Digital nomad visa: What is the new permit Kenya is wooing global remote workers with?

Kenya is introducing a special visa for digital nomads to woo foreigners who roam around while working remotely through the internet.

Digital nomads travel through multiple countries while working from short-term rental houses, hotels, cafés, public libraries, co-working spaces, or recreational vehicles.

These travellers, often in their 30s, generally have minimal material possessions and are mostly in jobs like consultancy, I.T., content creation and training.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a spike in remote work as people did their jobs online, and the digital nomadism phenomenon is growing around the globe post the pandemic.

President William Ruto last week said the Digital Nomad Work Permit is “specifically designed to welcome global digital professionals, allowing them to live and work in Kenya while enjoying the country's natural beauty and high-quality lifestyle.”

“Kenya can be your home, where you and your family can experience the wonders of magical Kenya every day, all while serving clients from anywhere in the world on your digital platform,” Ruto said during the Magical Kenya Travel Expo 2024.

Applicants to the permit must be employed by a company outside Kenya, earning an annual base salary of $55,000 (about Ksh.7 million) and have no criminal history.

Ruto also announced an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) for visitors with long flight layovers, allowing them to leave the airport and explore Nairobi during their transit.

He said the move is geared towards boosting the local tourism sector.

Kenya’s international visitor arrivals hit 2.09 million in 2023, a record high since the coronavirus pandemic. This was a growth from 1.54 million visitors in 2022.

At the same time, the country netted Ksh.352.54 billion from tourists, up from Ksh.268.09 billion in 2022.

Traditionally, digital nomads have used tourist visas to traverse their favourite destinations, because of their easy access compared to work permits.

But this puts them in an undefined position legally regarding their work.

With the digital nomad visa, Kenya now joins other countries which have introduced the permit post the COVID-19 pandemic such as Bermuda, Costa Rica, Hungary, Italy, Mauritius, Spain, South Africa and Barbados.

According to the 2024 Digital Nomads Trends Report by MBO Partners, one in every ten workers in the U.S. alone is a digital nomad, a growth of more than 147 per cent since 2019.

Studies show that cost of living is among the top criteria digital nomads consider when selecting a destination, alongside favourable climate, diversity, and leisure activities.

These travellers have also been projected to spend more than 35 per cent of their income in the location they are staying, boosting local economies, especially in the service and consumer goods industries.

However, there have increasingly been concerns about gentrification and over-tourism, where the influx of visitors drives up prices and makes cities nearly unliveable for locals.

This year, there have been protests against over-tourism in some of the popular destinations among travellers such as Spain and Greece.

In other destinations like South Africa, locals have blamed digital nomads for causing a strain on already scarce resources and driving up the prices of goods and housing.