The recent changes to New Zealand's visa program doesn't actually involve the launch of a separate “digital nomad visa," but instead creates an option within the Visitor Visa ca

New Zealand’s announces new visa rules to lure digital nomads - The push for remote workers to visit New Zealand is part of a wider push for tourism

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.

Foreign visitors to New Zealand will able to work remotely while in the country, the government says, announcing a major visa shake-up.

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.

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.

These new conditions mean that tourists can stay in New Zealand as a digital nomad and keep in touch with work back home, without breaching their visa conditions. Both visitor visa recipients and people who enter with a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) will receive these conditions.

The visa changes allow foreigners to work remotely for their home country companies while staying in New Zealand, with added benefits such as no taxation on remote work income for stays under 90 days.

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.

Visitors can now carry out remote working for a foreign employer while holidaying in the country for up to 90 days.