The little-known western Spanish region of Extremadura continues on its quest to attract more national and foreign remote workers, and after the success of previous incentive schemes, it’s relaunching its offer with a new set of conditions.
The regional government Extremadura will allocate a further €4.5 million in grants aimed at attracting digital nomads to the region in 2027.
This follows repeated efforts by the regional authorities to attract foreign workers and talent to the region in a bid to offset demographic change and revitalise rural populations.
In August 2024, The Local Spain broke the news in English that Extremadura was offering up to €15,000 for digital nomads to move there, which led to a lot of international coverage from Fox News, New York Post, CNBC, The Sun, Forbes and other media outlets overseas.
Now the region is outlining a new framework for grants to attract and help digital nomads settle in the region and launching two new pathways, the so-called Programmes I and II.
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The first round of this grant scheme, launched in 2024, succeeded in attracting more than 400 digital nomads who registered as residents in municipalities across Extremadura.
Programme I provides grants to settle in Extremadura for 24 months, whilst Programme II offers an additional grant to maintain residence for a further 12 months.
Eligibility is open to individuals who have resided outside Extremadura for the 18 months prior to their settlement and registration in a municipality within the region.
The amount allocated for Programme I is €10,000 for those under 30, women or people who register as residents in municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, provided they meet the established requirements.
For all other beneficiaries, the grant will be €8,000.
Programme II provides grants of €5,000 for the aforementioned groups and €4,000 for all other beneficiaries.
Among the main changes compared with the previous call for applications, the required period of prior residence outside Extremadura has been extended from 6 to 18 months.
Furthermore, for Programme I, applicants must be settled and registered as residents in the region before submitting their application.
Applicants will also be required to change their tax domicile to their new residence and to pay personal income tax in Extremadura.
Through these grants, the regional government aims to encourage professionals working remotely, particularly in rural municipalities, to boost economic activity and to help attract and retain talent in the region.
Extremadura, one of the least populated regions in the country, lies to the west of Spain, boarding Portugal, Andalusia to the south and Castilla y León to the north.
In fact, the local government has a plan in place to try and draw in more people and reverse the effects of depopulation, which is scheduled to continue all the way until 2030.