Working from anywhere? Work from here! Approaches to attract digital nomads

Abstract

Although research on digital nomadism has been growing exponentially, its supply side, including government responses to this emerging class of mobile workers, remains under-explored. To address this gap, this paper systematically examines visa policies targeting digital nomads. By applying rigorous and replicable review methods to grey literature, it studies digital nomad visas implemented worldwide up to January 2023. The findings allow for categorisation of such policies, emphasising their heterogeneity of designs and implications. The findings reveal how digital nomad visas can reinforce governments' broader strategic priorities (mostly centred around tourism development), spur competition between countries, and redefine the notion of a ‘digital nomad’ from the host perspective, contributing to the broader discussion on the institutional context of digital nomadism.