Greece has tabled a bill in parliament aimed at drawing digital nomads to the country.

Like many countries around the world, Greece has entered the race to take advantage of the huge increase in remote workers caused by the pandemic and their spending power.

The bill, prepared by the Ministry of Migration, foresees that non-Greek residents will be able to stay in the country for a period of up to 18 months and work with foreign-based employers.

Initially, those applying for the visa can qualify for a 12-month stay, and then a six-month extension will be possible.

Among the conditions that must be met is providing proof that the digital nomad will be in work for the duration of their stay by producing an employee contract. Evidence is also needed that the remote worker earns enough money to get by without burdening the country’s social security system.

Specifically, they will be required to show a monthly income of at least 3,500 euros.

Recent research by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology showed that the Greek economy could benefit by 1.3 billion euros if the country attracted 100,000 digital nomads annually and they stayed in the country for an average of six months.

The bill also includes changes being made to Greece’s Golden visa scheme in a bid to make it more competitive.

This article was first published here. 

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