FAQ : What means to be an expat or digital nomad.

What expat means?

An expatriate (often shortened to expat, there are 6 types of expatriates and you can discover yours here) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country other than that of the person’s upbringing. The word comes from the Latin terms ex (‘out of’) and patria (‘country, fatherland’)”.

What does nomad mean?

Person moving in a park. In modern times, a nomad means someone that doesn't have a fixed address and is open to moving according to convenience.
In modern times, a nomad means someone that doesn’t have a fixed address and is open to moving according to convenience.

Digital nomad is a term that refers to people who work remotely, in a location-independent manner, while traveling the world. The term was coined by Tim Ferriss, who referred to himself as a “lifestyle entrepreneur” in his book The 4-Hour Workweek.

Digital nomads typically work remotely for companies based in their home countries, either for full-time employment or as freelancers. Some digital nomads choose to travel around the world while working remotely, while others prefer to stay in one place and travel domestically or internationally on vacation days.

Digital nomads often use technology to facilitate their remote work lifestyle, including smartphones and laptops with high-speed internet connections. Many digital nomad destinations have developed infrastructure for this type of traveler over the past decade.

If you want to check the best cities for remote workers, click here.

In the past few years, we have seen a rise in the number of people who want to become digital nomads. Some for lifestyle reasons others for financial reasons.

Many people are turning to this lifestyle as a way to travel the world and make money at the same time!

Digital nomads offer businesses a whole new way to work with clients. The main benefits of working with digital nomads include increased productivity, reduced expenses, and better quality work output.

How do digital nomads make money?

Digital Nomads take gigs (assignments) from job sites dedicated to serving employers offering remote jobs (check the best-paid jobs for digital nomads) and those seeking them. Examples are Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer. Meanwhile, expats work for companies like Airlines (like our founder did), construction companies, the finance industry, and other global sectors.

Girl, probably a digital nomad, doing remote work. Remote work is one of the expressions often associated with the digital nomad definition
Remote work is one of the expressions often associated with the digital nomad definition

Who are expat employees?

An expatriate employee is a person who has been sent by the company he or she works for to work in another country.

The term ‘expat’ is often used as a noun and an adjective to describe these people. Expatriates are usually sent on a long-term assignment, and they may or may not be accompanied by family members.

Expatriate employees are usually sent to foreign countries to manage operations, oversee projects, or perform strategic planning for their company’s global operations. They can also be sent to other countries to learn about different cultures and business practices so they can bring back new skills and knowledge that might benefit the company when they return home.

Can you become a digital nomad?

Any tech-savvy with an entrepreneurial mindset has the potential to become one. The question of how to become a digital nomad, however, has ample ways to be answered. The best way to discover is to visit some of the websites that offer gigs (jobs) for digital nomads ( Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer, for example) and see if you are able to perform some of the remote jobs listed there. If yes, it is an open road to you.

Where do digital nomads pay tax? Are expat benefits taxable?

The question about expats, digital nomads, and taxes is dependent on where you are traveling, how long you will be there and where are you from originally. Many countries have international agreements to avoid dual taxation, therefore you just pay taxes in the place where you have your income (or where your company is registered). A Brazilian or Argentinian citizen, living in UK or Germany will not need to pay taxes in both his original country and where he lives. The US is one of the few exceptions since they require its citizens to pay taxes no matter where they’re living. However, if you meet certain requirements you can get an exemption. If you want to learn more about your specific case, contact us!

What is Colligere Expat Consultancy?

We are a business whose mission is to offer you access to the best professionals that an expat and digital nomad needs. Sworn translators, lawyers, insurance and real estate agents, or immigration assistants, all curated by our consultants will help you to have peace of mind while abroad. Learn more about our myriad of services and our discounted packages.

Is there any other question you would like to see answered at this FAQ about what means to be an expat or digital nomad and our company? Any doubt about moving away from home? Ask us here!

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