Post covid, the average profile of your nomadic worker has broadened exponentially.

One of the most notable trends has been the growth in “executive” nomad workers, in addition to the more traditional “freelance creatives”. With more relaxed employer attitudes towards remote work, and tech advancements such as high-speed internet access, more opportunities are opening up for workers and their families to combine work and travel.

And unsurprisingly (to us at least), Portugal is at the very heart of this movement. Living as we do in the Lisbon area, we regularly encounter these growing numbers embracing the lifestyle benefits of a digital nomad. A country that balances a first-class quality of life with great connectivity, ease of travel and burgeoning tech scene.

In a May 2022 report from Savills, Portugal was identified as the only country globally that places two regions in the top 5 best places for digital nomads; Lisbon, ranked #1 and Algarve #4. In fact, no other country has two locations in the top 10.

As the Savills report attests, a new breed of remote worker has emerged, one that is drawn to a combination of lifestyle, year-round good weather and high-speed internet access. Portugal ticks those boxes and a whole lot more so its no wonder it consistently ranks highly in such reports.

And it’s not only employees of international companies adopting this lifestyle and working remotely in Portugal. More companies are relocating headquarters to Lisbon, adding to the supply of domestic job opportunities, underpinned already by a thriving tech industry. The latter has been long supported and encouraged by local government and this is translating into ever more compelling options for working and living in the country.

A recent article from EU-Startups highlights the impact of this trend. It reports investment in Lisbon start-ups having grown by 30% every year since 2016 – that’s twice the average of the rest of Europe! Since 2016, Lisbon has also been the European home of one of the continent’s most popular start-up events, Web Summit.

All of which adds to the ongoing buzz around Portugal and reasons we believe the country will continue to attract greater numbers of people to its beautiful shores, in the coming years.