New Zealand eases visa policies amid a recession and continued struggles to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - 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.

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said the change will enable many visitors to extend their stays, leading to more spending in the country.

New Zealand has relaxed its visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting the country in an effort to boost its tourism sector. Under the new rules, visitors to the country can now carry out remote working for a foreign employer while holidaying for up to 90 days.

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.

The new visa rules will allow travellers to extend their time in the country. However, working for more than 90 days could have tax implications.

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.

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