Working from home has never been easier for some but what if you wanted to work beachside in Bali or Greece for a few months - or even years?
'Digital nomad visas' are now making that possible for Australians and other foreign nationals.
This week Indonesia that will allow people to work from Bali and other areas for five years or 10 years.
But there is one catch, foreigners must have at least two billion rupiahs ($AU200,538) in the bank. There are few other details available, apart from the fact that they are allowed to carry out "investment and other activities".
It follows an announcement in September that Indonesia would allow travellers entering the country on its tourist visa, B211A, to work for a foreign company during their stay, without paying foreign worker tax or salary tax. People will be able to get extensions on their initial 60-day visa, allowing them to stay in the country for up to six months.
Agus Abdul Majid, immigration attache at the Indonesian consulate general in Sydney, previously confirmed to SBS News the new conditions were already in force.
Spain's diplomatic information office has also confirmed its government is planning to introduce a digital nomad visa. But the legislation has not yet passed parliament so full details are not available and it's not known when the scheme will begin.
The move is part of a trend seen in many other parts of the world including Greece, Croatia, Brazil, Panama, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates, which all offer similar visas with different names. A list can be found below.
Source: SBS News
The digital nomad visas generally don't allow people to get a job in the country, only to work for a foreign company while living locally. The only exception is Estonia, which allows limited local work as long as the person's main purpose continues to be remote working.
Proof of income must be supplied to be eligible, with each country setting different standards. In Greece for example, applicants must prove they have a monthly income of 3,500 euros ($5,200).
A report from the Migration Policy Institute says most digital nomad visas are open to any foreign nationals who are working for a company based overseas, some also allow self-employed, students or freelancers to apply.
Exceptions include Aruba's program, which is only available to US nationals, and Cabo Verde's, which is only open to Portuguese-speaking countries or those in the economic community of West African states, Europe and North America.
Some countries are even adding extras to attract more people. This includes Zadar in Croatia, which provides remote workers with a package of paid accommodation, free co-working space, and curated events. Startup Madeira, based on the Portuguese island, also provides a free co-working space and tailored resources such as information on travel, accommodation options, and social activities.
Croatia's coastal town of Zadar is trying to attract remote workers. Credit: DENIS LOVROVIC/AFP via Getty Images
For employers, the visas enable them to offer more flexible working arrangements to workers without triggering additional tax and regulatory liabilities if the employee's presence leads to the "permanent establishment" of the company overseas.
The institute notes it's not yet clear whether these visas will address all the needs of remote workers, including questions around access to social security and tax systems.
It says the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a shift in working practices and there is a strong case for governments to introduce more flexibility into their immigration policies to keep up with the normalisation of remote work.
"Companies that can offer flexible working arrangements may be able to set themselves apart from their competitors and capture new pools of talent from nontraditional sources or geographies," the report states.
"Meanwhile, countries or regions that can offer appealing (and affordable) working and living conditions to remote workers can gain a foothold in the competition to attract workers with in-demand skills and perhaps reverse the demographic decline."
The pandemic is also still causing havoc in parts of the world and visa schemes are subject to change.
Georgia's 'Remotely from Georgia' visa has since been closed.
"We have returned to pre-COVID regulations for entering Georgia and citizens of many countries (including Australia) are allowed to enter and stay in Georgia up to one year visa free," Charge d'Affaires of the Georgian embassy in Canberra, Tamar Pakhuridze told SBS News.
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