The Reading / Listening - Digital Nomads - Level 3

There is good news for people who want to work in New Zealand. The country has relaxed its visa rules. It wants to attract "digital nomads" to live and work in the country for up to nine months. A digital nomad is someone who can travel and live anywhere because they work online. New Zealand has a new visa that allows visitors to work remotely for a foreign employer for three months. This can be extended for up to nine months. However, someone staying for nine months may have to pay tax. Economic growth minister Nicola Willis hopes the new visa will help New Zealand's economy. She said: "We want more wealthy and super-talented people coming [through] the arrival gates."

New Zealand's economy has suffered in recent years. The Covid pandemic hurt the country's tourism industry. It has not yet recovered to pre-Covid levels. Another thing that is affecting the economy is the number of young people leaving New Zealand. Record numbers of people in their twenties are going overseas to work. Immigration Minister Erica Stanford hoped the visitors with the new visa will spend more money. This will boost the economy. She said: "I expect in their time here, visitors will spend longer than they normally would. They will spend more because they're here for longer. And the thing that we're really hoping for, is that they fall in love with the place."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Digital Nomads - Level 0,  Digital Nomads - Level 1   or  Digital Nomads - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/28/new-zealand-relaxes-visa-rules-to-lure-digital-nomads-and-influencers
  • https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/new-zealand-loosens-visitor-visa-rules-welcome-digital-nomads-2025-01-27/
  • https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/540177/visas-for-digital-nomads-a-positive-step-commentators-say-but-there-are-potential-complications


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. WORKING ONLINE: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about working online. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       good news / visa rules / digital nomad / online / foreign employer / tax / wealth /
       economy / recent years / tourism / young people / immigration / money / fall in love
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. DIGITAL NOMADS: Students A strongly believe we should all be digital nomads; Students B strongly believe otherwise. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. WORKING REMOTELY: What are the good and bad things about these online jobs? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Good Things

Bad Things

Online tutor

 

 

Customer service

 

 

TikTok content generator

 

 

Digital content writer

 

 

Web developer

 

 

YouTube influencer

 

 
MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. RULES: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "rules". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. LOCATIONS: Rank these with your partner. Put the best places to work at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Cairo
  • Kyoto
  • Hawaii
  • New York
  • Paris
  • Kathmandu
  • Maldives
  • New Zealand

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. relaxed a. A person or company that gives you a job.
      2. attract b. A person who moves from one place to another and does not stay in one place for long.
      3. nomad c. To make someone want to come to you or to a place.
      4. remotely d. Money that people must pay to the government.
      5. employer e. When a rule is made easier or less strict.
      6. extended f. Working from far away, not in the office.
      7. tax  (noun) g. Made something longer, or last longer.

    Paragraph 2

      8. suffered h. When people travel to a place for a holiday.
      9. tourism i. When people move to live in a new country.
      10. industry j. To start to feel very strong love for someone or something.
      11. recovered k. All the businesses that make or do the same type of thing (like tourism, food, or cars).
      12. immigration l. To make something bigger, better, or stronger.
      13. boost  (verb) m. To get better after something bad happened
      14. fall in love n. To feel pain or have a bad experience.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. There is bad news for people wishing to live in New Zealand.     T / F
  2. To get the new visa, a person must work for a foreign employer.     T / F
  3. The New Zealand visa can be expended by up to one year.     T / F
  4. New Zealand's economic growth minister will wait at the arrival gates.     T / F
  5. New Zealand's economy has been booming in recent years.     T / F
  6. Many, many young people are leaving New Zealand.     T / F
  7. The immigration minister thinks visitors will spend more money.     T / F
  8. The immigration minister wants people to fall in love with each other.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. want
  2. relaxed
  3. nomads
  4. extended
  5. wealthy
  6. suffered
  7. recovered
  8. overseas
  9. normally
  10. place
  1. lengthened
  2. hurt
  3. usually
  4. travellers
  5. wish
  6. abroad
  7. area
  8. loosened
  9. rich
  10. got better

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. There is good news for
  2. someone who can travel
  3. a new visa that allows visitors
  4. This can be extended
  5. coming through the arrival
  6. New Zealand's economy has suffered in
  7. The Covid pandemic hurt the country's
  8. Record numbers of people
  9. This will boost
  10. they fall in
  1. to work remotely
  2. love with the place
  3. gates
  4. tourism industry
  5. in their twenties
  6. people who want to work
  7. the economy
  8. and live anywhere
  9. for up to nine months
  10. recent years

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
extended
attract
gates
news
wealthy
allows
tax
someone

There is good (1) ______________________________________________ for people who want to work in New Zealand. The country has relaxed its visa rules. It wants to (2) ______________________________________________ "digital nomads" to live and work in the country for up to nine months. A digital nomad is (3) ______________________________________________ who can travel and live anywhere because they work online. New Zealand has a new visa that (4) ______________________________________________ visitors to work remotely for a foreign employer for three months. This can be (5) ______________________________________________ for up to nine months. However, someone staying for nine months may have to pay (6) ______________________________________________. Economic growth minister Nicola Willis hopes the new visa will help New Zealand's economy. She said: "We want more (7) ______________________________________________ and super-talented people coming [through] the arrival (8) ______________________________________________."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
expect
numbers
love
recent
spend
recovered
longer
twenties

New Zealand's economy has suffered in (9) ______________________________________________ years. The Covid pandemic hurt the country's tourism industry. It has not yet (10) ______________________________________________ to pre-Covid levels. Another thing that is affecting the economy is the number of young people leaving New Zealand. Record (11) ______________________________________________ of people in their (12) ______________________________________________ are going overseas to work. Immigration Minister Erica Stanford hoped the visitors with the new visa will (13) ______________________________________________ more money. This will boost the economy. She said: "I (14) ______________________________________________ in their time here, visitors will spend longer than they normally would. They will spend more because they're here for (15) ______________________________________________. And the thing that we're really hoping for, is that they fall in (16) ______________________________________________ with the place."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) There is good news for people who want to work ______
     a.  on New Zealand
     b.  at New Zealand
     c.  as New Zealand
     d.  in New Zealand
2)  The country has relaxed its visa rules. It wants to ______
     a.  attract digital nomads
     b.  attracts digital nomads
     c.  attract digitally nomads
     d.  attract digital nomad
3)  However, someone staying for nine months may have ______
     a.  to paid tax
     b.  to pay tax
     c.  to payee tax
     d.  toupee tax
4)  minister Nicola Willis hopes the new visa will help ______
     a.  New Zealand's eco no-knee
     b.  New Zealand's economical
     c.  New Zealand's economy
     d.  New Zealand's economize
5)  We want more wealthy and super-talented people coming through ______
     a.  them arrival gates
     b.  the arrival gates
     c.  an arrival gates
     d.  this arrival gates

6)  New Zealand's economy has suffered ______
     a.  on recent years
     b.  in recently years
     c.  in recent year
     d.  in recent years
7)  The Covid pandemic hurt the ______
     a.  countries tourism industry
     b.  country's tourism industry
     c.  county's tourism industry
     d.  counties tourism industry
8)  Record numbers of people in their twenties are going ______
     a.  overseas too work
     b.  overseas two work
     c.  overseas to work
     d.  overseas twerk
9)  I expect in their time here, visitors will spend longer than ______
     a.  they normal would
     b.  they norm all would
     c.  they normally all would
     d.  they normally would
10)  And the thing that we're really hoping for, is that they ______
     a.  falling love
     b.  fall on love
     c.  fall in love
     d.  fallen love

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

There is good news (1) __________________________________________________ want to work in New Zealand. The country has relaxed its visa rules. It wants (2) __________________________________________________ nomads" to live and work in the country for up to nine months. A digital nomad is someone who can travel and live anywhere because (3) __________________________________________________. New Zealand has a new visa that allows visitors to work remotely for a foreign employer for three months. This can be (4) __________________________________________________ to nine months. However, someone staying for nine months may have (5) __________________________________________________. Economic growth minister Nicola Willis hopes the new visa will help New Zealand's economy. She said: "We want more wealthy and super-talented people coming [through] (6) __________________________________________________."

New Zealand's economy has (7) __________________________________________________ years. The Covid pandemic hurt the country's tourism industry. It has not yet recovered to pre-Covid levels. Another thing (8) __________________________________________________ the economy is the number of young people leaving New Zealand. Record numbers of people in their twenties are (9) __________________________________________________ work. Immigration Minister Erica Stanford hoped the visitors with the new visa will spend more money. This will (10) __________________________________________________. She said: "I expect in their time here, visitors will spend longer than (11) __________________________________________________. They will spend more because they're here for longer. And the thing that we're really hoping for, is that they (12) __________________________________________________ with the place."

Comprehension questions

  1. What kind of news is there for people who want to work in New Zealand?
  2. Who must visitors with the visa be employed by?
  3. What will a visitor have to pay if they stay in NZ for nine months?
  4. Who is Nicola Willis?
  5. Who does Nicola Willis want to walk through the arrival gates?
  6. What hurt the New Zealand economy?
  7. Who is leaving New Zealand?
  8. Who is Erica Stanford?
  9. What might those with the new visa boost?
  10. What is Erica Stanford hoping people will fall in love with?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What kind of news is there for people who want to work in New Zealand?
a) good news
b) terrible news
c) sad news
d) breaking news
2) Who must visitors with the visa be employed by?
a) the Internet
b) a tech company
c) a foreign employer
d) themselves
3) What will a visitor have to pay if they stay in NZ for nine months?
a) $100
b) tax
c) a fine
d) the price
4) Who is Nicola Willis?
a) the environment minister
b) the farming minister
c) the housing minister
d) the economic growth minister
5)  Who does Nicola Willis want to walk through the arrival gates?
a) wealthy and super-talented people
b) her family
c) her friends
d) people who love New Zealand

6) What hurt the New Zealand economy?
a) the exchange rate
b) climate change
c) the cost of living crisis
d) the Covid pandemic
7) Who is leaving New Zealand?
a) teenagers
b) young people in their 20s
c) old people
d) people in their 40s
8) Who is Erica Stanford?
a) the finance minister
b) the technology minister
c) the tourism minister
d) the immigration minister
9) What might those with the new visa boost?
a) their health
b) their bank balance
c) the economy
d) tourism
10) What is Erica Stanford hoping people will fall in love with?
a) the Internet
b) New Zealand
c) money
d) working online

Role play

Role  A – Cairo
You think Cairo is the best place to work in for a while. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their places. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): Hawaii, New York or New Zealand.

Role  B – Hawaii
You think Hawaii is the best place to work in for a while. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their places. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): Cairo, New York or New Zealand.

Role  C – New York
You think New York is the best place to work in for a while. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their places. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): Hawaii, Cairo or New Zealand.

Role  D – New Zealand
You think New Zealand is the best place to work in for a while. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their places. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): Hawaii, New York or Cairo.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'nomad'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'virus'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • news
    • relaxed
    • nine
    • tax
    • growth
    • gates
    • recent
    • yet
    • twenties
    • boost
    • spend
    • love

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - Digital Nomads

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the term 'digital nomad'?
    3. What was the last piece of good news you heard?
    4. What do you think of working in New Zealand?
    5. Would you like to be a 'digital nomad'?
    6. Would you like to work online and go anywhere?
    7. Where in the world would you like to work?
    8. What do you think of paying tax?
    9. What kind of online job would you like?
    10. What advice do you have for the NZ government?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'visa'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you think of New Zealand?
    5. How is your country's economy?
    6. Would you like to work as an influencer?
    7. What's tourism like in your country?
    8. Have you ever fallen in love with another country?
    9. Why might people fall in love with your country?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the NZ government?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    There is (1) ____ news for people who want to work in New Zealand. The country has relaxed its visa rules. It wants to attract "digital nomads" to live and work in the country for (2) ____ to nine months. A digital nomad is someone who can travel and live anywhere because they work (3) ____. New Zealand has a new visa that allows visitors to work remotely for a foreign (4) ____ for three months. This can be extended for up to nine months. However, someone staying for nine months may have to (5) ____ tax. Economic growth minister Nicola Willis hopes the new visa will help New Zealand's economy. She said: "We want more wealthy and super-talented people coming [through] the arrival (6) ____."

    New Zealand's economy has suffered (7) ____ recent years. The Covid pandemic hurt the country's tourism industry. It has not yet recovered to pre-Covid levels. Another thing that is (8) ____ the economy is the number of young people leaving New Zealand. Record numbers of people in their (9) ____ are going overseas to work. Immigration Minister Erica Stanford hoped the visitors with the new visa will spend more money. This will (10) ____ the economy. She said: "I expect in their time here, visitors will spend longer (11) ____ they normally would. They will spend more because they're here for longer. And the thing that we're really hoping for, is that they fall (12) ____ love with the place."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    (a)     well     (b)     good     (c)     best     (d)     goodness    
    (a)     over     (b)     up     (c)     along     (d)     increase    
    (a)     out of line     (b)     offline     (c)     in line     (d)     online    
    (a)     employment     (b)     employer     (c)     employee     (d)     employ    
    (a)     spend     (b)     pay     (c)     buy     (d)     get    
    (a)     fences     (b)     portal     (c)     gates     (d)     line    
    (a)     at     (b)     on     (c)     in     (d)     as    
    (a)     affect     (b)     affects     (c)     affecting     (d)     affective    
    (a)     twenty-one     (b)     twenty     (c)     twins     (d)     twenties    
    (a)     boast     (b)     baste     (c)     beast     (d)     boost    
    (a)     than     (b)     what     (c)     for     (d)     as    
    (a)     up     (b)     out     (c)     in     (d)     as

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. travel and live ahwryeen
    2. work remotely for a nfoeigr employer
    3. etdxdeen for up to nine months
    4. help New Zealand's oncmyeo
    5. leaywht and super-talented people
    6. through the ravaril gates

    Paragraph 2

    1. suffered in rnecet years
    2. hurt the country's itsorum industry
    3. It has not yet recvodree
    4. people in their ntstiwee
    5. going seoersav to work
    6. spend longer than they nlaoyrlm would

    Put the text back together

    (...)  for nine months may have to pay tax. Economic growth minister Nicola Willis
    (...)  wealthy and super-talented people coming [through] the arrival gates."
    (...)  hopes the new visa will help New Zealand's economy. She said: "We want more
    (...)  rules. It wants to attract "digital nomads" to live and work in the country for up to nine months. A digital nomad is someone
    (...)  who can travel and live anywhere because they work online. New Zealand has a new visa that allows visitors
    (...)  to work remotely for a foreign employer for three months. This can be extended for up to nine months. However, someone staying
    (...)  people leaving New Zealand. Record numbers of people in their twenties are going
    (...)  overseas to work. Immigration Minister Erica Stanford hoped the visitors with the new visa will spend
    (  1  )  There is good news for people who want to work in New Zealand. The country has relaxed its visa
    (...)  industry. It has not yet recovered to pre-Covid levels. Another thing that is affecting the economy is the number of young
    (...)  New Zealand's economy has suffered in recent years. The Covid pandemic hurt the country's tourism
    (...)  they're here for longer. And the thing that we're really hoping for, is that they fall in love with the place."
    (...)  more money. This will boost the economy. She said: "I expect in their time here, visitors
    (...)  will spend longer than they normally would. They will spend more because

    Put the words in the right order

    1. people   news   for   who   work.   want   to   Good
    2. that   visitors   A   allows   work   visa   to   remotely.
    3. has   pay.   nine   Someone   for   months   to   staying
    4. will   visa   hopes   economy.   She   help   the   New Zealand's
    5. people   arrival   coming   in   the   Super-talented   gates.
    6. the   pandemic   Covid   country's   The   industry.   hurt   tourism
    7. pre-Covid   yet   recovered   It   not   has   levels.   to
    8. more   visa   the   will   spend   Visitors   with   money.
    9. longer.   spend   They'll   they're   because   here   for   more
    10. fall   in   the   with   They   love   place.

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    There is good / best news for people who want to work in New Zealand. The country has relaxing / relaxed its visa rules. It wants to attract "digital nomads" to live and work in / at the country for up to nine months. A digital nomad is someone / no one who can travel and live anywhere because they work offline / online. New Zealand has a new visa that allows / allow visitors to work remotely for a foreign employer / employee for three months. This can be extended for up to nine months. However, someone staying for nine months may have to spend / pay tax. Economic growth minister Nicola Willis hopes the new visa will help New Zealand's economic / economy. She said: "We want more wealthy and super-talented people coming [through] the arrival fences / gates."

    New Zealand's economy has suffered in recently / recent years. The Covid pandemic hurt the country's tourism industry. It has not yet recovered / recovery to pre-Covid levels. Another thing that / what is affecting the economy is the number of young / youth people leaving New Zealand. Record numbers of people in their twenties are going / gone overseas to work. Immigration Minister Erica Stanford hoping / hoped the visitors with the new visa will spend more / many money. This will boost the economy. She said: "I expect / except in their time here, visitors will spend longer than they normally will / would. They will spend more because they're here for longer. And the thing that we're really hoping for, is that they fall on / in love with the place."

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    Th_r_  _s  g__d  n_ws  f_r  p__pl_  wh_  w_nt  t_  w_rk  _n  N_w  Z__l_nd.  Th_  c__ntry  h_s  r_l_x_d  _ts  v_s_  r_l_s.  _t  w_nts  t_  _ttr_ct  "d_g_t_l  n_m_ds"  t_  l_v_  _nd  w_rk  _n  th_  c__ntry  f_r  _p  t_  n_n_  m_nths.  _  d_g_t_l  n_m_d  _s  s_m__n_  wh_  c_n  tr_v_l  _nd  l_v_  _nywh_r_  b_c__s_  th_y  w_rk  _nl_n_.  N_w  Z__l_nd  h_s  _  n_w  v_s_  th_t  _ll_ws  v_s_t_rs  t_  w_rk  r_m_t_ly  f_r  _  f_r__gn  _mpl_y_r  f_r  thr__  m_nths.  Th_s  c_n  b_  _xt_nd_d  f_r  _p  t_  n_n_  m_nths.  H_w_v_r,  s_m__n_  st_y_ng  f_r  n_n_  m_nths  m_y  h_v_  t_  p_y  t_x.  _c_n_m_c  gr_wth  m_n_st_r  N_c_l_  W_ll_s  h_p_s  th_  n_w  v_s_  w_ll  h_lp  N_w  Z__l_nd's  _c_n_my.  Sh_  s__d:  "W_  w_nt  m_r_  w__lthy  _nd  s_p_r-t_l_nt_d  p__pl_  c_m_ng  thr__gh  th_  _rr_v_l  g_t_s."

    N_w  Z__l_nd's  _c_n_my  h_s  s_ff_r_d  _n  r_c_nt  y__rs.  Th_  C_v_d  p_nd_m_c  h_rt  th_  c__ntry's  t__r_sm  _nd_stry.  _t  h_s  n_t  y_t  r_c_v_r_d  t_  pr_-C_v_d  l_v_ls.  _n_th_r  th_ng  th_t  _s  _ff_ct_ng  th_  _c_n_my  _s  th_  n_mb_r  _f  y__ng  p__pl_  l__v_ng  N_w  Z__l_nd.  R_c_rd  n_mb_rs  _f  p__pl_  _n  th__r  tw_nt__s  _r_  g__ng  _v_rs__s  t_  w_rk.  _mm_gr_t__n  M_n_st_r  _r_c_  St_nf_rd  h_p_d  th_  v_s_t_rs  w_th  th_  n_w  v_s_  w_ll  sp_nd  m_r_  m_n_y.  Th_s  w_ll  b__st  th_  _c_n_my.  Sh_  s__d:  "_  _xp_ct  _n  th__r  t_m_  h_r_,  v_s_t_rs  w_ll  sp_nd  l_ng_r  th_n  th_y  n_rm_lly  w__ld.  Th_y  w_ll  sp_nd  m_r_  b_c__s_  th_y'r_  h_r_  f_r  l_ng_r.  _nd  th_  th_ng  th_t  w_'r_  r__lly  h_p_ng  f_r,  _s  th_t  th_y  f_ll  _n  l_v_  w_th  th_  pl_c_."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    there is good news for people who want to work in new zealand the country has relaxed its visa rules it wants to attract digital nomads to live and work in the country for up to nine months a digital nomad is someone who can travel and live anywhere because they work online new zealand has a new visa that allows visitors to work remotely for a foreign employer for three months this can be extended for up to nine months however someone staying for nine months may have to pay tax economic growth minister nicola willis hopes the new visa will help new zealands economy she said we want more wealthy and supertalented people coming through the arrival gates

    new zealands economy has suffered in recent years the covid pandemic hurt the countrys tourism industry it has not yet recovered to precovid levels another thing that is affecting the economy is the number of young people leaving new zealand record numbers of people in their twenties are going overseas to work immigration minister erica stanford hoped the visitors with the new visa will spend more money this will boost the economy she said i expect in their time here visitors will spend longer than they normally would they will spend more because theyre here for longer and the thing that were really hoping for is that they fall in love with the place

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    ThereisgoodnewsforpeoplewhowanttoworkinNewZealand.Thecount
    ryhasrelaxeditsvisarules.Itwantstoattract"digitalnomads"toliveand
    workinthecountryforuptoninemonths.Adigitalnomadissomeonewho
    cantravelandliveanywherebecausetheyworkonline.NewZealandhas
    anewvisathatallowsvisitorstoworkremotelyforaforeignemployerfort
    hreemonths.Thiscanbeextendedforuptoninemonths.However,some
    onestayingforninemonthsmayhavetopaytax.Economicgrowthminis
    terNicolaWillishopesthenewvisawillhelpNewZealand'seconomy.She
    said:"Wewantmorewealthyandsuper-talentedpeoplecoming[throu
    gh]thearrivalgates."NewZealand'seconomyhassufferedinrecentyea
    rs.TheCovidpandemichurtthecountry'stourismindustry.Ithasnotyet
    recoveredtopre-Covidlevels.Anotherthingthatisaffectingtheeconom
    yisthenumberofyoungpeopleleavingNewZealand.Recordnumbersof
    peopleintheirtwentiesaregoingoverseastowork.ImmigrationMiniste
    rEricaStanfordhopedthevisitorswiththenewvisawillspendmoremone
    y.Thiswillboosttheeconomy.Shesaid:"Iexpectintheirtimehere,visito
    rswillspendlongerthantheynormallywould.Theywillspendmorebeca
    usethey'rehereforlonger.Andthethingthatwe'rereallyhopingfor,isth
    attheyfallinlovewiththeplace."

    Free writing

    Write about working remotely for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Academic writing

    Working online is better than working in an office, factory or store. Discuss.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. DIGITAL NOMADS: Make a poster about digital nomads. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. WORKING ONLINE: Write a magazine article about more people working online. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on working online. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your opinions on working online. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Back to the top

    Help Support This Web Site

    • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

    Sean Banville's Book

    Thank You