The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the popularity of remote work. Moreover, it has shown companies that employees can be more productive and happier when working from wherever they choose.
While more companies are transitioning to remote work for the interim, some have already considered work-from-home policies for the long-term.
As the switch to a work-from-home setup is becoming widely accepted, more employees are utilizing the flexibility to relocate from populated high-cost cities to peaceful suburbs.
Millennials are moving to places that have several amenities and can deliver somewhat of the city life yet still with peace and quiet.
Moreover, as more companies adopt workflow apps, time trackers, and other work-from-home collaboration tools, more remote jobs with international travel will become available.
Prior to now, cities use incentives to attract companies in order to create more jobs for their residents. However, work-from-home is changing this narrative and more towns are looking to attract remote workers instead.
Most of these relocation programs are offering relocation stipends, tax credits, and more. Places such as Cinquefrondi and Ollolai in Italy are allowing new residents to buy a house for just €1.
No wonder, Ollolai received 5,000 requests for its first 100 properties.
Five Places that will Incentivize Remote Workers Moving There
#1 TULSA, OKLAHOMA
In 2018, Oklahoma recorded its slowest period of population growth in the decade.
According to Wallethub, It is one of America’s least educated states with less than 25% of adults having a bachelor’s degree or higher.
These are among the major reasons why Oklahoma's second-largest city launched a
partnership with the George Kaiser Family Foundation to attract employees with remote work abroad or in other states of the USA.
The Tulsa Remote program offers $10,000 to applicants who will move to Tulsa and work
remotely from there. It includes $2,500 for relocation costs, a $500 monthly allowance, and a $1,500 bonus when the new resident completes 12 months of stay in Tulsa.
Residents under the Tulsa Remote program also have free membership with a co-working space that is valued at $149 per month or more.
#2 Ponga, Spain
Ponga is a beautiful mountainous village in the Asturias region of Spain. It only has about 800 inhabitants, so the Government is paying people to move the village.
If you love the sun-drenched climate in Ponga, you’ll be paid €3,000 to move there. In Ponga, you also get paid to have kids because residents are offered an extra €3,000 for every child that is born there. However, you must be willing to stay in Ponga for five years.
#3 Savannah, United States
In May 2020, SEDA (Savannah Economic Development Authority) established a technology
workforce incentive for remote tech workers looking to move into Chatham County. This
incentive is in the form of a $2,000 reimbursement for relocation expenses. Although, applicants must have three years of verifiable work experience and be willing to stay in Chatham County for a minimum of two years.
#4 Candela, Italy
Candela, a town which was known as “little Naples” because of its busyness, now has just
2,700 residents from 8,000 in the 1990s. However, since the launch of its incentive scheme in 2017, it has attracted new inhabitants of different professions and nationalities. Candela offers cash to applicants who are willing to live in the village and have a minimum annual salary of €7,500. This cash incentive ranges from €800 for singles; €1,200 for couples; €2,000 for families of four or five, to even tax credits.
#5 Vermont, United States
Vermont’s Remote Worker Grant Program offers work-from-home employees up to $10,000 to move there. According to the annual report for 2019, 84 grants were awarded to participants from 30 different states.
The Vermont grant program also works in the form of reimbursements. That is, applicants are required to incur the expenses needed to move to Vermont and apply for a refund. However, the incentive can be used to cover relocation expenses, work equipment, or even membership at a coworking space.
