There are rising choices for people who can work remotely for everyone who has ever dreamed of working in Europe for a long time (and being able to travel freely throughout the continent). EU governments are increasingly luring these digital nomads, or techpats, as a means of combatting the pandemic’s economic effects.
A large number of European countries already have programs in place to attract digital nomads–by definition, these are people who are already working and can, as a result, spend money in the country of their choosing right away, boosting the economy.
Applicants must show that they have a consistent income, usually around $2,000 per month, and most provide stays of up to a year with the option of renewal of the visa once or twice.
Georgia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Iceland, Germany, Norway, Portugal (where an income of $600 is required and the visa is renewable for a duration of 5 years), Malta, Hungary, and, more recently, Romania, have all implemented the digital nomad visa.
The main attraction of the digital nomad visa is the length of stay–most visas are only valid for three months, and even if a visa is not required to visit a nation, one is required if the visitor intends to stay longer. These nomad visa systems are far less bureaucratic than more traditional work visa programmes in EU nations.
Spain has now announced the introduction of a digital nomad visa. People who work for clients or firms outside the country would be allowed to enter for six to twelve months without the right to stay–visas could be extended under certain circumstances.
The initiative is part of Spain’s new Start Up Act, which aims to revitalize towns and villages with dwindling inhabitants, but whose beauty and location may appeal to those wishing to work remotely in new and desirable locales.
The Red Nacional de Pueblos Acogedores para el Teletrabajo, for example, has 30 villages signed up (or National Network of Welcoming Villages for Remote workers). These are small communities with less than 5,000 residents located throughout the country that provide significant benefits to anyone looking to migrate either temporarily or permanently.
Source: forbes.com
