Life after lockdown might feel far off for some of us at the moment, but if there’s one thing for sure, it’s that remote working will open up a whole world of opportunity. If you’re logging on from home, why not do so from the beach, or your favourite city – or both? Christopher Nye gives us his pick of the best countries for digital nomads
When we surveyed our Property Guides readers, one third told us that coronavirus has made it more likely that they would move abroad.
For many, that’s because the pandemic has made them want to finally get on with their dreams. Why spend hours commuting on packed trains in the dark and rain when you could have a leisurely start to the day in your beachfront apartment in Portugal’s Algarve?
It’s also about making the most of the financial opportunities. If you can work remotely for a company in an area with high salaries, but enjoy a low local cost of living, you could find yourself both enjoying a better quality of life and still saving more money than before.
So if, like our readers, you’re ready to take the plunge, where are the best countries to move to for today’s remote workers?
Portugal
Sunny Portugal has been making a name for itself as one of the world’s top spots for working from home. With long, warm summers, gorgeous historic towns and villages and a booming local digital scene – Lisbon is home to the annual Web Summit – it offers the perfect mixture of a laid-back lifestyle and digital-ready set-up.
As for the legalities, it couldn’t be easier. There are both temporary and permanent visas for freelancers and entrepreneurs alike, allowing you to stay in the country for 12 months or longer. For EU citizens, moving means nothing more than buying a plane ticket and registering with the town hall once you arrive. There are also ‘golden visas’ for those buying a property over €500,000.
Barbados
If you’ve ever found yourself not wanting to go home after a holiday, Barbados has the answer for you. The beautiful Caribbean island has recently announced the ‘Barbados Welcome Stamp’, offering a one-year visa for digital nomads to come and experience the island’s legendary hospitality.
You may be working from a tropical island, but you can expect solid infrastructure with perhaps the fastest internet in the region, and you have the advantage of being on the same time zone as New York, just four hours behind London and three hours ahead of San Francisco.
La Réunion
Sitting in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, the French overseas department of La Réunion is a fascinating mixture of European, African and Asian cultures. With its white sandy beaches and dramatic volcanic scenery, it’s the perfect place to escape the rush of city life.
Although geographically closest to Africa, La Réunion is part of the European Union – so anyone with EU citizenship can move and work here with no more paperwork than mainland France. If you’re not an EU citizen, France has a special visa for people in self-employed or a ‘liberal activity’, allowing you to stay for one year.
Germany
For anyone after the city lifestyle more than the beach and tropics, Germany could be the answer. Quirky Berlin offers all the attractions of a capital city, with a much lower cost of living than you might expect. Munich is a pricier option, but it’s perfect for anyone looking to explore Europe, putting you within a couple of hours from Vienna, Prague and Milan, as well as the stunning scenery of the Alps.
With typical German efficiency, the country was the first to introduce specialised visas for digital nomads, called Freiberufler, allowing you to freelance from anywhere in the country.
Of course, as in Portugal, if you hold European Union citizenship, all you’ll need to do is move without a visa and register yourself at your local town hall.
Where next?
As demand for remote working across borders grows, we fully expect more and more tailored visas and pathways for remote workers to become available. Bali, for example, has long been a favourite of digital nomads, but working from paradise has often meant some rather loose interpretations of visa rules. Now, however, a petition to Indonesian President Joko Widodo for a remote working visa has gathered almost 2,500 signatures. Croatia’s Prime Minister has also said that the country is working on a remote visa, too.
The remote office is here to stay – and it could take your career to places you could previously only have dreamed of living in.
Christopher Nye is Senior Editor at overseas homes and relocation website Property Guides
