Abu Dhabi, Dubai among top destinations for ‘digital nomads’

Abu Dhabi and Dubai have been ranked among the best destinations for people looking to work remotely during the winter, reported Khaleej Times on Monday, quoting a research note by Business Name Generator.

The UAE capital came at the top as a destination for remote workers, with 10.2 hours of sunshine between October and February, while Dubai came in fourth.

The study compared 50 of the world’s most popular cities, analysing metrics including WiFi speed, monthly cost of living for nomads, average rental costs, quality of life score, winter sunshine hours, winter temperature and average flight time from London, added the report.

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Also known as ‘digital nomads’, remote workers work virtually from a destination of their choice. When winter approaches, digital nomads move to areas with more tenable weather.

UAE has been relaxing its visa policies in recent years in an effort to attract more tourists and residents.

In 2021, the UAE government launched a remote work visa in 2021 that enabled employees to live in the Emirates while they work for companies based in another country.

The applicants applying for the one-year remote work visa are required to submit proof that he/she works for an organisation outside the UAE and receives a monthly income of $3,500 (Dh12,845) or its equivalent.

The other cities that made the top ten included Singapore, Orlando, Houston, Buenos Aires, Melbourne and Lisbon.

Meanwhile, New York, Zurich, Boston, Seattle and London were found to be the most expensive cities for digital nomads.