New Zealand relaxes visa rules; allows foreign travellers to work remotely

New Zealand has relaxed its visa rules to allow foreign visitors to work remotely in the country. The island country is banking on its tourism to drive an economic recovery. 

Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis at a press conference at Wellington Airport on Monday said that the government would target highly skilled people, particularly IT workers from Southeast Asia, as per a report in Bloomberg. 

“The government’s ambition is that these new visa rules will put New Zealand on the map as a welcoming haven for the world’s talent. We want more of the world’s wealthy and super-talented people coming in those arrival gates,” said Willis. 

The new visa rules will allow travellers to extend their time in the country. However, Willis cautioned that working for more than 90 days could have tax implications. 

The change will apply to all visitor visas, including tourists, partners and guardians on long-term visas. Only remote work that is based overseas is allowed, the report added. Nations such as Spain and Thailand already have similar visas. 

CHANGE IN NEW ZEALAND IMMIGRATION POLICIES

The New Zealand government has announced significant updates to its visa and employment requirements, simplifying pathways for both employers and prospective workers by adjusting wage thresholds, work experience criteria, and visa durations. The government removed the median pay criteria for the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) and the Specific Purpose Work Visa (SPWV).

The New Zealand government has also decreased the minimum work experience requirement for migrants from three years to two years. 

New Zealand is introducing a three-year multi-entry visa for experienced seasonal workers and a seven-month single-entry visa for lower-skilled workers. These are apart from the current temporary, seasonal worker programs that will remain operational.