Work-from-anywhere, where workers enjoy the flexibility to live in a geography of their choice, is here to stay, and countries around the world are in a race to attract the growing class of international remote workers known as “digital nomads.” Portugal, for example, now offers a two-year renewable residence visa for workers who can prove that they have a remote job for the length of their stay. Other countries that offer a form of digital nomad visas include Australia, Czech Republic, UAE, Estonia, Germany, Thailand, Indonesia, Italy, Spain and Brazil, among many others. (See the below chart for details). These visas typically require proof of income and remote employment, travel insurance, and intent to depart. In summary, digital nomads invest their time and money in the local economy, without taking local jobs, and build bridges with local knowledge workers — a win-win for both remote workers and local communities.
How “Digital Nomad” Visas Can Boost Local Economies
More and more companies are offering their employees the option to “work from anywhere,” whether in their home office, in another state, or even halfway around the globe. A growing group of remote professionals are taking the “anywhere” in work-from-anywhere to new lengths. These “digital nomads” leverage their remote jobs to allow them to live in tourist hotspots or tropical destinations for months at a time. Others engage in months-long “work-cations,” combining periods of working and tourism. During the Covid-19 pandemic, many countries — especially those with significant tourism sectors suffering from reductions in global travel — began offering specific visas to these digital nomads. It’s abundantly clear that digital nomads, and remote workers in general, can be a boon to any economy— spending money, facilitating collaboration and spurring innovation — a win-win for both the digital nomads and the economies where they choose to live and work.