digital nomads and influencers | New Zealand

New Zealand has relaxed its visitor visa rules to attract so-called “digital nomads” in a bid to boost tourism and the economy.

Visitor visas will now allow people to work remotely for a foreign employer while they are visiting New Zealand for up to 90 days. The visa can be extended up to nine months but visitors may need to pay tax during this time.

Economic growth minister Nicola Willis said making it easier for digital nomads – people who work remotely while travelling – to work in New Zealand, will boost the country’s appeal as a destination. The visa would extend to influencers, as long as they are being paid by an overseas company.

“We simply won’t get rich selling to ourselves,” she told a media conference, adding that she wanted to give people around the world good reasons to spend and invest in New Zealand. Highly skilled IT workers from the US and east Asia will be targeted in a promotional campaign.

“We want more wealth and super-talented people coming in the arrival gates,” Willis said.

Digital nomads work for overseas companies, so they would not be competing with New Zealanders for local jobs, Willis said, adding that while some may bend the rules, the benefits outweighed the risks.

“We’re not going to be checking out how many emails they’re sending and how many days they’re spending working. We just want them to be here and spending their hard-earned money.”

New Zealand’s economy suffered in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Last week, HSBC told local media the country experienced the biggest contraction in GDP of any developed country in the world in 2024, due to high interest rates and unemployment.

Tourism also took a hit. Prior to the pandemic, the sector was New Zealand’s largest export industry and delivered $40.9bn to the country. The most recent figures show those numbers are creeping back up, with tourism bringing in $37.7bn in 2023.

More than 50 countries offer digital nomad visas, however their presence is not always welcome. Locals living in Spain, Portugal and South Africa have criticised the influx of tourists and digital nomads for contributing to crowding and putting strain on housing markets.

Responding to the announcement, opposition finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds criticised the lack of information on how much it would grow the economy, adding that Willis’ policy was a double standard.

Last year, the government warned public service employees that working remotely was not an entitlement. It also cut nearly 10,000 jobs from the public service, in order to save money.

“With one hand she’s begging foreigners to come here to work from home, while implementing strict policies on … public servants to stop them from doing the same,” Edmonds said. “We need real long-term solutions for economic growth … not a short-term sugar hit.”