If you're a digital nomad looking for new destinations, you may soon be able to consider Latvia, as the country plans to introduce a visa for highly skilled professionals.
Latvia's Cabinet of Ministers recently approved a draft amendment to the country's Immigration Law that will allow citizens of third countries to live and work as digital nomads from Latvia, The Baltic Times reports.
According to Latvia's Immigration Law, a third-country national is a foreigner who's not from a member state of the European Union, the European Economic Area, or Switzerland.
The nomadic visa scheme must also be approved by the Saeima, Latvia's parliament. Once approved, professionals working for a company registered abroad and self-employed people can apply for a visa for one year.
It can be extended for another year. Digital nomad visa holders won't be allowed to work for an employer registered in Latvia or apply for social assistance in the country.
Applicants must prove that they've been employed for at least the last six months and earn at least 2.5 times the average monthly wage in Latvia. The average monthly wage in Latvia is around €1,250, according to Statista.
Latvian Interior Minister Marija Golubeva was quoted by The Baltic Times as saying that research shows countries with more open immigration policies have lower unemployment rates, higher GDP, lower government spending, and a better-educated workforce.
She expressed confidence that the digital nomad visa will attract highly skilled workers to Latvia, especially in the field IT.
"Countries that have introduced such a regulation [are proof] that the solution promotes immigration of highly skilled labor. Latvia is a safe country in the EU, with beautiful nature and relatively low living costs. From here, it is easy to travel to any other country in Europe," the minister said.
The experience of other governments that have introduced digital nomad initiatives shows that such programs not only boost business activity and economic growth, but also promote tourism, which is an important economic driver in many countries.
As reported by the Baltic Times, the nomad visa proposed by Latvia's Cabinet of Ministers also aims to encourage Latvians living abroad to return to their home country to work. It's also intended to facilitate the relocation of their spouses to Latvia.
As the interior minister pointed out, Latvia, which is located between Lithuania and Estonia, is a relatively cheap destination in Europe.
According to Numbeo, an online database of user-entered data, the estimated monthly cost for a single person in Latvia is €664.97, excluding rent.
Latvia's capital, Riga, is especially popular with slow-traveling remote workers. The city's high-speed Internet, tourist attractions, outstanding architecture, eco-friendly nature, and delicious food as well as the fact that it allows for a variety of outdoor activities are some of the main reasons why digital nomads travel to Riga.
When Latvia officially launches the digital nomad visa, it joins a growing list of European countries that have announced initiatives to attract digital nomads, including Hungary, Portugal, France, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Malta, Croatia, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Romania.
