Digital nomads, multi-speed Europe: from Italy to the new frontiers of remote working

Working remotely while moving between cities and countries is no longer a niche phenomenon, but a lifestyle model chosen by thousands of professionals. Digital nomads represent a growing economic and cultural resource: they bring income, consumption and skills, with direct effects on tourism and innovation. Europe, however, is moving in scattered order: some states have introduced ad hoc visas, others focus only on local projects.

Italy came late to the appointment. It was only in 2022, with the Sostegni-ter decree, that the figure of the digital nomad was introduced, but the implementation decrees only arrived in 2024. Today, the permit is reserved for highly qualified non-EU workers who carry out remote activities for non-Italian companies. Requirements include an annual income of no less than about 28,000 euro, health insurance, accommodation in Italy and the absence of a criminal record. The maximum duration of the permit is one year, renewable, and it can also be extended to family members. However, there is a lack of national attraction programmes or local incentives, and this risks penalising Italy compared to competing countries such as Spain and Croatia, which have built real strategies to attract this category.

As of 1 January 2021, Croatia offers the Temporary Stay of Digital Nomads permit, intended for non-EU citizens working remotely for companies registered abroad. The required income is at least EUR 3,295 per month, or the availability of EUR 39,540 for one year (up to EUR 59,310 for 18 months). The visa lasts up to 18 months, is extendable to family members and also requires health insurance and a clean criminal record. As of September 2024, 629 permits were active, with applicants mainly from Russia, Ukraine and the United States. Some regions, such as Istria, have developed co-working programmes and facilities to attract international workers.

As of 2022, Spain has introduced the visa for international teleworkers within the framework of the Startup Law. To obtain it, it is necessary to prove a minimum income of EUR 2,762 per month. Success was immediate: by the end of 2024, 27,000 875 permits were active, almost three times the 9,000 568 in 2023. More than half of the applicants came from non-EU European countries, followed by Latin America (17%) and North America (12%). Several local governments have launched incentives, such as Extremadura, which offers up to 15 thousand euros to those who choose to settle in the region. Spain sees digital nomads not only as a driver for tourism and consumption, but also as a contributor of human capital and innovation.

Austria has not introduced a specific visa for digital nomads, but has focused on regional initiatives. In Klagenfurt, Carinthia, the Chamber of Commerce and the local authorities have launched the project 'Digital Nomads - Working between Alps & Sea', which offers co-working spaces, networking events and a 'business beach', i.e. an equipped area on the shores of Lake Wörthersee where it is possible to work with wi-fi and technological infrastructure directly at the water's edge. The Schladming-Dachstein region also presents itself as the 'Bali of the Alps', emphasising the combination of outdoor activities (skiing, hiking, climbing) and digital infrastructure. The Austrian approach is therefore different: not regulatory incentives, but territorial promotion and investment in local host ecosystems.