South Africa is an incredibly serene location, full of natural landscape and beauty. Its department of home affairs is considering implementing a remote working visa in order to attract the new breed of digital nomads. 

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused workers to abandon traditional office settings. The way people do business has changed as remote work has become the norm. Hybrid models are likely to replace permanent in-office schedules post-pandemic. 

A remote working visa will allow professionals to live and work in South Africa for a foreign company. The current visa system allows these professionals to enter the country. That is only for 90 days or less, subject to certain restrictions. 

James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth in Cape Town, has proposed an amendment to Section 11 of the South African Immigration Act. That would extend the validity of the visa in order to attract digital nomads. 

Costa Rica and Mauritius, for example, have recently amended their immigration policies to allow for remote work visas. In order to attract foreign workers, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched its green visa and freelance visa in 2021. In the coming months, Spain’s new Startup Act intends to implement a dedicated digital nomad visa.

Source: iafrica.com