European Worker Visa Programs

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, dozens of countries jumped on the digital nomad visa bandwagon…

An unexpected effect of the pandemic was that it made and proved the case for remote working. Companies all over the world were forced to rapidly transition their entire workforces to remote working or working from home from their laptops… something that, previously, no one thought was possible.

Not only is remote working possible, it’s beneficial to both employees and employers. More flexibility means improved work/life balance and increased job satisfaction for the employee. This translates to reduced absenteeism and better retention rates for employers, saving money.

So, if all you need is a laptop and internet connection to do your work successfully and both you and your employer are happy with a remote working arrangement, do you even need to be in the same city or country as the company you work for? Digital nomads would tell you that the answer is no.

Remote working has gone mainstream, and countries all over the world are capitalizing on this. Visa programs designed specifically to entice remote workers have sprung up all over the place, particularly in countries feeling the losses from their paltry tourism numbers this year.

Georgia, a tourism-dependent country, launched a long-term visitor program aimed at remote workers wanting to stay six months or longer. The hope is that the scheme will offset losses from tourism they felt over the course of the pandemic.

Estonia is offering the Digital Nomad Visa—a comprehensive program two years in the making whose launch date (Aug. 1, 2020) coincidentally lines up with the pandemic.

Ever a forward-thinking country, Estonia sought to address the opportunity remote workers were presenting long before the situation brought about by COVID-19. They were aware of the fact that digital nomads travel the world on tourist visas and so technically work illegally while visiting certain places…

They wanted to provide a solution, and the Digital Nomad Visa was it. To qualify, you need to pay a fee (100 euros), have health insurance, and earn at least 3,504 euros a month.

Other countries have had similar programs in the works for years as well…

The Czech Republic targets freelancers and remote workers with its zivno (or long-term business) visa. It lets you stay in the country for an extended period if you can prove your income, health insurance, and accommodation. The program isn’t new, but now is the perfect time to take advantage of it.

Portugal’s another potential option for independent workers, allowing you to stay for a year on its self-employment visa. The hoops are bit higher to jump through, though. You need to prove that your skills are needed there, and your application bodes over better if you have some local clients.

However, to date, none of the programs launched is as attractive as Croatia’s…

In a low-key launch in February 2021—as if by accident—Croatia launched a new type of residence permit with a complete exemption on foreign earned income for a grand total cost in fees of around US$100, and it can be issued in just one to two months.

Croatia’s program offers a combination of unprecedented and unlimited access to the whole European Union while travel is still restricted, a clear tax exemption written into law, and zero obligation to spend time in-country.

The main criteria to qualify you plus your loved ones and kids for this visa are:

• You must be working for a foreign company. You can own the company or just be an employee, and it can be from anywhere in the world. AS. company, a Nevis LLC, or a Panama corporation, for example, will work just fine. You cannot be retired or unemployed.

• You must have around US$30,000 in a personal bank account. This figure could even potentially be reduced if you’re OK submitting slightly more complicated paperwork.

• You must not be an EU citizen. Why? Because as an EU citizen you just don’t need a residence permit to live in the EU. This program is arguably tailored for Americans and Canadians.  Brits will be breathing a sigh of relief here that due to Brexit, they can qualify too… everyone who is not Croatian or an EU citizen can apply.

You don’t need any expensive lawyers to do this. You can apply for it yourself, online in English, or in person at your nearest embassy.