One great perk of owning a small business, especially if you’re a freelancer, consultant, e-commerce website owner, or any other business that can be run remotely, is that you can work from anywhere.
Entrepreneurs often have some special flexibility for how, when, and where they can work — and what if you wanted to leave America, and be a digital nomad, and go live and work in other countries altogether?
Many countries around the world are starting to offer digital nomad visas. These are special documents that let you live and work legally in other countries for extended periods, whether or not you want to stay there permanently or get citizenship.
If you’ve ever dreamed of moving to another country while still enjoying the benefits of being an American entrepreneur, getting a digital nomad visa could be the right choice. Let’s look at a few of the best countries for digital nomads.
Top 10 countries for digital nomads
Here are the 10 best countries to move to as a digital nomad, according to the Global Citizen Solutions Global Digital Nomad report,
1. Spain
Spain was awarded the top ranking from Global Citizen Solutions as the best country for digital nomads. Here are a few big reasons:
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- Tax benefits: Digital nomads in Spain have to pay a flat 24% tax on income sourced within Spain, but zero tax on foreign-earned income.
- Low cost of living: Spain is one of the most affordable countries in Western Europe.
- Gain Spanish citizenship faster: The time you spend in Spain with a digital nomad visa can count toward gaining Spanish citizenship.
On a personal note: Spain is one of the most marvelous countries I’ve ever visited, and I would love to go back. Maybe a Spanish digital nomad visa is in my future.
2. Netherlands and 3. Norway
These countries ranked No. 2 and 3 on the list of best countries for digital nomads, and both get similarly high marks for quality of life. The Netherlands and Norway both score highly for excellent healthcare, education, and social services.
4. Estonia and 5. Romania
Estonia and Romania are smaller countries in Eastern Europe, but they both scored highly as great destinations for digital nomads. That’s because both of these nations have invested heavily in improving their high-speed internet access, making connectivity better for digital nomads and entrepreneurs.
6. Malta
Malta is a small island nation in the Mediterranean, but even though it’s tiny, it’s a member of the European Union. If you want to easily travel between EU countries and enjoy the Southern European lifestyle in a tourist paradise, Malta could be a great place to run your business as a digital nomad.
7. Portugal
Portugal is the most affordable country in Western Europe, and it has made big efforts to improve conditions there for digital nomads and tech entrepreneurs. The Digital Nomad Madeira program in Portugal offers a “Digital Nomad Village” in Ponta do Sol, with coworking spaces and community events. If you want to enjoy great wine and Iberian sun while running a successful business in another country, Portugal could be a great choice.
8. Canada
Canada is the only country outside of Europe that made it to the top 10 rankings for digital nomads. But Canada scores highly for quality of life and technology infrastructure.
9. Hungary
Hungary is a small country in Central Europe, but it made the list for its low cost of living and ease of movement between other European Union nations. And with the Hungarian digital nomad program, digital nomads have the potential to gain permanent residency.
10. France
France is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, with a reputation for excellent food, wine, art, culture and quality of life. If you want to run your small business in France as a digital nomad, you can apply for a digital nomad visa that lasts up to 12 months.
Why small business owners should be digital nomads
If you’re an American with a U.S. passport, you can often go visit other countries for up to 90 days at a time without a visa. But if you want to work legally in other countries, and if you want to stay for longer than 90 days, you need to get a work visa in that other country.
Traditionally, unless you had an international company footing the bill for your travels, it was difficult to get approved for a work visa and navigate the immigration system. But digital nomad visas make it easier.
As a digital nomad and small business owner, you’re not “taking” a job from any local people in another country — your work is on the internet, and your bank account might even be in America. Being a digital nomad is an intriguing way for small business owners to experience international living, and more countries are getting flexible with issuing visas for digital nomads.
Some of the best countries for digital nomads will even offer a pathway to permanent residency or citizenship if you want to stay there long-term.
Bottom line
Make sure you understand the immigration laws and tax implications before you plan on making a move to another country. But many small business owners now have better options than ever before to experience work and life in other countries.
Check out the best countries for digital nomads and see where you can run your business and live your life while learning new languages and experiencing fascinating new cultures.