Brits can now ‘work from home’ in top holiday hotspot for a year with new ‘digital nomad’ visa – the 6 criteria to apply
BRITS can now work remotely all the way from a sunny holiday hotspot thanks to a new “Digital Nomad” visa.
Any non-EU citizen wanting to relocate their morning meetings to the Mediterranean just needs to meet six simple criteria.
As of April 4, remote workers and self-employed people can apply to live in Italy for up to a year.
It aims to give remote workers the perfect opportunity to upgrade their work-life balance as they can make money whilst travelling around the country.
After being talked about for years, it is Italy’s latest bid to encourage growth amid an ageing population.
Obtaining a visa for Italy is certainly not one of the simplest tasks for EU Digital Nomads.
Candidates need to be deemed “highly skilled,” which the Italian government describes as someone “who carries out a highly qualified work activity with the use of technological tools capable of allowing them to work remotely, both as a worker self-employed or as a collaborator or employee of a company even if not resident in Italy.”
To be eligible for remote work in Italy, one must have a university or college degree with a minimum duration of three years from an accredited institution.
Candidates must also provide an accredited professional license, or demonstrate accredited superior professional experience.
Additionally, applicants should have a minimum of six months’ experience in the industry they intend to work remotely.
Alongside relevant qualifications and experience, candidates must secure a work contract with a salary not less than €28,000 (£24,000) per year.
Italy's 'Digital Nomad' visa eligibility criteria
STUDIO Legale Metta outlined six criteria for those wanting to join the scheme, and those interested are advised to apply four to five months in advance.
These include:
- College or university degree (at least three years) from an accredited institution, an accredited professional licence, or accredited superior professional experience.
- At least six months of experience in the industry where they plan to work remotely.
- A work contract and a salary of at least €28,000 (£24,000).
- No particular immigration offences committed within the last five years.
- Evidence of a place to stay in Italy.
- Health insurance. A private medical insurance usually costs between €350-700 a year.
Prospective remote workers must have a clean record, with no specific immigration crimes within the past five years.
They are also required to provide evidence of lodging arrangements in Italy and must have health insurance coverage.
Anyone interested must apply at their local Italian Consulate before they arrive in Italy and it would be valid for one year.
However, you can potentially renew it once in the country.
Once you arrive in Italy you would have eight days to apply for a residence permit, also known as “permesso di soggiorno”.
Self-employed people would also need to apply for an Italian tax VAT number and seek guidance on how to appropriately pay local taxes.
Other countries offering 'Digital Nomad' visas
ITALY has joined the list of nations that grant Digital Nomad visas in an effort to improve economic development by recruiting high-income overseas workers.
These are some of the other countries offering Digital Nomad visas:
Japan: Digital Nomads making above $63,000 (£50,202) annually are now welcome to Japan, provided they can provide documentation of their own private health insurance for the whole year of their stay.
Romania: Romania is said to offer a relatively easy process as it requires a minimum monthly salary of $4,000 (£3,187) and has an online response time of just two weeks.
Croatia: Digital nomads wanting to relocate to Croatia must have a minimum monthly salary of just over $2,500 (£1,992) plus accommodation requirements.
Spain: To work remotely in Spain you need to apply in person at a Spanish embassy and the wait can be between 15-45 days for a response. But it has a relatively low minimum monthly salary requirement of $2,300 (£1,832).
Cyprus: The Mediterranean island looks to be one of the most difficult Digital Nomad visas to get because you must first enter the nation, which may require getting a tourist visa first. The minimum monthly wage requirement is $3,800 (£3,028), and you must provide blood tests and chest X-rays to prove that you do not have Hepatitis B, C, TB, or HIV.
Other countries include Estonia, Barbados, Bermuda, Georgia, and Portugal.
