New Zealand Rolls Out the Welcome Mat for Investors and Digital Nomads

New Zealand holds a special place in the imagination. It’s long been seen as the most exotic and inaccessible of the English colonial nations. Its natural beauty, remoteness from the world’s population centers, and sparse population have always made it attractive for a certain type of expat.

The problem is that New Zealand has long been one of the most difficult places to get into. The combination of an insular culture and a solicitous approach to the interests of the native Māori population means the island nation hasn’t seen the need to encourage a lot of immigration.

That’s starting to change, however.

It’s one thing for foreigners to pine for a life along the country’s black sand beaches or Pacific fjords. The reality is that many young Kiwis don’t see a life of opportunity in the land of the long white cloud.

Record numbers of them have chosen to cross the Tasman Sea and start a new life in warmer and sunnier Australia. In 2024, the country suffered a net loss of 47,000 residents.

That's prompted the government in Wellington to ease restrictions on current immigration methods and create new ones.

Next month, the country will cut the minimum investment for a golden visa by almost half. The minimum stay requirement will drop from 105 days to 21, and English language proficiency will no longer be required.

The golden visa—officially known as the Active Investor Plus program—is designed with Asian immigrants in mind. The country is already home to thousands of Hong Kongers who left the enclave after it returned to China in 1999. More recently it has attracted Chinese looking for a Plan B reasonably close to home.

Under the new terms, applicants have a choice of investing $5.8 million USD in New Zealand business and equity funds over three years or investing $3.8 million USD over five years in bonds, property, businesses, and investment funds. Families and children up to age 24 can be included, and permanent residency is possible after five years.

Wellington’s stunning harbor—a prime destination for expats and digital nomads.|©iStock/mdworschak

The changes come hot on the heels of the country's new digital nomad visa.

Launched at the beginning of this year, it's unusual in that there is no minimum income requirement. Industry sources say that that's because it's aimed primarily at the social media influencer community, people who film themselves in exotic locations in order to encourage others to visit. In that sense, the digital nomad visa is a form of national advertising.

To apply for the visa, you simply arrive in the country on a tourist visa, then extend it for up to nine months. You can't work for a New Zealand employer or provide goods or services to locals. You'll trigger tax residency if you spend more than 92 days out of 12 months in the country, but New Zealand has tax treaties with most countries, so tax payments may not be necessary.

I've visited New Zealand before, and for me, the only drawback of the digital nomad visa is that I would not want to leave after the 12 months are over. As a South African, I share the Kiwis' love of rugby, and the culture is much more relaxed and less competitive than in neighboring Australia.

While the digital nomad visa is easily accessible to most folks, the changed golden visa remains quite expensive compared to those available elsewhere. But for those with the means and the interest in living in one of the world’s most beautiful countries, it’s well worth every penny.