Six countries that will pay people to move there

Many of us dream of moving abroad.

There’s something exciting (and a little scary) about packing your bags and traveling abroad. Not only is the uncertainty scary, but so is the price. But. The World Economic Forum has compiled a list of some of the places in the world that will actually pay you to move there.

Now there are a lot of warnings, and in some areas quite strict conditions regarding payments. But there are still some tempting prospects.

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USA

Vermont has an Employee Relocation Incentive Program that provides up to $7,500 for moving expenses. The northeastern US state offers two types of people: those who have been offered a job in the state and those who plan to work remotely out of state.

The schema is currently full, but will remain open until all requests are processed.

Several other states offer similar schemes. For example, Tulsa, Oklahoma offers remote workers an allowance of up to $10,000 to live and work in the city. Through Tulsa Remote, new residents can access the workspace and access networking events.

Italy

In southern Italy, the municipality of Santo Stefano di Sessanio, a medieval village of 115 inhabitants, has launched a resettlement program in 2020, which includes subsidies of up to €8,000 annually for three years.

The World Economic Forum said the offer included a house for “symbolic rent” and a donation of up to 20,000 euros to start a business. According to him, the municipality wanted to fight against the “depopulation and desertification” of rural areas. Of the 115 residents of Santo Stefano di Sessanio, 41 were over 65 and only 13 were under 20, the municipality added.

Portugal

In 2020, Portugal launched the Employment Interior MAIS (Inland Employment PLUS) scholarship program. Workers moving to rural areas can apply for funding of up to €4,827. In most Portuguese cities, that would be enough to cover the annual rent for a small house, writes the Financial Times. Applicants must stay for at least one year.

Direct financial support for internal changes will be €2,633 plus a 20% surcharge for each family member (up to €1,316). There will also be support for the cost of moving up to a limit of 878 euros.

Greece

It is predicted that by 2050 the population of Greece will decrease. To counteract this decline, a Greek island is offering an incentive to encourage newcomers.

The Expatriate Group reported that in Antikythera, an island south of mainland Greece and northwest of Crete, the island’s Greek Orthodox Church has come up with a plan to pay families to move there. New residents will receive a house and land, as well as €500 per month for the first three years of residency.

Spain

The Expatriate Group also reported that Spain is taking similar steps to combat an aging population. Ponga, a small town of about 500 inhabitants in a mountainous region of northern Spain. Ponga offers young couples €3,000 to move there for five years. If you move with children or have children living in Ponga, you will be charged an additional €3,000 per child.

Xesta is a small town of less than 100 inhabitants in northwest Spain. It has about 125 vacant properties it wants to occupy, so it offers newcomers the chance to pay just €100 in rent.

Greeks in eastern Spain has 130 inhabitants. This city offers newcomers a job and three months rent free. After that, rents will be just €225 a month, with residents receiving an additional €50 for each child aged between four and 18.

Ireland

In Ireland, the government last year unveiled a plan to attract workers to rural towns and villages as part of its Rural Futures policy. This includes relocation allowances and tax breaks for workers moving to rural areas. This scheme doesn’t seem to be accepting applications yet.

Source: Wales Online