Tejal Somvanshi
Want to keep your current job while living in New Zealand? The country’s new visa rules now make this possible. Remote workers can now stay for up to nine months while working for their overseas employers. This means you could work remotely while exploring New Zealand’s cities and beaches – all perfectly legal under the new rules.
“We want more of the world’s wealthy and super-talented people,” says Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis. The country is especially interested in bringing in tech workers from the United States and East Asia.
The timing matters. New Zealand’s economy needs a boost – it entered a recession last year. Before COVID-19, tourism brought in NZ$40 billion ($22 billion) yearly. Those numbers dropped sharply during the pandemic. Now, with remote work becoming more common worldwide, New Zealand sees an opportunity.
Here’s what you need to know about working remotely from New Zealand:
- You can work for your current overseas employer for up to 90 days without paying New Zealand taxes
- Stays beyond 90 days might require you to pay local taxes
- You cannot work for New Zealand companies or offer services locally
- The rules apply to all visitor visas, including those visiting family
Money spent by international visitors is already climbing back up. In the year ending March 2024, visitors spent about $6.3 billion in New Zealand. The tourism industry employs about 200,000 people. More remote workers staying longer could mean more spending at local businesses, restaurants, and hotels.
But not everyone is celebrating. Queenstown Lakes Mayor Glyn Lewers worries about the city’s ability to handle more long-term visitors. He wants more money for infrastructure investments without raising costs for locals.
Barbara Edmonds, an opposition finance spokesperson, points out another issue. While the government welcomes foreign remote workers, it recently cut nearly 10,000 public service jobs and restricts local government employees from working from home. “We need real long-term solutions for economic growth… not a short-term sugar hit,” she says.
Learning from Other Countries
New Zealand isn’t alone in welcoming remote workers. Over 50 countries offer similar programs. But the results aren’t always positive. In Cape Town, South Africa, locals say remote workers have driven up housing costs. Spain and Greece have seen protests against too many tourists and remote workers in some areas.
Willis acknowledges there might be some challenges but believes the benefits are worth it. “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,” she explains.
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Practical Challenges and Benefits
Working from New Zealand comes with some real-world challenges. Workers would likely need to manage time zone differences with colleagues in Europe or the United States. New Zealand is known for being safe and welcoming to visitors.
The numbers show tourism is recovering – the sector earned $37.7 billion in 2023, getting closer to pre-pandemic levels. Beyond just money, having more remote workers could help New Zealand build connections with global companies and foster international connections that could lead to longer-term economic benefits.
For those thinking about working remotely from New Zealand, the process is simpler than in many other countries. “Other countries have specific visas for remote workers, while New Zealand now lets anyone on a visitor visa be a digital nomad,” explains Immigration Minister Erica Stanford. This straightforward approach could make New Zealand an attractive option for remote workers looking for their next destination.
