ALBAWABA - The headlines about the return to office work after the COVID-19 pandemic continue to dominate the news. However, remote work persists, and many workers are still exploring ways to travel while retaining their jobs.
VisaGuide.World, a free online guide on global visas, has identified and ranked countries issuing remote work visas. This ranking is based on various factors directly affecting the lifestyles of remote workers, including visas, internet speed, tax policies, tax exemptions, income requirements for visa applications, cost of living in euros, healthcare, and the popularity of the tourism sector.
Key Ranking Criteria
The ranking considers several factors, such as visas, internet speed, tax policies, tax exemptions, income requirements for visa applications, cost of living in euros, healthcare, and the popularity of the tourism sector.
For years, Portugal has been a popular destination for digital nomads and expatriates, but it no longer holds the top spot in the recent VisaGuide.World list.
This change follows Portugal's announcement of policy changes scheduled for 2024, which could be seen as discouraging for remote work. These changes include the termination of the special residence system for residents, allowing a 10-year tax reduction for new residents regardless of their nationality. Spain now leads the new list, earning up to 4.5 out of 5 points. Remote work visas in Spain allow individuals to live in the country for up to a year, provided they do not earn less than double the country's minimum wage, exceeding 2600 euros or 2750 dollars monthly.
Spanish Requirements
Applicants must not have a criminal record in Spain or any other location for five years before applying. Additionally, they need private health insurance, a one-year work contract with a company outside Spain, and at least three years of work experience.
Earlier this year, Spain also announced that spouses and families could join successful applicants for remote work visas. Applicants must demonstrate an additional income of $1000 per month per family member. Subsequently, applicants must have an additional amount of $335 per person per month.
For example, for a family of four to move to Spain, the applicant must show an income of $4,350 per month or approximately $52,200 annually. Following Spain, the next countries in the ranking are Argentina, Romania, the United Arab Emirates, Croatia, Portugal, Uruguay, Malta, Norway, and Andorra.
