Working a 9-to-5 job isn’t for everyone. Some individuals manage to get through a major portion of their lives doing it while compromising their mental health. On the other hand, others look for ways to escape this corporate slavery that restricts them to a closed office space. The recent pandemic proved that remote work is very possible and productive. If you are looking to spice up your work life and escape this monotonous routine, you can choose to become a digital nomad who travels to different countries while using your laptops to work.
What are digital nomads then? A brief description
A digital nomad works remotely while constantly traveling from one place to another. They use a laptop, tablet, or smartphone to work from wherever they want. People choose to be digital nomads because they want to take time to do the things they love while working. Digital nomads get a hold of a temporary residency term that allows them to stay as a visitor in different countries and work remotely from their laptops.
Even when digital nomad visas typically have a 12-month duration, you can get an extension for one or more years, depending on the country that issues the visa. However, countries don’t issue a digital nomad visa to everyone, so numerous digital nomads opt for a tourist visa because it's more cost-effective and they don’t require it for a long time.
Here are five career fields that are most popular among digital nomads:
- Writing
- Education
- Virtual training
- Consulting
- Digital Marketing
Are countries welcoming digital nomads?
Due to an increase in freelancers and remote workers from all over the globe, numerous countries have started welcoming digital nomads. Here are some of the most popular countries that welcome digital nomads with open arms.
Georgia
Residents from 95 countries can enter Georgia without a visa and stay up to 365 days. Even when a dedicated digital nomad visa does not exist, Georgia allows tourists to work remotely during their stay.
Registering a business like an Individual Entrepreneur scheme allows a digital nomad to attain permanent residency in Georgia. Moreover, you need to prove $2000 in income to travel to Georgia, where the cost of living index is 91 out of 137.
Czechia
Czechia has introduced a freelancer visa called Zivno. However, it's pretty complicated as it requires a trade license, and the limited number of options makes it challenging to obtain.
The duration of stay is one year, which digital nomads can extend if they want to stay longer. Digital nomads need to prove an income of €5,587 per person to travel to Czechia while paying a tax of €70 every month. The cost of living index in Czechia is 59 out of 137.
Iceland
Digital nomads can enjoy a long-term visa to work remotely in Iceland, but it’s valid for only six months. The stunning landscape throughout the year makes it difficult to get bored in Iceland.
The cost of getting a visa is €50, but you have to prove an income of €6,460 for a single applicant or €9,690 for a couple. Iceland's cost of living index is 5 out of 137, making it one of the most expensive locations for remote work.
Germany
Germans have made their freelance visa called Aufenthaltserlaubnis für selbständige Tätigkeit, a residency permit for self-employed or remote workers. A digital nomad can stay in Germany for three years but must wait four months for visa approval.
The German digital nomad visa costs about €100, with proof of self-sustainability and an address. The cost of living index in Germany is 32 out of 137, which means it's fairly expensive to work remotely in Germany.
Spain
The Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa is perfect for digital nomads as they are self-sufficient and work remotely. Under the startups law, remote workers can get a visa to stay and work for 12 months, which a digital nomad can extend for another 24 months.
The visa costs about $140, while the digital nomad needs to prove an income of €2151 per month. Spain's cost of living index is 53 of 137, so digital nomads can enjoy the lost costs, beaches, mountains, and vibrant cities like Madrid, Valencia, or Barcelona without facing monetary issues.
How can you find a job where you can work remotely everywhere?
Being a digital nomad has benefits, but you must prove your income first. Here are three places to help you land a remote job and make your dream of becoming a digital nomad come true.
Wiggli
Numerous startups and established businesses post remote jobs on Wiggli to attract suitable candidates. You can select your career field, location, and contract type to search for your desired job. Wiggli uses an easy application processing algorithm that can improve your chances of landing a job. Once you get hired, you can quickly become a digital nomad and set off into a world of adventure.
Upwork
With thousands of remote jobs, Upwork is the best freelancing platform that you can master and become a digital nomad. However, it’s not as easy as it seems, and you will have to work hard to generate a stable monthly income stream. You can choose to work 40 hours a week or less while earning an average of $25 to $30 per hour.
Fiverr
Fiverr can also be among the top freelancing platforms, where service providers can earn more than $3000 per month. You can work from anywhere and be a digital nomad that travels to a different country every six months and enjoys his life.
Conclusion
Digital nomads become independent in how they work and enjoy every day of their life that is, often, filled with adventure. Forty-six countries actively attract digital nomads to visit their country and do their work by offering them a free visa or tax-free income for a specified timeframe. Even if digital nomads want to settle, countries like Georgia have designed residency schemes to make their stay permanent.
