Could you picture yourself living and working in Tallinn, Estonia? The country just announced it ... [+]
Can you work from anywhere as long as you have access to the internet? Need a change of scenery? Consider Estonia, where the cost of living is 30 percent less than that of the U.S.
The Baltic country and EU member is the latest in a handful of countries to create a so-called “digital nomad visa” in the hopes of attracting remote workers to live — and, of course, spend money — inside their borders. For applicants, the key criteria is being able to demonstrate steady remote income. The upside for Estonia is a potential influx of newcomers who will spend their hard-earned euros and help the local economy, without taking jobs from native citizens.
With more remote workers in the world than any time in history, some countries are seeing the benefits of courting folks who are gainfully employed, digitally savvy, high earning and able to work from anywhere.
Estonia’s government has voted to amend its Alien Act to allow for a digital nomad visa for stays for up to a year — nine months longer than the three-month tourist visa allows.
“A digital nomad visa strengthens Estonia’s image as an e-state and thus enables Estonia to have a more effective say on an international scale,” said Estonia Interior Minister Mart Helme in an announcement.
The program will compliment Estonia’s e-residency for entrepreneurs, according to Helme. Nearly 1,800 people per year could be eligible to apply for a digital nomad visa, according to a statement.
Estonia’s new visa will roll out soon, as Europe reopens during the COVID-19 pandemic. On June 1, Estonia reopened its borders to travelers arriving from other countries of the European Union, the Schengen Zone, and the United Kingdom. Borders will stay closed to non-Europeans through at least the end of June.
Other European countries have also adopted a welcoming posture toward so-called digital nomads. Examples include the Czech Republic, whose so-called zivno visa — short for “zivnostenské opravneni” – is a type of long-term business visa for freelancers and other independent or remote workers. Germany offers a “freiberufler” visa specifically for freelancers as well as remote and self-employed workers that is typically granted for three months but can be converted into a residence permit. And Portugal offers a temporary resident visa for independent workers and entrepreneurs.
Programs for Digital Nomads in the U.S.
Like the concept but want to stay closer to home? Several states have rolled out similar welcome wagons for remote workers with great success. Vermont’s Remote Worker Grant Program sweetened the pot by offering remote workers up to $10,000 over two years just to transplant in the Green Mountain State. (That program doled out all the allocated funds and is on hold.)
In Oklahoma, the Tulsa Remote program is twice as generous, giving successful applicants a $10,000 cash payout over the first year. The program launched in November 2018 with 100 available slots and got nearly ten times that many applications on the very first day. This year, Tulsa Remote is currently looking for 250 more applicants.
Looking for a lower cost of living? Consider applying to the Remote Shoals program in Northwest Alabama. This program will also give remote workers $10,000 cash over one year, which goes a long way in a place where the average home price is a third of the national median.
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