The day before, again: restaurant. The next day: brunch. Evening: a after workin the neighborhood of Buenos Aires that borders the Rio de la Plata, Puerto Madero, and glasses on a rooftop. Then, every month, a getaway is planned to the four corners of the country: soon, the spectacular Iguazu Falls – on the Brazilian border –, then Salta and its colorful mountains in the North-West. “We’re on fire”admits with a smile Ricardo (the people quoted whose name does not appear wished to remain anonymous), 28, who left Belgium with his partner to join Argentina, at the end of April, like “digital nomad”, for about six months. His projects are not only touristic: during the day, he continues to work, totally remotely, for thirty-two hours a week, as a purchasing administrator for a Dutch company.
“I only see advantages in it; in Buenos Aires, I don’t feel out of place. At the same time, I learn a new language and then, with a European salary, life is really not expensive, I will even be able to put aside”, he remarks, delighted with the first contacts. So far, he’s getting by with his fluency in Portuguese.
“Our strengths are the cost of living, which is unbeatable in terms of the cultural, gastronomic and entertainment offer, but also a pleasant climate all year round. » Francisco Resnicoff, Under-Secretary for International Relations
Since May 10 and the launch of a visa dedicated to them – for a period of six months, renewable once – Argentina is officially counting on the arrival of these new workers in the country. “The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated everything that, one way or another, was going to end up happening”justified, during the announcement, Florencia Carignano, director of migration services, with reference to this new profile of visitors. “The people who join this community are between 20 and 40 years old, the majority of them have a university degree. They are estimated to consume more than other visitors: $6,000 [5 670 euros] during a typical stay »calculates the government.
“These expenses stimulate the economy”
Buenos Aires, the city of arrival of the nomads, had already formally endorsed this strategy in December 2020, then in November 2021, with “the first conference for digital nomads in Latin America”. Objective: to attract 22,000 people matching this profile by 2023. The city offers a “welcome package” to these visitors, including, among other things, a transport card and a SIM card, promotions in various hotels. The expected windfall amounts to 150 million dollars. If the government shows from the outset its desire to “generate a positive impact for the entry of currencies” in a country that is still in dire need of it, nomads, mostly Americans or Europeans, according to the authorities, exchange good addresses to obtain pesos on the parallel circuit. The rate is better there. And the euros or dollars escape the official reserves.
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