The phrase ‘digital nomad’ might conjure up images of 20-something backpackers travelling the world on a shoestring, but that’s about to change. Many of us have become used to working from home during the coronavirus pandemic and now a number of countries have seized the opportunity of this new trend to offer remote working visas, where you can move abroad without quitting your job back home.
Christopher Nye, Senior Editor at specialists in overseas relocation Property Guides, explains how it works and where you could go.
One in three more likely to move abroad
We recently surveyed our readers here at Property Guides, and we found that a massive one in three were even more likely to move abroad after coronavirus than before. Perhaps it’s being stuck at home that has given them the push to finally make those dreams of a life in the sun come true?
The new digital nomad visas are making that dream easier than ever. Normally, you would need to secure a job offer in the country you want to move to before being accepted for a visa, or you would be expected to find a local job when you arrive. Now, however, some countries will allow you to keep your job back home and work remotely from their country for one or two years or even more – so you get all the excitement of that digital nomad life without the financial uncertainty.
Where could you move?
So, on to the big question: where can you go?
Barbados
Discover one of the Antilles’ most beautiful islands with the ‘Barbados Welcome Stamp’. The programme allows you to stay for one year, working remotely – plenty of time to explore its many white (and pink) sandy beaches. Despite being primarily known as a holiday destination, the island is also well connected for remote working, with the region’s speediest internet and being just a mid-haul flight to many European and American destinations.
Germany
Germany might not be top of the list of many people’s travel destinations, but there’s so much to explore, from quirky Berlin to stately Munich, the wine country of the Rhine and Moselle and the dramatic scenery of the Bavarian Alps.
The Germans are in fact old hands at welcoming digital nomads, with a well established Freiberufler scheme, which lets you work freelance from anywhere in the country. As a plus, if you have EU citizenship, moving is just a case of the formalities of registering at your local town hall, no visa needed.
Ireland
Our nearest neighbour has transformed itself into a digital hub over the last ten years. Dublin’s docks are now home to a plethora of big tech names, from Facebook to Google. For Brits looking to work remotely from the Emerald Isle, the good news is that even after Brexit, UK citizens won’t require a visa as our two countries belong to the Common Travel Area. Irish citizenship is also relatively easy to obtain by descent, wherever you are in the world, as long as you have an Irish grandparent.
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda this month became the latest country to roll out a digital nomad visa. Explore the island of Antigua’s reputed 365 beaches, try your hand at sailing or snorkelling, and sample the delicious local cuisine under the new two-year scheme. You can carry out any form of remote work as long as it meets a flat total minimum income of US$50,000 (whether for one or two joint applicants).
So whether it’s a Caribbean beachside resort or a bustling European city, working from home could turn out to be your passport to your dream life abroad.
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