Lifestyle
Work with a view
In recent weeks, the second favourite question on Zoom calls, after “Can you hear me?”, has been, “Are you back in the office yet?” The business broadsheets are also full of articles debating the “new normal” of “working-from-home" and if it will persist. If your company, like many others, is extending work-from-home policies into 2021 and beyond what are your options?
What about joining the flocks of “Digital Nomads”? If you’re facing six months away from the office why stay in your cramped city flat when you could work from the beach, the countryside, the mountains?
“We are evaluating the opportunity to rent parts of our resort in Nicaragua for 3, 6 even 12 months.”
Real Estate Executive.
Traditional, short-term, international tourism has been hammered during the pandemic and many destinations are looking to attract longer-term remote workers. For example, in July, Barbados launched its Welcome Stamp, a visa allowing you to work remotely on the island for 12 months.
A real estate executive in the Latin American region described what he is seeing, “People don’t want to be at their offices anymore and they rather spend more time outside, in open places, far away from the developed cities. We are evaluating the opportunity to rent parts of our resort in Nicaragua for 3, 6 or even 12 months.”
Costa Rica is another prime candidate for the Digital Nomad. Prior to the pandemic it was one of the most visited countries in Central America and boasts a good health system, fantastic flora and fauna, an affordable cost of living, high standards of education and a large local population of English speakers. The country is also a pioneer of Ecotourism and sustainability is high on the country’s agenda.
“There are calls to modify the immigration law to expedite the paperwork for digital nomads.”
Senior Official, Ministry of Tourism, Costa Rica.
We had a very honest conversation with a senior official at the Ministry of Tourism, “Digital Nomads want to work with a view [no problem] but with the comforts and convenience of a city. At a country level we sometimes fall short on this but in terms accessibility, internet, mobile, etc we are far ahead of regional competition.”
Tourists can currently only stay in Costa Rica for 3 months but our source told us they are working hard to modify this to attract Digital Nomads, “We find that there is regulatory space for a one-year visa because it already exists within the law. It is a visa where someone can work from Costa Rica, not work for a local company, but they can operate from here.”
Our source continues, “There are calls to modify the Immigration Law to expedite the paperwork for Digital Nomads. This modification is a priority for the country and I would hope that in the next month, we will have more clarity on the matter.”
Fancy the next 12 months in Costa Rica? Our source at the Ministry of Tourism is happy to help, get in touch!
Important Notice
While the information in this article has been prepared in good faith, no representation, warranty, assurance or undertaking (express or implied) is or will be made, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by Deheza Limited or by its officers, employees or agents in relation to the adequacy, accuracy, completeness or reasonableness of this article, or of any other information (whether written or oral), notice or document supplied or otherwise made available in connection with this article. All and any such responsibility and liability is expressly disclaimed. This article has been delivered to interested parties for information only. Deheza Limited gives no undertaking to provide the recipient with access to any additional information or to update this article or any additional information, or to correct any inaccuracies in it which may become apparent.