A global immigration index for digital nomads and remote workers

This index provides practical insights into global jurisdictions offering visas or permits for remote workers and digital nomads.

By choice and necessity, the world’s traditional understanding of how and where work should be done has greatly evolved, now detached from physical locations like never before. The EY 2024 Mobility Reimagined Survey reveals that employees and employers largely agree that remote and hybrid work will persist, but new challenges and opportunities lie in the details. The demand for globally agile working remains high, driven by continued employee demand, global workforce rebalancing and acute geostrategic and economic challenges.

Within this dynamic, the most mobile employees are a class of worker largely unanchored by geographic location, doing work wherever the Wi-Fi takes them. These workers are sometimes called digital nomads, anywhere workers, or remote workers, who are often employed and receive salaries and benefits in one country (the home country), but conduct their day-to-day work activities digitally from another jurisdiction (the host country). Digital nomads are generally not permitted to earn remuneration from the host country and are often required to have a permit or visa meant for qualifying foreigners working remotely.