# Digital Nomad Lifestyle Report

## Introduction
With remote work becoming normalized post-pandemic, many people are choosing to travel while working from laptops, creating a growing digital nomad community.

This report examines the digital nomad lifestyle, visa opportunities, challenges, and tools that support this modern work approach.

## What is the Digital Nomad Lifestyle?

The digital nomad lifestyle represents a modern approach to work-life integration where professionals leverage remote work opportunities to travel and live in various locations globally.

As companies increasingly recognize remote work as an effective model, this lifestyle has gained significant traction, particularly among millennials who seek flexibility, excitement, and adventure beyond traditional 9-5 office settings.

Digital nomads are essentially "Anywhere Workers" who seamlessly incorporate both work and travel into their lifestyle.

They typically have full-time remote positions that offer the flexibility to work from virtually anywhere in the world, allowing them to escape conventional office environments and experience different cultures while maintaining their careers.

## Countries Supporting Digital Nomads with

# Digital Nomad Lifestyle Report

## Introduction
With remote work becoming normalized post-pandemic, many people are choosing to travel while working from laptops, creating a growing digital nomad community.

Title:

Content: Looking Back to Leaving the USA in 2020

Why Leaving to Travel to 7 Continents Ended Up Being the Best Decision

The Thrive Global Community welcomes voices from many spheres on our open platform. We publish pieces as written by outside contributors with a wide range of opinions, which don’t necessarily reflect our own. Community stories are not commissioned by our editorial team and must meet our guidelines prior to being published.

2020 shook us all out of the known, predictable, and stable. For years, if not lifetimes, we held on to certain things, situations, or abilities as guaranteed. 2020 shattered all of those paradigms in more ways than one.

With access to social media and news, we globally became aware of lockdowns, political upheaval, and civil unrest.

Years ago, no one would have ever imagined a global pandemic, rampant social media, and a viral video of death. Yet, it is what we all experienced in various ways.

Like many of us, I thought the isolation of 2020 would be over sooner rather than later. While I stayed strong far beyond my own strength, there came a pivotal point of transformation. I knew I would not, could not, experience the same year into 2021.

Staying no longer made sense. The world changed before my eyes. With prayer and practical considerations, I decided to realize the vision of 7 Continents travel in 2021 and beyond.

Although leaving Atlanta, GA in 2020 to travel to 7 Continents in the midst of a global pandemic, political upheaval, and civil unrest, may not have made sense to many, it forced me o walk in freedom in countless ways

Looking Back to Leaving the USA in 2020, aligning to faith, improving mental health, living the digital nomad life, helping others create what they love, and traveling to 7 Continents ended up being the best decision ever.

Looking Back to Leaving the USA in 2020, it just may be one of the best decision I have ever made.

Leaving USA

You can imagine it felt surreal to decide to leave the USA, give away over 50% of my belongings, get a small storage, resolve items, and pack what would be my life in a suitcase and a backpack for 2+ years.

The decision to go for 2+ years to travel to 7 continents did not come without a lot of prayer and practical considerations. Everything lined up.

To give you an idea, my lease was coming due at the end of January at $1,600 USD, isolation continued, countries began to open up, and I found out I had exactly enough points to travel to Costa Rica one-way on Delta Airlines.

On top of everything, I realized traveling the world will save you money.

Let’s not forget about living out the vision to travel years ago, exploring cultures, experiences, and adventures globally.

Priceless.

Mental Health Improvements

In 2020. I absolutely immersed myself in increasing focus on faith, studies, and online courses. At the same time, the isolation and the time online weighed on me. In June 2020, I experienced two migraines for the first time. It isn’t something I ever want to repeat.

That was when I began to realize many things needed to change, pandemic or no pandemic.

From the moment I landed in Costa Rica, and woke up in La Fortuna, Costa Rica on January 1, 2021, I felt like an incredible weight lifted off of me. During my first two weeks in Costa Rica, I felt refreshed and renewed in every way.

The Pura Vida surrounded me.

Traveling has helped me realize how little we need, how home is where we are, and how much of the world there is.

Digital Nomad Life

For years I followed entrepreneurs and travelers like Alyssa with My Life as a Travel Movie, Ashley with HeyAshleyRenne who came with us to Cuba, Jennifer with The Social Girl Traveler, and others.

If you didn’t know, I have traveled since being in the womb. Quite literally, I am conceived in Bulgaria, born in Poland, a 10 month stay at a refugee camp in Italy, and immigrated to the USA by the age of 2. It is easy to see why adventure and the digital nomad life are in my blood.

From the start, I felt a surge in priorities, productivity, and people. I love playing games with myself of how much work may I get done in the morning so I may play in the afternoon. Alternatively, how much may I get done today all day or this evening, so I am free to explore tomorrow.

I practice a Sacred Morning, Seven Steps to Success, and Create 7, and that I help teach others to create a life and business they love. I share recaps, like my Digital Nomad Monthly from August 2021 in Costa Rica that gives you an insider look at being a digital nomad and traveling globally.

I have continued on creating a life and business I love with FIT Life Creation, our all in one lifestyle brand online and live. This has included blogs, shows, and online courses, as well as helping entrepreneurs and brands with wellness, business, and travel. In Costa Rica in August, I helped three tourism brands with digital marketing, business consulting, and funding opportunities with grants and investors.

Travel to 7 Continents

In 2021, I decided to travel to Central and South America due to closeness, access, and ease of travel.

From January to March 2021, I stayed in Costa Rica visiting La Fortuna, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, and San Jose Every month, I saved on average $700-$900 on my stays. Who doesn’t love to travel the world and save money?

Initially, in March, I planned to go to Nicaragua. However, for several reasons, I changed my plans. From March to May 2021, I visited Antigua, Guatemala, and Lake Atitlan.

After experiencing 8 stays between Costa Rica and Guatemala, I realized I wanted to have a stable stay for several months. I stayed in Tulum, Mexico in a jungle Cabana for 3 months. I explored Bacalar and Valladolid, Mexico for a month. Most recently, I traveled to the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica for the first time.

Best Decision to Leave the USA to Travel

At the time I made the decision, it felt unnatural and surreal. Yet, at the same time, I felt complete peace in the decision and every step I took along the way.

The last 8 months of global travel experiences through central America with Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico have confirmed that I made the best decision to leave the USA to travel.

Maybe you have pondered leaving. Perhaps, this is your wake-up call.

A call to go and create a life, business and community you love online and all around the world limitlessly.

This is your limitlessglobalgirl, Katrina Julia

    Share your comments below. Please read our commenting guidelines before posting. If you have a concern about a comment, report it here.

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Content: Sorry, this item is not available in your area.
Life after COVID-19: Which countries ignore the telecommuting approach and why?
Conversation
By: Euronews
Many companies have come to see remote work as an effective method, turning many of their jobs into fully or partially remote jobs.
Copyright by AP Photo
Two and a half years ago, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting health crisis escalating, the business world took a new direction dictated by stringent health measures: teleworking.
But as life has almost completely normalized and precautionary measures have been lifted, the question of telecommuting has become urgent: Do companies keep the telecommuting approach or return their employees to their offices?
Many companies have come to see remote work as an effective method, turning many of their jobs into fully or partially remote jobs.
According to a recent study from Indeed, global job listings featuring remote jobs have risen since the start of the epidemic, nearly tripling from just 2.5 percent in January 2020 to nearly 7.5 percent in September 2021.
Spain, Ireland and the United Kingdom were some of the countries with the largest increases, and the United States followed a similar trend.
The proportion of remote jobs has jumped from less than 4% of all high-paying jobs before the epidemic to about 9% at the end of 2020, and to more than 15% today in North America.
Data scientists at the job site Ladders believe that remote work will survive.
Despite these figures and data showing a large adoption of telework and hybrid work in many parts of the world, it seems that some countries did not like the idea and did not adapt to it, for cultural, legal or technical reasons.
Czech Republic: A legal crisis
The Czech Republic has not adopted the idea of working remotely despite its technological development, which is no less than that of its European peers.
The reason is simply legal, as the law does not specify whether a teleworker is a regular employee or not, so companies prefer to avoid working remotely due to legal uncertainty.
According to a survey conducted by Ipsos, 51% of Czech employees surveyed were interested in permanent remote work, and 59% were partially interested in remote work.
France: Lagging behind
France is not doing well in terms of remote work.
According to a study conducted jointly with Ifop and the Jean Juris Foundation, only 34% of French people worked remotely regularly during the epidemic, compared with 61% in Germany, 56% in Italy and 50% in Britain.
The amount of time the French worked remotely was also lower than their European neighbors: 11% worked from home four to five days a week, compared to 30% of Italians.
These low numbers can be explained by the extreme disparity between senior management – where the majority of those can work remotely – and other professional social groups, who largely continue to go to their workplaces.
Age has also been another reason for these disparities: older workers are less comfortable with digital technology than the new generation.
The French are known for their reluctance to change, so the situation may not change anytime soon.
A culture of “presence ” — being in the office despite illness — is still firmly rooted in the minds of the older generation.
When asked if they wanted fewer or more remote working days, French respondents said they wanted fewer remote working days, compared to their European neighbors.
Japan: A Strong Culture of "Presence"
Japan, just like France, is another country where a culture of “presence ” is rooted.
Many Japanese fear job stagnation if they don ’ t work long hours in the office, and forcing these workers to resort to remote work due to the health crisis has turned out to be a disaster.
While most employees say working from home has made them more efficient than they were in the office, Japanese employees are 20 percent less productive, according to a 2020 study by economist Toshihiro Okubo.
Japan also has a high social work structure, which makes it difficult to work remotely: employees prefer to work in teams and conduct evaluations collectively, while in the case of remote work, employees are assigned individual responsibilities and evaluated individually.
Mentoring and dialogue are core values of the Japanese work system, with senior employees supervising their younger colleagues, and informal conversations between employees foster communication within teams, which is not available in remote work.
Another reason why the Japanese telecommuting approach is not preferred is the lack of access to personal computers for many employees; in Japan one of the lowest rates of access to personal computers according to the OECD.
In addition, home offices are much less common than in the West, due to the small average size of apartments in cities and the high prices of large houses.
China: a difficult transition
Although China was the first country to resort to telecommuting because it was the first country to deal with the coronavirus, the transition was relatively difficult for the Chinese workforce.
At the start of the epidemic, 40 percent of Chinese workers were forced to work from home, an unexpected cultural shift in a country deeply attached to a culture of presence and hierarchy, according to consulting firm Bloomberg.
Once the state started shutdowns, the use of digital technologies — including artificial intelligence, location tracking, facial recognition, and so on — increased to contain the spread of the outbreak.
Some companies began to tighten their grip on their employees even as they worked remotely, recording their attendance daily with their managers and announcing their locations and whether they showed any symptoms of the virus.
Chinese communist history and culture may also explain the country ’ s difficulty in embracing telework, where employees have to negotiate agreements collectively.
Developing Countries: Weakness of the Internet
The epidemic has highlighted the technological disparity between nations of the world and highlighted it as an obstacle to a successful transition to telecommuting.
Not surprisingly, developing countries are the most vulnerable, but many have taken positions that go against their Internet resilience.
For example, Mexico and Brazil were more resilient than Indonesia or India, according to economic consultants Bhaskar Chakravorti and Ravi Shankar Chaturvedi.
Angola has also emerged as the world ’ s least telecommuting country, with just 0.70 out of every 100 people in the country having fixed-line broadband access in 2020, compared to 36.41 in the United States, according to the World Bank.

Title:

Content: Fiverr’s 2nd Annual Study Reveals Anywhere Workers Are Traveling More, For Longer, and Are Earning More, Because of a Shifting Economy

Report Shows More Women Are Choosing the Anywhere Worker Lifestyle For its Flexibility and Autonomy and Are Tired of The Typical 9-5

TEL AVIV-JAFFA, ISRAEL

NEW YORK, June 08, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fiverr International Ltd., (NYSE: FVRR), the company that is revolutionizing how the world works together, has announced its second Anywhere Worker Study, releasing insights looking into the current trends of Anywhere Workers. With data from across the world, 2000 Anywhere Workers (i.e. people who work remotely while traveling from at least two locations, domestic or international, throughout the year), reveal that they are choosing to travel more and for longer periods of time.

As the global workforce continues to evolve, remote work continues to gain momentum and remains a highly valuable option and enables this group of workers to incorporate both work and travel into their lifestyle seamlessly. The reasons they choose to become Anywhere Workers range from having the desire for more flexibility, excitement, and adventure, to having grown tired of the typical 9-5 job setting, or having experienced a personal transition in their life, to being inspired by someone else’s Anywhere Worker experience. They range across all age groups, but the majority of them fall within the millennial age range, where they have a fair amount of work experience and have found full-time remote positions that offer them the flexibility to work and travel as they please.

“Work and travel are becoming increasingly blended as the global workforce evolves,” said Gali Arnon, CMO at Fiverr. “It’s incredible to see this type of work becoming more common across the globe. This growing group of workers are taking control over their careers while enriching their lives experiencing what the world has to offer. From full-time workers to freelancers, being an Anywhere Worker has never been easier and the opportunities are endless.”

Key Insights Include:

  • Anywhere Workers are traveling more now than ever and for longer
    • Over 80% of Anywhere Workers continue to plan on living this lifestyle for up to 5 years.
    • 83% of Anywhere Workers move at least once from one location to another every 6 months, up 10% compared to last year.

  • More women are leaning into the Anywhere Worker lifestyle because they are prioritizing flexibility and autonomy in their lives
    • Nearly 36% of female Anywhere Workers prioritize more flexibility and autonomy in their lives, compared to 33% of men.
    • 34% of women Anywhere Workers chose to live a life of travel and work because they were tired of working in a 9-5 setting and staying in one location, compared to 31% of men.

  • Anywhere Workers are earning more or the same since committing to this lifestyle
    • Almost all (94%) said their earnings have increased or remained stable.
    • Anywhere Workers that have experienced financial issues previously decreased by 15% compared to last year (64% vs 79%).

  • Europe and the US are the prime locations for Anywhere Workers
    • Spain is the most popular country to visit as an Anywhere Worker, followed by Portugal and Italy.
    • In the US, New York City and Texas are the top destinations for work and travel.

To learn more about Fiverr’s second Anywhere Worker study, click here.

Research conducted by Censuswide, on behalf of Fiverr (Digital Nomads) using a sample of 2000 total Digital Nomads who have worked in one of the following markets in the past 12 months: Portugal, Spain, Indonesia, Mexico, United States and Italy between 03.05.2023 - 17.05.2023. Censuswide abides by and employ members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles.

About Fiverr
Fiverr’s mission is to revolutionize how the world works together. We exist to democratize access to talent and to provide talent with access to opportunities so anyone can grow their business, brand, or dreams. From small businesses to Fortune 500, over 4 million customers worldwide worked with freelance talent on Fiverr in the past year, ensuring their workforces remain flexible, adaptive, and agile. With Fiverr’s Talent Cloud, companies can easily scale their teams from a talent pool of skilled professionals from over 160 countries across more than 600 categories, ranging from programming to 3D design, digital marketing to content creation, from video animation to architecture. Don’t get left behind - come be a part of the future of work by visiting fiverr.com, read our blog, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Press Contacts
Holly Steffy
press@fiverr.com

Sveva Biocca
press@fiverr.com

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Content: OPEN APP
Home / Markets / Cryptocurrency /  Crypto nomads move back to big cities like London, New York in bear market

Crypto nomads move back to big cities like London, New York in bear market

The nomadic life is especially well suited to the crypto crowd, with its 24/7 market and ethos of a digital, borderless monetary future, but pandemic travel restrictions, followed by a crash in cryptocurrency prices have made it less practical and too expensive of a lifestyle to maintain

Listen to this article

Over the years, Oliver Gale’s workplace view has included the palm-lined promenade of Miami Beach, the sandy shores of Barbados and the turquoise waters of Mexico’s Caribbean coast.

Now, the 36-year-old crypto entrepreneur is back in London, working out of hotel lobbies. Gone is the gentle sea breeze, replaced by the humming sounds of air conditioners trying to keep the British capital’s unusually warm summer at bay.

Gale is one of many crypto nomads who have started trickling back into major cities like London and New York, as financial hubs start buzzing back to life post-pandemic.

As a subset of digital nomads, roving crypto workers spent the past several years hopping from country to country, persuaded to leave large financial centers as living costs soared. The nomadic life is especially well suited to the crypto crowd, with its 24/7 market and ethos of a digital, borderless monetary future. But pandemic travel restrictions, followed by a crash in cryptocurrency prices have made it less practical and too expensive of a lifestyle to maintain.

“People want to be where business is happening and opportunities to expand their network are present," said Mary Elizabeth Elkordy, who launched her fully remote company Elkordy Global Strategies during the pandemic. “With crypto integrating into more aspects of traditional businesses and industries -- being in a major city like New York or London is beneficial from a networking standpoint as well."

Gale, who is also the co-founder and CEO of blockchain project Panther Protocol, returned to London in March 2020 to start Elemental.io, a consumer credit platform formerly known as PayMachine.

“London is considered the fintech hub of the world and has great tax benefits and fundraising incentives," said Gale, who boasts British and Barbadian passports.

The population of London rose 4% in July 2022 from the same month two years ago, according to NHS Digital data. Offices are starting to see workers return, although not to pre-pandemic levels just yet. About 60% to 70% of workers in London are back at their desks, according to data compiled in June by Google, which tracks the movements of some of its users.

Migration out of many New York City neighborhoods is also reversing as more households are moving to Manhattan than before the pandemic in 2019, according to Melissa, a global data intelligence and address analytics company.

From Partying in Venice, to fasting

Kenzi Wang, co-founder of Symbolic Capital and former vice president and general manager of crypto exchange Huobi Global, relocated back to New York in April after traveling around Europe and Latin America.

“I’m staying in NYC because the bear market reduced a lot of noise and unnecessary networking in the market," said Wang. “I can stay focused on building and hiring for my company.

The current crypto winter reminds him of the previous crash when cryptocurrency prices plunged 80% and it became “a highly efficient time to build" new products and services. The price of one Bitcoin is down 50% this year from its all time high of nearly $69,000 in November 2021.

Wang’s nomadic life included partying with Hollywood actor Vin Diesel during the 2021 Venice Film Festival and strolls on Barcelona’s Las Ramblas. Now he has been slipping back into a life of socializing, playing basketball and expanding his crypto ventures in the Big Apple.

“I’ve also gotten into 20-hour daily fasting and lost a bunch of weight after losing the nomadic conference lifestyle," Wang said.

Other nomads have hit pause on travel to get their financial bearings.

“This most recent turn of economic events and the consequent bear market has hit my finances a little," said 37 year-old Sukanta Sekhar Das, the chief executive of information site CoinMarketBag. “So I thought it would be prudent for me to recoup some of my losses, regain my composure, and move back to a city I love for a permanent residence."

Das, who spent the better part of the last five years traveling around the world, recently settled down in Seoul, where he says the “crypto scene" is great.

“I’m saving a fortune in travel costs -- not to mention the absolute nightmare that travel has been over the past 12-18 months," he added.

Nomads are growing up

Even as room rents in London rise 15% from last year, according to data compiled by roommate search website SpareRoom, and Manhattan rents climb to new highs, some nomads are returning to big cities for more stability. Many of them are, after all, growing older and finding that the lure of being a nomad is not always easy to reconcile with the demands of starting a family.

“My wife, then girlfriend, was unhappy and wanted me to travel less, and I also found that I wasn’t very productive work-wise when I was constantly on the road," said Lane Rettig, a 39-year-old former Ethereum core developer who spent more than four years on the global road before returning to New York in 2020.

Rettig, now a core developer at crypto project Spacemesh, purchased a condo in the New York neighborhood of Harlem and is “grappling with how to stay plugged into a super global, nomadic community with a newborn and a mortgage."

To be sure, some people will never stop roaming. Burning Man, an annual arts festival held in Nevada’s Black Rock City around the US Labor Day holiday, is on Gale’s agenda.

“Entrepreneurship is a game of balancing your responsibility and what you wish to do," he said. “It is an important part of my life to go on adventures -- work and play -- strike up a lifestyle which is dynamic and creative."

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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This report examines the digital nomad lifestyle, visa opportunities, challenges, and tools that support this modern work approach.

Title:

Content:     The Economic Times daily newspaper is available online now.

    Thailand's 5-year visa for digital nomads: Everything you need to know

    Synopsis

    Thailand introduces the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) targeting remote workers and digital nomads with a five-year multiple-entry option. Costing 10,000 THB, applicants need to meet age, financial, employment criteria, and maintain a 500,000 THB balance. The DTV allows legal remote work, spouse and children under 20, and exempts foreign income tax.

    Thailand has introduced the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), aimed at boosting tourism by attracting remote workers and digital nomads. The DTV offers a five-year multiple-entry visa, allowing holders to stay in Thailand for up to 180 days each year, with an option to extend for an additional 180 days.

    This visa is designed to provide an attractive alternative to standard tourist visas, eliminating many immigration and tax concerns for long-term visitors.

    While the application process details are still pending, these basic eligibility requirements provide a preliminary guide for those interested in applying for the DTV. Further information and updates on the application process are expected to be released in July.

    How much does a Thailand DTV cost?

    The Destination Thailand Visa costs 10,000 THB. Applicants must be at least 20 years old, have sufficient funds to cover the visa fee, and demonstrate a minimum balance in their bank account.

    (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)

    To be eligible for this visa, applicants must meet the following requirements, though these criteria are subject to change:
    • Applicants must be at least 20 years old.
    • They must have sufficient funds to cover the visa fee, which is 10,000 THB.
    • Applicants need to show proof of at least 500,000 THB in their bank account to support their stay in Thailand.
    • Proof of employment with a registered company is also required.
    The DTV is ideal for remote workers and digital nomads who wish to experience Thailand's culture while maintaining their professional commitments.
    « Back to recommendation stories
    I don't want to see these stories because
    SUBMIT

    Why a DTV is a good option

    The visa requires lower income requirements and fees compared to similar visas in Southeast Asia. It permits legal remote work for international clients and allows holders to bring their spouse and children under 20. Additionally, there is no tax on income derived from foreign sources during the stay in Thailand.

    However, the DTV does not permit employment with Thai companies, and changing visa types will terminate the DTV.

    (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2024 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.)

    Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online.

    ...more

    Stories you might be interested in

Title:

Content: So, resort Spain joined the list of states ready to accept freelancers.
There are plans to introduce such visas.
Where to hold a workshop: 10 best countries for work and leisure
Spain introduces visas for freelancers
Currently, the Spanish Parliament has to approve the project “digital nomad visa ”.
This is expected to happen in the next few months.
If it is accepted, then foreigners from all countries will be able to come to Spain for 12 months.
They do not need to apply for a residence permit – only a special visa.
According to a Spanish startup, foreigners will be able to live and work in the country from 6 to 12 months without requiring a formal work visa, provided that they receive at least 80% of their income working for non-Spanish companies.
– stated in the message.
As you know, you can get a visa remotely working for foreign companies and having documents that will confirm it.
The visa can be extended twice.
That is, freelancers can stay in the country for 3 years.
We will remind, earlier in Spain has already created an annual visa for foreigners freelancers, but they were allowed to live only in small villages.

Title:

Content: US may ease visa for skilled workers as PM Modi visits, Indians to benefit: Report

PM Modi's US visit: The State Department is expected to announce as soon as Thursday that a small number of Indians and other foreign workers on H-1B visas will be able to renew the visas without travelling abroad, as part of a pilot programme.

First Published Jun 22, 2023, 9:06 AM IST

The Joe Biden administration is anticipated to make it simpler for Indians to live and work in the United States at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on an official visit to the country. The US State Department is anticipated to announce that a small number of Indians and other foreign employees on H-1B visas would be able to renew such visas in the US without travelling outside.

Reports suggest that the State Department may announce as soon as Thursday that a select group of Indians and other foreign employees on H-1B visas would be able to renew their visas domestically in the US as part of a trial programme that may be expanded in the next years.

Indian nationals accounted up 73% of the almost 442,000 H-1B employees in fiscal year 2022, making them by far the most frequent users of the US H-1B programme.

Also Read | Sandalwood box to Lab-grown green diamond: Details of PM Modi's gifts to Joe Biden, US First Lady

Companies looking for skilled foreign labour are given access to 65,000 H-1B visas each year by the US government, plus an extra 20,000 visas for employees with advanced degrees. The three-year visas can be extended for an additional three years.

According to US government data, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services in India, as well as Amazon, Alphabet, and Meta in the US, have employed the most H-1B employees in recent years.

According to the spokesman, allowing some of the temporary foreign workers to renew their visas in the United States would free up staff time for visa interviews at consulates abroad.

Also Read | From marinated millet to saffron-infused risotto... Curated menu at State Dinner for PM Modi (WATCH)

The pilot program would also include some workers with L-1 visas, which are available to people transferring within a company to a position in the U.S. India has long been troubled by the challenges its nationals, notably those employed in the technology sector, have in obtaining visas to reside in the United States. At the end of April, the Labour Department estimated that there were more than 10 million unfilled positions in the country.

Some H-1B visa holders in the U.S. have been among the thousands of tech workers laid off this year, sending them scrambling to find new employers within a 60-day "grace period" or return to their home country. U.S. visa services are still attempting to clear a backlog after Washington halted almost all visa processing worldwide in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also Read | 'PM Modi gave me a high five, signed my shirt...' A memorable moment at Washington, DC hotel (WATCH)

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What are critical aspects of the digital nomad lifestyle?

Knowledge of visa and other legal requirements

What are critical aspects of the digital nomad lifestyle?

Knowledge of visa and other legal requirements

What are critical aspects of the digital nomad lifestyle?

Knowledge of visa and other legal requirements

What are critical aspects of the digital nomad lifestyle?

Knowledge of visa and other legal requirements

What are critical aspects of the digital nomad lifestyle?

Knowledge of visa and other legal requirements

## What is the Digital Nomad Lifestyle?

The digital nomad lifestyle represents a modern approach to work-life integration where professionals leverage remote work opportunities to travel and live in various locations globally.

What are critical aspects of the digital nomad lifestyle?

What are critical aspects of the digital nomad lifestyle?

What are critical aspects of the digital nomad lifestyle?

What are critical aspects of the digital nomad lifestyle?

As companies increasingly recognize remote work as an effective model, this lifestyle has gained significant traction, particularly among millennials who seek flexibility, excitement, and adventure beyond traditional 9-5 office settings.

Title:

Content: Declining Remote Work Trend: Productivity Concerns Drive Companies to Reinforce In-Office Policies

By: BNN Correspondents
Declining Remote Work Trend: Productivity Concerns Drive Companies to Reinforce In-Office Policies

Once a beacon of hope for work-life balance, the surge of remote work during the pandemic is witnessing a reversal. According to a study from Indeed, there has been a decline in remote job postings, especially in metropolitan areas where job roles are conducive to remote work. The increase in the preference for in-office work among companies is attributed to productivity concerns, despite the lack of clear applicability of these studies on the broader workforce.

Remote Work – The Pandemic Era Norm

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, from 2019 to 2021, the number of people working primarily from home tripled, making remote work a widely accepted norm during the pandemic. Stanford University’s professor of economics, Nicholas Bloom, who was initially skeptical about remote work, admitted that it proved to be effective during the pandemic.

The Shift Back to Office

With pandemic restrictions easing, some companies have made a U-turn from their earlier remote work policies. In some cases, companies have even threatened to terminate employees who do not comply with mandated office days. A notable critic of the remote work culture is Elon Musk, who, during an interview with CNBC in May 2023, labeled remote work as ‘morally wrong’. He argued it to be a double standard for workers to assume they shouldn’t have to go into work while others do.

Implications of the Shift

The shift in corporate America’s approach to remote work has far-reaching implications for remote workers and the U.S. job market. New data indicates that remote workers receive fewer advancement opportunities compared to their in-person colleagues, seeing promotions 31% less frequently. The shift to in-office work by companies like Meta and Google has also impacted remote workers, especially regarding mentorship and feedback. A report from Gallup highlighted that 60% of U.S. workers who have been working remotely would prefer to continue this way as much as possible.

The Advent of Tethered Nomads

As companies struggle to restore pre-pandemic operations, a new category of workers, dubbed ‘Tethered Nomads’, has emerged. These are independent workers, freelancers, self-employed individuals, and contractors who have embraced the remote work trend. There has been a 14% increase in their ranks as digital nomads since the previous year. However, the declining labor demand in December, as reported by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) and Lightcast Labour Market Tracker, may reflect a broader trend influenced by the evolving nature of work and economic conditions.

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How To Be Productive—And Preserve Your Sanity—If You’re Part Of The Hybrid Workforce

Remote work was already on the rise prior to the arrival of COVID-19.

In fact, a study from Pew Research Center found that 20% of Americans who could perform their jobs somewhere other than the office were choosing to do so before 2020. When the global health crisis struck, however, that percentage skyrocketed to 71%, as most employees had no choice but to stay home.

With our new understanding of the virus and many organizations attempting to transition to a new way of working—one where both in-person and remote work are encouraged—we have more freedom than ever to choose the workplace model we want to be a part of. But, as always, with freedom comes responsibility.

There’s no going back

The majority of employees who worked remotely during the pandemic (89%) say they want to continue with remote work at least some of the time. And the number of Americans who have left the workforce altogether in recent months suggests these workers won’t take no for an answer. Many employers understand this and have adopted a hybrid model (which could comprise virtually any combination of remote and on-site work schedules) as a permanent policy moving forward. Up to 75% of firms have indicated they won’t be going back to a fully on-site approach. That includes massive companies such as Salesforce, Target, Citigroup, Ford, and many others across a wide range of sectors.

If you’re like most workers, you’ll probably agree that a move toward hybrid work models is good news. However, that doesn’t mean that the familiar challenges encountered by remote employees during the pandemic have been solved. If your company is adopting some form of hybrid work to kick off the new normal, these tips will help you triumph:

1. Establish a morning routine—and stick to it.

Regardless of whether you’re working from home or going into the office for a day, your morning routine shouldn’t change. Try to go to sleep at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning. On the days when you’re working remotely, use the time that would’ve been taken up by your commute to mentally prepare for the workday ahead. Prioritize tasks, set goals and deadlines, or jot down talking points for an upcoming call. You’ll be less stressed throughout the rest of the day if you’ve made a schedule or already sorted through challenges in the morning. Establishing your morning routine should also include non-work habits, particularly the ones that help establish a sense of calm and order, setting the tone for the rest of the day.

The benefits of a consistent morning regime can’t be understated. For instance, a study of employees at General Mills found that those who attended just one program on mindfulness meditation reported a major boost in productivity. By incorporating even small habits—meditating, hydrating, going for a walk, reading—into your mornings, you can dramatically improve your overall well-being over time.

2. Make video communication part of your daily schedule.

Many organizations opted for an audio-only approach to team interactions during the pandemic, and high-quality audio will still be a critical part of business in a hybrid model that relies on regular meetings for both remote and on-site employees. Just don’t overlook the versatility that video provides in your day-to-day schedule. “Video will be an integral part of office life,” writes Scott Schoeneberger, the managing partner of design-forward technology firm Bluewater. “Whether you’re connecting from different spaces in the building, keeping your team partially remote, or just trying to boost morale, you can use video to keep sharing as you work.”

On the other hand, if you’ve already been incorporating video into each day, you might have experienced the common phenomenon known as video fatigue. You’re especially susceptible if your video calls contain low-quality or flat audio, unclear agendas, and/or too many people. Although you might not have control over some of those factors, you still can reap the benefits of video. For instance, get out of your chair and walk around as you’re thinking or talking, as this has been shown to enhance cognitive processing. You can also try investing in a quality camera that offers dynamic features. You’ll face fewer communication blunders and will have an easier time expressing ideas and connecting with colleagues remotely and in person.

3. Set adequate boundaries.

If your do-list is bigger than your calendar, it’s time for a reality check: you’re not capable of  expanding your capacity to take on more. During the pandemic, many remote workers found themselves checking emails before and after typical office hours, or even making themselves available to employers 24/7. Not surprisingly, many experienced severe stress and burnout as a result—likely contributing to the current “Great Resignation.”

When you’re facing deadlines or demanding colleagues, it’s easy to forget that your professional success ultimately hinges on your physical and mental health. Consider this advice from Chris Chancey, career expert and CEO of Amplio Recruiting: “If you do not firmly plan for personal time, you will never have time to do other things outside of work. No matter how hectic your schedule might be, you ultimately have control of your time and life.” Without enough rest, your creativity and information-processing abilities will suffer, and so will your work. Instead of rolling directly from your bed to your desk in the morning or canceling evening plans to put out proverbial fires, set the right expectations with your team and minimize distractions during the time you’ve dedicated to work. Create a culture that approves of taking well-earned time off to rest and recharge.

Ultimately, a hybrid model can only work if you adapt to it in a healthy way. If you finding that you can’t get work done in a reasonable amount of time (whether you’re at home or in the office) or you can’t think of anything else but work, the arrangement won’t be sustainable. Practice these three concepts to ensure that your newfound flexibility really does mean freedom.

William Arruda is a keynote speaker, author, co-founder of CareerBlast.TV and creator of the LinkedIn Profile Type Indicator (LPTI) which measures your LinkedIn profile likability and credibility.

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedInCheck out my website

Digital nomads are essentially "Anywhere Workers" who seamlessly incorporate both work and travel into their lifestyle.

What are critical aspects of the digital nomad lifestyle?

What are critical aspects of the digital nomad lifestyle?

They typically have full-time remote positions that offer the flexibility to work from virtually anywhere in the world, allowing them to escape conventional office environments and experience different cultures while maintaining their careers.

What are critical aspects of the digital nomad lifestyle?

Adaptablity to new cultures and language

What are the criteria of the top 20 digital nomad locations?

## Countries Supporting Digital Nomads with