A RURAL region in Spain is offering £12,000 to remote workers to help revitalise the area.
Digital nomads will soon be able to swap city life for the rolling hills of Ambroz Valley in Spain.
AlamyA new visa will give 200 digital nomads the chance to move to Ambroz Valley in Spain[/caption]
GettyThe idyllic region features stunning waterfalls and landscapes[/caption]
AlamyAmbroz Valley is located three hours from Madrid[/caption]
AlamyThe sun drenched region will pay people to move into the smaller villages to help revitalise the area[/caption]
Dubbed “Live in Ambroz”, eligible applicants will receive financial support to cover housing, land, and other expenses, but only if they stay for two years.
Surrounded by mountains, the Ambroz Valley is made of lush green land, charming villages, and local artisan cuisine – and it’s only three hours from Madrid.
Its largest village, Hervás, has a population of just 3,907, while some municipalities have less than 200 residents, something the Spanish government is trying to change.
The new visa will give 200 applicants the chance to work remotely.
Minister of Economy, Employment and Digital Transformation Guillermo Santamaría said: “Attracting these high-skilled professionals with international incomes will have a very positive impact on our economy.
“They will boost local consumption, enrich regional talent and create significant networks and opportunities.”
Successful applicants under 30 and women will receive £8,300 if they choose to live in a town with less than 5,000 residents.
They will receive a further £4,000 after the second year.
Anyone above 30, or not a female, will receive slightly less, with an initial payment of £6,600 and a secondary payment of £3,300.
Those without a digital nomad visa would need to apply for this first and have it approved by Spanish authorities.
Prithwiraj Choudhury, a professor at Harvard Business School in Boston, told Fox News Digital: “The obvious benefits to the community are that when digital nomads come and spend time in that community, they spend consumption dollars.”
He added: “There are many people who like making connections in different communities, gaining experiences, life experiences from different places.”
Who can apply for the digital nomad grants?
To apply for the grants, the following requirements have to be fulfilled:
You can’t have lived in Extremadura within the last six months
Be a legal resident in Spain and have a foreign identity number
Work remotely in the tech industry
Non-EU nationals, like those from the UK, can also apply but must have already obtained Spain’s digital nomad visa.
The scheme is similar to the €1 homes found in parts of Italy.
Bargain-hungry foreigners have flocked to the country to snap up a property deal, with thousands of sales going through.
While some do sell for €1, on average houses sell for around €5,000 euros, although some are up to €20,000, according to Meredith Tabbone who bought one herself last year.
Not only that, but there are often fines for buyers who don’t complete their renovations in time.
Buyers are also often required to pay a €5,000 deposit, which they lose if they haven’t finished sprucing up their property within a set time.
Buyers are also advised to check on whether they are required to live in the property full time before buying, as some towns sell the houses on the condition of moving to the area, as well as working or starting a business there.
AlamyThe largest town in region is Hervás[/caption]
AlamyApplicants will receive the full amount if they stay for two years[/caption]
GettyOne of the smaller charming villages, Banos de Montemayor, is located in the Ambroz Valley[/caption]
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