Blog · 2024-09-13
Countries that will pay you to move there
Sounds too good to be true? Believe it or not, it is real. In 2024 a number of countries are running financial-support schemes for people willing to move to their regions. These initiatives are designed to reverse population decline in remote areas, revive local economies and attract young, talented residents. Here are the most interesting programs of them all.
1. Italy
The commune of Presicce
What is on offer: a grant covering 50% of the price of a home bought in the area. Of that, €5,000 is held as a deposit and paid out three years after the renovation is complete.
Requirements: hold Italian residency and buy a property in Presicce that was built before 1991 and appears on the register of abandoned buildings.
How much you get: up to €30,000.
Candela
What is on offer: the town pays €800 a month to people living alone, €1,200 to couples, €1,800 to families with one child and €2,000 to families with two or three children. Newcomers also receive tax breaks and social assistance.
Requirements: become a resident of Candela and have an income of at least €7,500 a year.
How much you get: between €800 and €2,000 a month.
Locana
What is on offer: the village pays families €3,000 a year for three years after they relocate.
Requirements: you must have lived legally in Italy for at least five years before moving to the region and prove an annual income of at least €6,000. Children must be enrolled in the local school.
How much you get: up to €9,000.
Molise
What is on offer: €700 a month for three years (up to €25,000 in total) for anyone who moves to one of the region's towns with fewer than 2,000 inhabitants.
Requirements: newcomers must not only live in the region but also start a business there or otherwise invest in the local economy.
How much you get: up to €25,200 over three years.
Calabria
What is on offer: financial support of up to €28,000 (€700-800 a month) for moving to Calabria's sparsely populated villages.
Requirements: you must be under 40, relocate to a village of fewer than 2,000 people and either launch a small business or propose an innovative business idea.
How much you get: up to €28,000 over two to three years.
Santo Stefano di Sessanio
What is on offer: monthly payments (no more than €8,000 a year) for three years, discounted rent on a home and a grant of up to €20,000 to start your own business in the area.
Requirements: you must be a citizen of Italy or the EU, or hold European permanent residency. You must be under 40, prepared to live in the region for five years and open a business.
How much you get: up to €52,000.
2. Portugal
Idanha-a-Nova
What is on offer: Idanha-a-Nova offers relocation grants to professionals in technology and the creative industries, and the town administration helps with finding housing.
Requirements: applicants must work remotely or plan to set up a business in the town.
How much you get: €2,600, paid once.
3. Greece
Antikythera
What is on offer: Antikythera offers up to €500 a month to people willing to move to the island and stay.
Requirements: new residents must be prepared to remain on the island for at least a few years and take part in community life.
How much you get: up to €18,000 over three years.
4. Spain
Ponga
What is on offer: Ponga pays young families €3,000 to relocate to the region.
Requirements: you must be under 40 and willing to move to Ponga permanently.
How much you get: €3,000, paid once.
Granada
What is on offer: Granada offers financial support to families willing to move to the countryside and start a small business.
Requirements: preference is given to young families and entrepreneurs ready to develop tourism or agricultural ventures.
How much you get: up to €12,000, paid once.
5. Switzerland
Albinen
What is on offer: the Swiss village of Albinen offers up to 25,000 Swiss francs per family to relocate.
Requirements: you must be under 45, prepared to live in the village for at least 10 years and buy property worth 200,000 Swiss francs or more.
How much you get: up to 25,000 Swiss francs per family, paid once.
6. United States
Tulsa, Oklahoma
What is on offer: the Tulsa Remote program offers grants of up to $10,000 to people willing to move to Tulsa and work remotely.
Requirements: you must have a remote job with a company based outside the state.
How much you get: $10,000, paid once.
Vermont
What is on offer: Vermont offers grants of up to $7,500 to people willing to move to the state and work remotely.
Requirements: newcomers must be prepared to live and work in the state for at least a year.
How much you get: up to $7,500, paid once.
Alaska
What is on offer: Alaska shares the state's oil revenues with its residents.
Requirements: anyone who has lived in Alaska for one year is eligible for the dividend.
How much you get: the payout varies from year to year depending on the state's oil revenues.
7. Canada
New Brunswick
What is on offer: New Brunswick offers relocation grants to professionals willing to work in the region.
Requirements: you must have a profession that is in demand locally and be willing to move to the province for the long term.
How much you get: payments vary by profession and region and can reach several thousand dollars.
8. England
What is on offer: England covers visa fees, the immigration health surcharge and other relocation costs for foreigners who sign a contract to teach languages or physics.
Requirements: secure a contract to teach languages or physics, or enrol on a teacher-training course. Applicants must also not have lived in England for more than three months before the job or course begins.
How much you get: all immigration costs covered.
9. Chile
What is on offer: the government will pay anyone $50,000 to start a business in the country.
Requirements: if your innovative start-up is still in development, or was launched no more than two years ago, you can apply to Chilean accelerators for a grant. You must live in Chile.
How much you get: $50,000 towards building a business.
These programs offer real opportunities for anyone ready to change their life and take advantage of financial support to move abroad. But such offers are not simply a gift: in return for the money you will have to meet certain conditions - whether that means working in a specific field, buying or restoring a property, or getting involved in community life. Before you pack your bags, it is worth studying the requirements carefully and making sure they match your expectations and circumstances.
FAQ
Which countries pay you to move there?
How much does Italy pay you to relocate?
Does Switzerland really pay people to move to a village?
Are there relocation grants for remote workers?
What do you have to do to get relocation money?
Are there programmes for entrepreneurs?
Don’t want to figure this out alone?
We handle the whole process end to end: we check your documents, match a program to your situation and give you honest timelines and costs. Leave your details and a migration expert will get back to you. The first consultation is free.