Much has been written in recent months about remote work. Will it become established as a new, semi-permanent arrangement, or will the benefits—social, psychological, and those that foster creativity—of in-person work prevail, and will work routines return to pre-pandemic times?

But remote work did open a new door that seems to be highly valued by younger people: the concept of the digital nomad. In short, the pandemic demonstrated that, for many jobs, the worker’s location was irrelevant, and the possibility arose—for example, if one’s income allowed it—to work from Rome for an employer in Lima. Several countries saw this as an opportunity to attract young professionals willing to spend money without competing in the local labor market—and who could also foster a more entrepreneurial environment. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), 47 countries already offer work visas for these individuals. At the time of this writing, Spain was debating the passage of a similar law.

According to the WEF report, there are currently an estimated 35 million digital nomads, nearly a third of whom are based in the United States. Most digital nomads are in their thirties, and, in the case of women, they are primarily engaged in creative professions, while men are mostly involved in software development.

The proposed bill in Spain would grant these nomads five-year visas, but the reality is that they prefer to keep traveling. According to a Lonely Planet survey, one-third of those surveyed said they prefer to move before three months have passed. This is the case of a blogger who, according to the WEF, reported that in one year, he and his wife lived at 97 different addresses, slept in 21 different countries, and flew nearly 271,000 kilometers.