Unusual measure Vacation destination pays you 14,000 francs if you emigrate
The Spanish government is trying to attract young and technically skilled workers to the remote region of Extremadura. A reward of up to 14,000 francs is on offer.
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- Spain is luring digital nomads to the remote region of Extremadura.
- The government is paying people up to 14,000 francs to relocate.
- Young workers are particularly sought after.
The western Spanish region of Extremadura has a problem: too many people are moving away. There are currently only 26 inhabitants per square kilometer. Nowhere else in Spain is the population density so low. By comparison, Barcelona has around 16,000 people per square kilometer.
The government wants to change this and is providing around two million francs to attract up to 200 digital nomads, as reported by Forbes. The money is intended to attract young people to the remote area with its mountains, forests, lakes and nature reserves.
Digital nomads are workers who almost exclusively use digital technologies to carry out their work.
Young people are particularly welcome
Specifically, women and men under the age of 30 will receive 10,000 euros (9460 francs) if they move to Extremadura and live there for two years. Anyone who decides to stay in the region after two years will receive a further 5000 euros (4730 francs). Men over the age of 30 will initially receive 8000 euros (7570 francs), with an additional 4000 euros (3780 francs) two years later.
The aim is to stimulate the local economy and stop emigration. Citizens from all over the world can apply. Without an EU passport, a digital nomad visa is required.
In addition, interested applicants must not have been resident in the region for at least six months at the time of application. And applicants must be moving to a place with a population of less than 5,000 people.
Low cost of living as a plus
According to Forbes, the application period is expected to start in mid-September. Applications can be submitted electronically via the Extremadura website.
In addition to the financial reward, Extremadura boasts a low cost of living. According to Forbes, for example, rents in Cáceres, one of the most important areas in the region, are 63 percent lower than in Madrid. Supermarket prices are 5.2 percent lower than in the capital. Whether these arguments are enough remains to be seen.
