A picture taken on June 13, 2023 shows a view of the San Antonio neighborhood in Caceres, western Spain. Since 1986, Caceres is one of the 13 Spanish cities classified as World Heritage by UNESCO. JORGE GUERRERO/AFP via Getty Images
Spain wants to pay digital nomads and remote tech workers to relocate to its rural region of Extremadura by as much as $17,000. According to CNBC, it's part of the region's strategy to combat depopulation with 200 new residents being attracted to settling through a financial incentive.
The local government has allocated nearly $2 million for this programme, to breathe life into communities in the Ambroz Valley-an area within Extremadura that has particularly suffered from depopulation.
Depending on the background, USA Today shared that different types of applicants have a right to different grants.
For example, women and those under 30 years old who want to live in towns with fewer than 5,000 residents receive $11,135 (€10,000). Others to move into the region get $8,908 (€8,000). If they intend to stay more than a year, these groups will get further payments: up to an extra $5,568 for women and young residents, and $4,454 for others.
To qualify, applicants must meet several requirements. They cannot have lived in Extremadura within the last six months, must be legal residents of Spain with a foreign identity number, and work remotely in the tech industry. Non-European Union nationals, including Americans, can also apply, provided they have already obtained Spain's digital nomad visa.
The application process will open in September, and those selected will be notified within three months.
Once chosen, Forbes stated that applicants must register with a local municipality in Extremadura within three months to obtain a padrón certificate. After completing this step, they have one month to request their grant payment, which will be issued as a single transaction.
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