Anthony Piovesan
Spain is hoping to attract more British women with digital nomad visas and tax perks in the new year.
The country’s Digitalisation Minister Carme Artigas said Spain wanted to attract female entrepreneurs because the country was widely viewed as a safe place to live for women.
A digital nomad’s visa and tax concessions for start-up companies in Spain will come into force next month as part of a new start-up law.
“We don’t want digital nomads, we want residents,” Artigas said.
“The nomads are a way into a country. Our hope is that the nomad visa is very attractive but then they stay in our country. That they put down their roots in our country.”
Speaking at an international conference on the digital economy attended by representatives from 50 countries, including Britain, Artigas said Spain wanted to create the ‘best business ecosystem possible’.
In Spain, 22% of the economy is digital-based, with start-up hubs growing especially in Barcelona, Malaga and Madrid.
“We are convinced that talent attracts talent. The smart guys want to work with smart guys,” Artigas said.
“There is a global battle for talent. Why? Because talent brings investment.”
In 2021, Spain became the first European country to record femicides, a crime which is defined as the murder of a woman by a man on account of their gender.
Last year, the country recorded 2.3% femicides per 100,000 of population, lower than the European average.
“We want to attract women because they feel secure. We would like them to come and work here,” Artigas said.
However, Spain’s female executives earned 15 per cent less than male executives, according to European Union data from 2017.
READ MORE:
- Spain plans digital nomad visa to attract remote workers
- ‘Digital Nomad visa’ and tax breaks: What we know about Spain’s plans to attract remote workers
- FOCUS: How Malaga on Spain’s Costa del Sol has become the digital nomad’s dream
