Southeast Asia aims to attract remote workers with new visa scheme

Southeast Asian countries hope to attract long-term professionals through digital nomad visas to boost economic development.

In recent years, East and Southeast Asian countries including Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan have introduced digital nomad visas to allow remote workers to live and work within their borders. International tourism and foreign consumption contribute greatly to the economies of these countries.

Indonesia introduced the KITAS E33G visa, or remote worker visa, in early 2024. The holiday resort island of Bali is one of the country’s most popular destinations for digital nomads.

Dustin Steller, who is from Missouri, USA, runs a marketing company remotely and has been living in Bali for two years.

“I immediately fell in love with the culture, the food, the lifestyle and the people – both locals and expats,” he told VOA.

In recent years, Bali has become a popular “base” for social media influencers and cryptocurrency investors. The cost of living in Bali is lower than in Western countries, so professionals living in Bali can build their careers with less money.

“Bali offers tremendous opportunities for serious nomads looking to connect with like-minded people,” Steller told VOA.

“Bali is the Silicon Valley of tech, AI and cryptocurrency,” he added. “There are a lot of smart people here doing some amazing work. I’ve found that the community of like-minded entrepreneurs is much larger and more concentrated in Bali.”

Malaysia launched a digital nomad visa in 2022, while the Philippines is reportedly planning to announce its own program.

Remote workers have been around since the development of the internet and the spread of global travel, but the term “digital nomad” has only become popular in recent years. Five years ago, digital nomad visa programs did not exist. Estonia became the first country to launch such a program in 2020, just as many people began working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a recent YouGov survey, digital nomads favor Asian countries because of their active work culture, reliable infrastructure (such as reliable internet and modern facilities), and flexible visa options. The top 15 countries favored by Singaporeans include Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Cambodia, all in Southeast Asia.

Thailand is now the latest country in the region to launch its own digital nomad visa.

The Thailand Tourist Visa (DTV) was launched on July 15, allowing digital nomads, freelancers and remote workers to live, work and travel in the country for up to 180 days per entry and valid for five years.

Applicants can obtain a visa if they participate in Thailand’s “soft power” activities, including Muay Thai and short-term educational courses. The visa fee is $270, and applicants must be able to show proof of funds equivalent to a deposit of approximately $13,855.

For many remote workers, living in Thailand is an exciting prospect.

Samantha Haselden, a British expat who owns an IT company in the United Arab Emirates with her husband, is considering applying.

“We’ve been going to Thailand for several years. My aunt and uncle retired there; it always felt like home. We’re going to Thailand in a few weeks to meet with a lawyer who processes visas to see what he thinks our chances are of being approved,” she told VOA.

“We are almost 50. We never thought of Bali because it looked like a paradise for people under 25,” she added.

Members of several Thailand visa Facebook groups also praised Thailand’s fast internet, low cost of living, delicious food, and friendly people as reasons for wanting to apply for a DTV visa.

But the intense attention on social media since the announcement has led to more questions than answers about eligibility.

VOA contacted the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment but has not yet received a response.

For Thailand, the economic importance of overseas tourists is clear. In 2019, tourism accounted for 11.5% of the country’s overall GDP, with a record 39 million tourists. Thailand expects tourist arrivals to reach 36 million in 2024 and a record 41 million in 2025.

The Thai government also relaxed visa requirements for visitors from 93 countries to stay for 60 days. Previously, visitors from dozens of countries were allowed to stay for 30 days, and some had to apply for visas before arrival.

Kuala Lumpur-based tourism analyst Gary Bowerman said Thailand’s visa-free policy is aimed at boosting its economic development.

“The challenge for Thailand is to expand the higher-yield component of its tourism base. While Thailand leads Southeast Asia in terms of tourist arrivals, per capita spending remains relatively low. These measures are aimed at attracting more tourists and getting them to stay longer, travel wider and spend more in different locations,” he told VOA.

But questions remain about whether Thailand suffers from “overtourism,” a term that refers to mass tourism disrupting the daily lives of local residents.

Spain has seen street protests against overtourism in places including Barcelona and Madrid. The protests have focused on high rents, prompting the Spanish government to ban short-term rentals from 2028.

Pravit Rojanaphruk, senior journalist Cawsod EnglishIt is too early to think Thailand is worried about this growth.

“Property prices may rise, especially in Bangkok, making it unaffordable for some locals,” he told VOA. “But we are still far from that goal, as 100 million people visited France in 2023, while only 28 million visited Thailand, even though the two countries have roughly the same land area and population.”