Digital Nomad Visas: How Covid-19 is Challenging the Status Quo

From eccentric lone wolfs to rising trend and, why not, world domination, digital nomads have predicted it all quite well. Starting as outsiders challenging the traditional workplace and confident enough to embrace minimalism to survive the tough conditions of moving from one place to another all that often, they have significantly evolved through time. Not to be confused with remote workers or freelancers, digital nomads are a category of their own. My personal opinion, they are pioneers. As is anyone willing to make a living outside of what society defines as normal.

While it’s a very common misconception that the term “digital nomad” was an aftereffect of travel blogging about a decade ago, the truth is far different, deeply intriguing and goes back to 1997. Because, in reality, the term was invented and described way before it actually existed thanks to some serious forward-thinking academic work presented by the rockstar IT scientist Dr. Tsugio Makimoto and the professional writer David Manners in their homonymous book “Digital Nomad”. And this is when digital nomads were born. I could talk about the uniqueness of this book for hours but I will resist the temptation and only quote one of my favourite sayings:

The 21st century will be the millennium which resurrects for humans a dilemma which has been dormant for 10,000 years – humans will be able to ask themselves: “Am I a Nomad or a Settler?

Digital Nomad, 1997

But things have not been easy for our contemporary nomads. This blurred line between being an expat and a vacationer due to a lack of a concrete way to introduce themselves professionally during their creative wanderlust has been the cause of multiple practical implications. Practical implications that were only added to some already challenging psychological matters they faced including loneliness, burnout associated with difficulties to switch off from work mode, financial struggles, communication issues and everything that comes with joining new cultures and communities all that often.

Is it a work visa? Is it a traveller’s visa? Are we dealing business or pleasure here? A work visa takes too much bureaucracy and too many people need to get involved, let alone you’ll probably need a fixed contract with a single employer with not much of flexibility there. On the other hand, a traveller’s visa can only be granted for a few months if you are lucky enough and it usually goes hand in hand with a health insurance package that is either too expensive or too inadequate. And let’s be honest here, working from a foreign country while being on a tourist visa is considered technically illegal in many, if not most, destinations. And not everyone feels risky enough to walk into this grey area always making sure that this new local acquaintance is not, in fact, an immigrant officer.

But the problem (and the blessing at the same time) with digital nomads is that they cannot tell business from pleasure. They are big supporters of work-life blending. They went down this road because they are free souls looking to push their limits, explore, learn and blend in with the locals. They are out on an adventure and they are perfectly capable of making a profit as long as you give them a reliable internet service and a descent but low cost living. And it is not really that important whether those people are looking for a life-long nomadic lifestyle or a short break from life as we know it. What is important is that these people identify as digital nomads here and now and giving them the option to use this professional identity officially can unlock creativity and take their productivity to whole new levels.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, companies like google and Facebook, giants in the field of technology, literally inspired this whole new movement in their pursuit of exquisite talent through their eagerness to invest thousands and thousands of dollars to recruit the right people no matter where they were located. And, without a doubt, that’s what made Silicon Valley the tech and innovation hub it is today. Completely overlooking national borders was a game changer. It was the stepping stone to opening up the human capital market and bringing closer offer and demand. But this is only one way to read into things. If you look closer you will see that hiring globally but moving them all to a hub city can be further simplified by removing the pressure of relocation when applicable.

Unintentionally, Covid-19 has shed light on this nomadic lifestyle and became a catalyst for change. With remote work skyrocketing during this last year and the potential of this tendency being remarkable, the way we work has changed. The traditional workplace is being challenged. There are multiple directions to follow from where we stand right now but going back is not one of them. Not being able to travel during the pandemic is the last barrier to be broken down when this humanitarian crisis is over. And this is where many countries saw a window of opportunity. With little chance of reaching pre-Covid levels of global tourism spendings before 2024 the earliest, focus on healing tourism calls for new categories of “tourists” besides the traditional ones to be targeted. And digital nomads are the perfect tourists because they are willing to add value on a local level. With their moto being “live like a local” they consciously shop locally, circulating money within the local economy and community and avoiding international brands for as long as they stay in one place. Digital nomads long to blend in.

An Overview of the Current Digital Nomad Visas Around the Globe

The pile of information I gathered while studying the current situation on digital nomad visas has been impressive! Whether you are an experienced digital nomad or an aspiring one, below you can find everything you need to know to start planning your next steps.

Sixteen nations have already believed, invested in and initiated a digital nomad visa program. Sixteen nations may not sound like quite the number but there are two things to consider before reaching conclusions. First of all, this discussion has been on the table for such a short time, only a couple of years if you think about it. For sixteen countries to have already taken action on such short notice it’s not something to pass by easily. And, secondly, just think of all these other countries currently working on their own projects. Take Greece, for instance! It has been officially announced that a new legislation framework to attract digital nomads is already at the last drafting stages.

Putting it in simple words, this is good. The direction things seem to have taken is good. Globalisation is here to stay and it is taking over all aspects of our lives. For companies to resist it and not look beyond their locale can potentially deprive them of a serious competitive edge. Digital Nomad Visas are here to make the game tougher because they add more players to the set. Up until now, it was only companies that had to compete for the best talent. Now countries also claim a share. And this is how Dr Makimoto’s prophesy that “remote work will force nations to compete for citizens” will be fulfilled. Playing the cards right, this can be a win-win situation. 

While it might seem a little out of place, I caught myself thinking of the Beat Generation since the moment I started reading about digital nomadism. And even though I know there is no real connection between modern digital nomads and these bohemian hedonists of the past, It still feels appropriate to end this post with these inspiring words of Jack Kerouac:

Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.

Jack Kerouac