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Italy could be the latest country to offer a ‘digital nomad’ visa for remote workers

First Croatia, then Spain... could Italy be next to cash in on the home-working trend?

Ed Cunningham
Written by
Ed Cunningham
News Editor, Time Out UK and Time Out London
Matera, Italy
Photograph: Shutterstock
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Sick and tired of being stuck in the same old office, in the same miserable country, with the same shitty weather? Well, imagine how much better life would be if you lived in Italy. Soaking up the sun on gorgeous piazzas, guzzling ridiculous amounts of exquisite pasta and sipping some fine, fine wine... sounds pretty dreamy, right? 

Well, soon that dream could become reality. Italy may be about to start offer ‘digital nomad’ visas, aiming to help freelancers and remote workers more easily live and work in the country. Digital nomad schemes are often designed to appeal to the huge number of people who, thanks to the pandemic, have realised their job isn’t actually tied to living in any one place.

Italy is looking to cash in on the home-working trend, using nomads to give a welcome boost to the wider economy. But when exactly the country might actually put its ‘nomadi digitali’ scheme into practice, however, is a little up in the air. According to The Local, a draft law submitted to the Italian government in January included a new visa category for remote workers. But another law detailing the specifics will likely be required before the scheme can get underway.

Italy’s digital nomad visa law follows Venice’s announcement of a scheme aiming to attract young remote workers and repopulate its city centre. The likes of Portugal, Germany and Croatia have also already introduced digital nomad visa projects, while Spain is currently in the process of drafting a law making it easier for remote workers to get visas.

Of course, if you already live in the EU, none of this really matters. You can already live and work wherever you want within the union. Bloody Brexit, eh?

If you’re interested in signing up for Italy’s digital nomad scheme, watch this space for further updates.

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