Spain will pay digital nomads and remote workers in tech up to $17,000 to move to a rural region: Here’s what to know

If you’re a digital nomad or remote worker in the tech industry looking for a change of scenery, maybe Spain is the place for you.

This month, the local government of Extremadura, Spain, announced it was offering up to €15,000 or $16,703 to move to the area for at least two years. The autonomous community has one of the lowest populations in Spain and has allocated €2 million to entice the relocation of 200 digital nomad and remote workers to the region.

A press release from the Extremadura government states that the grants are for “available housing, arable land, and everything necessary to expedite their arrival.”

This scheme’s announcement is part of an ongoing repopulation program called “Live in Ambroz,” which refers to the Ambroz Valley in the province of Cáceres. The press release states that the valley “is one of the areas that is suffering from a constant loss of population and services.”

Spanish authorities told Euronews that applications for the grants are expected to open in September and can be submitted online once they are available. To apply for the grants, the following requirements have to be fulfilled:

• You can’t have lived in Extremadura within the last six months
• Be a legal resident in Spain and have a foreign identity number
• Work remotely in the tech industry

Non-EU nationals, like from the United States, can also apply but must have already obtained Spain’s digital nomad visa.

The $16,703 being offered will be split into several grants. Women and those under 30 who choose to live in a town with less than 5,000 residents will get €10,000 or $11,135, and others will get €8,000 or $8,908. After two years, women and those under 30 who choose to stay another year will receive a second payment of €5,000 or $5,568, while the others will be given €4,000 or $4,454.  

Applicants will hear within three months if chosen to receive the grants. After being picked, the applicant must register with a municipality in Extremadura to get a padrón certificate within three months. After that step, applicants will have a month to request payment of the grants, which will be made in a single transaction.

Conversions from euros to USD were done using the OANDA conversion rate of 1 euro to 1.11 USD on August 29, 2024. All amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar.

Are you stressed about money? Sign up for CNBC’s new online course. We’ll teach you how to be more successful and confident with your money, and practical strategies to boost savings, get out of debt and invest for the future. Start today and use code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off through September 2, 2024.

Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It’s newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.