Brazil wants digital nomads. On Jan. 24, the government announced a new type of visa for the wandering workers.
An influx of digital nomads could help the nation’s economy; more workers mean more taxpayers and more people spending their money in Brazil.
The visa will allow workers to stay in the country for up to one year before nomads have to renew it.
José Vicente Santini, leader of the National Immigration Council, suggested that the visa will also bolster the country’s tourism industry.
Digital nomads must apply at a Brazilian consular office. To prove their eligibility, they have to supply at least some of the following:
- Proof of their status as a remote worker
- Employment contract documents from an international business
- Proof of health insurance
- Proof that they make enough money to financially support themselves in Brazil
Nonetheless, some voices in the country’s technology industry wonder whether the government’s resources would be best spent on attracting foreign talent.
The Federation of Associations of Brazilian Information Technology Companies has stated that many Brazilians are now choosing to work for foreign companies even while staying in the nation. Leaders in the organization call this phenomenon “virtual brain drain.”
Though employees needn’t leave the country to work for non-Brazilian companies, they are, in some ways, opting out of the local economy. Based on recent data, the organization believes that 450,000 Brazilian technology workers might be “lost” in this way in the next three years.
The trade body’s official stance is that the federal government should focus more on keeping citizens engaged with local companies than wooing digital nomads.
However, it’s unclear whether such initiatives would be effective. Though remote work was often necessary at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, many people have discovered that they prefer it.
With that in mind, numerous countries worldwide have created digital nomad visas.