New Zealand loosens visitor visa rules

WELLINGTON: 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.

Erica Stanford, Immigration Minister said in a statement that the visitor visa would change from Jan. 27 to allow people to work while travelling in the country.

“This is a brand-new market of tourist New Zealand can tap into. We want people to see our country as the ideal place to visit and work while they do it,” she said.

She added in a press conference following the announcement that she was unsure how many people would take up the opportunity, but digital nomad visas had been “extraordinarily popular” overseas and that New Zealand was targeting people who would like the opportunity to work and travel here.

“I expect in their time here that they will spend longer than they normally would, they will spend more because they’re here for longer, and the thing that we’re really hoping, is that they fall in love with the place,” she said.

New Zealand’s economy sank into a technical recession in the third quarter of 2024 and the government is looking for ways to boost growth. The tourism sector has not fully bounced back from the closure of borders during the COVID-19 pandemic with international visitors at around 86% of 2019 levels.

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“The government’s ambition is that new visa rules will put New Zealand boldly on the map as a welcoming haven for the world’s talent,” said Nicola Willis, Minister of Economic Growth.

“We hope that in some cases, it will encourage those people and the firms they represent to consider doing more business with New Zealand in the future,” Willis added.