The DONUT in Paris... and other places

Pack your bags, fellow remote workers, we’re headed… anywhere, really. According to a recent Migration Policy Institute report, more than 25 countries and territories have now launched digital nomad visas over the past few years.

🌍 A deeper dive… The trend began with small, tourism-dependent European and Caribbean nations, the WSJ reports. And now, larger economies like the UAE, Brazil, and Italy are all launching their own initiatives.

Most are aimed as a way to boost economies and sustain local service jobs – and while specifics vary from country to country, it’s typical for a visa to require proof of remote employment, travel insurance, and some level of minimum monthly earnings (which can range anywhere from ~$1,500/month in Brazil to ~$5,000/month in the UAE).

• Tax breaks and other perks also aren’t uncommon, and stays can range anywhere from six months to two years.

📈 Big picture: The number of Americans identifying as digital nomads, aka they combine remote work with travel, more than doubled to 15 million in 2021 from seven million in 2019.

🥊 The bottom line: “Countries are now competing for talent, just like companies used to compete for talent,” said Prithwiraj Choudhury, an associate professor at Harvard Business School.