New Zealand might soon become one of the world countries that offers special visas for digital nomads.
This was confirmed by the Minister of Immigration of New Zealand, Erica Stanford, who said that the country’s government is considering introducing a visa for digital nomads, VisaGuide.World reports.
However, Minister Stanford stressed that the introduction of the visa for digital nomads is not “an immediate priority”, suggesting that it will take time before a definite decision is made.
Digital nomads wanting to work from New Zealand currently need to apply for a Working Holiday Visa or a Visitor Visa.
However, these two types of visas are not specifically for digital nomads. For this reason, the introduction of a special visa just for digital nomads is long-awaited as advantages will come with it.
While the authorities have not given a specific date when the digital nomad visa might be introduced, it is believed that the government will start working on it as soon as they finish the changes to some of the immigration rules.
As The Press explains, the National Party said prior to the election that the country might start by offering a small number of visas to digital nomads – around 250.
The same noted that this type of visa would permit its holders to live and work from New Zealand for up to a year.
Regarding taxes, the Minister of Revenue, Simon Watts said that they are considering some tax policy options for the digital nomad visa.
Digital Nomad Visa Would Benefit Both Parties, Proponents Say
The supporters of the New Zealand digital nomad visa have said that the scheme will benefit both parties, digital nomads and the country’s economy.
According to the Press, proponents have said that as long as digital nomads do not tackle local jobs, they do not see any problem with the scheme.
Several countries around the world currently offer digital nomad visas. However, digital nomads might keep in mind some criteria when choosing a country to work remotely from.
According to the VisaGuide Digital Nomad Index, Spain is currently the best country to be a digital nomad, with a 4.50 digital nomad score.
Digital nomads in Spain are eligible for a six-month tax-free period, and once this period is over, they have to pay 15 percent in taxes.
In addition to Spain, the top ten list of best countries to be a digital nomad includes Argentina, Romania, UAE, Croatia, Portugal, Uruguay, Malta, Norway, and Andorra.