Spain and Portugal Are Welcoming Remote Workers Willing to Relocate

Spain and Portugal have been dedicated for years now to making the life of remote workers easier. Whether it's simplifying the visa process, reworking the tax code, or opening its doors to start-ups, the two countries welcome remote workers and digital nomads in ways few countries do. Here is just a taste of what you can enjoy in Portugal and Spain.

The two countries make themselves friendly for remote workers at the very first step of the way. Both are in the European Union, which means that any EU citizen can come and work here without a visa. But each country offers more. Portugal has a temporary stay visa that lets you stay in Portugal for up to a year and can be renewed for two years. All you need for this visa is proof of earnings which states that you earn at least €635 per month. Apart from that, it's the usual documentation like a clean criminal record or passport that you need for every visa. But Portugal also has two other ways in.

The residency visa lets you get a residency permit that lasts for two years. You can get two types of residency visas: D2, which is excellent for businesses and D7, best for independent workers who earn at least €7200 a year. Spain is currently in the process of introducing a digital nomad visa. The main aim of the new legislation is to streamline the process by which remote workers enter the country. This will primarily hinge on proof of remote employment, business ownership outside of the Spanish borders, or evidence of freelance work. Specifics are still being debated, but they will doubtlessly make things more manageable.

Spain has also drafted a law that significantly helps people who work from home. The new law defines a remote worker as someone who works from home at least 30% of the time, which averages about a day and a half per week. This gives you some advantages, most notably that this type of work is now considered normal as full-time work in the office.

Another advantage is that if your employer is Spanish, you can be reimbursed for the employer's equipment and tools required to do your work. All you have to do to be considered a remote worker is draw up an agreement with your employer and submit it to the employment office together with other documentation.

Portugal has passed a law that works explicitly to benefit remote workers. One of the main points was preventing over-monitoring of employees. If you work in a company with more than ten employees, your boss can be fined for trying to reach you outside of working hours.

This helps to maintain a work-life balance for remote workers. But it doesn't stop there; the law also requires employers to pay for tools and even electricity that remote workers use for work. This way, Portugal is well on its way to being one of the friendliest countries for remote workers.