Since 27 January 2025, travellers holding a NZeTA can work in New Zealand as long as their employer is not based in the country. Until recently, digital nomads needed a Working Holiday Visa or other type of work visa to be able to work in New Zealand.
What are digital nomads?
Digital nomads are professionals who are not attached to a specific location for their job. They can work anywhere in the world as long as they have an Internet connection. Digital nomads are often individuals working in the IT industry, or freelancers who work for different customers. Instead of working from home, digital nomads often combine work and travel, and they operate from countries with pleasant weather or a lower cost of living. Due to its beautiful landscapes, good services and infrastructure, New Zealand is an attractive destination for digital nomads.
Easing of visa rules
Until recently, travellers to New Zealand could not work in the country for an extended period of time, not even if their employer was based outside New Zealand. The NZeTA only allowed travel for holidays, visits to friends or family or business trips. Digital nomads who wanted to work from New Zealand for a foreign employer or customer used to need a Working Holiday Visa or a work visa. Since January 27, 2025, the requirements for digital nomads have been eased, and travelers holding a NZeTA or a Visitor Visa can now work in New Zealand for an extended period of time.
No special visa New Zealand for digital nomads
Living as a digital nomad has been booming since 2023. Several countries have taken measures to make it easy for digital nomads to stay in their country, for instance by offering specific visas for digital nomads. Indonesia, for instance, has recently introduced the Remote Worker Visa, and Turkey and Kenya have also launched a special Digital Nomad Visa.
New Zealand has not introduced a new visa type. However, it has relaxed the travel requirements on existing visas. Digital nomads can therefore now apply for a NZeTA in order to work remotely from New Zealand. The NZeTA has a validity period of two years, and it permits an unlimited number of trips to New Zealand. Since each individual stay in New Zealand may last up to three months, travelers holding a NZeTA can stay and work in New Zealand for several consecutive months.
Requirements to work with a NZeTA
Travelers who are planning to work in New Zealand as digital nomads need to take into account a series of requirements. For example, these travellers are not allowed to work for an employer based in New Zealand, only for employers or customers based outside the country. Also, no goods or services may be provided to consumers or businesses in New Zealand. Lastly, these travellers cannot carry out activities requiring physical presence on a workplace in New Zealand.
Applying for NZeTA online
Applying for an NZeTA is much simpler than applying for a New Zealand work visa or for a Working Holiday Visa for New Zealand. In fact, you can apply for the NZeTA online in only a few minutes. You only need to fill in an online application form and upload your ID photo. Once granted, you will receive your NZeTA by email after 5 days on average. Do you want to work as a digital nomad in New Zealand?
Apply here and now for your NZeTA online