Digital nomads were the buzzword during the pandemic and the generalization of telecommuting.
Workers who adopt a lifestyle in which they travel frequently while working remotely, thanks to a job that only requires a computer and a good Wifi connection, are called "digital nomads".
The internet reveals that 10.2 million of them travel the world on a whim.
A community that increased by 50% compared to 2019. Like COVID didn't penalize everyone, but probably made some of us think.
Digital Nomads: What Is the Profile?
First of all, and contrary to popular belief, these workers are not idle, but work full time (71% of them). 33% of them own their own company, while only 36% are freelance and have contracts with several companies. 21% are regular employees of a single company.
While baby boomers (77 to 57 years old) are not the most numerous generation represented in this new community, only 12%, they are still among them.
Digital nomads are mainly Millennials (25 to 35 years old) - 44%, or members of generation X (57 to 42 years old) - 23%. To complete the picture, the digital nomad is more often a man (59%).
Almost 61% of them are married. Traveling the world does not mean living alone, as 31% of married digital nomads' partners travel with them full-time, and 38% part-time.
To sum up, we are talking about ONE digital nomad between 25 and 35 years old. He is married and travels with his partner. He works full-time for several companies.
Digital Nomads: What Is the Average Salary?
While they work an average of 46 hours a week, the jobs are very varied and no sector really predominates.
The most represented sector is logically technology and IT (19%), ahead of creative services (10%) and education (and training, 9%).
To get into these fields, digital nomads have studied, with at least a bachelor's degree (72% of them) and a master's degree (33%). Sectors and diplomas that also allow for a comfortable salary.
According to the data, 44% of respondents earn US$75,000 or more each year. Only one in five (21%) earn less than US$25,000 per year.
Digital Nomads: What Are the Preferred Destinations?
The countries favored by these workers are Indonesia, Mexico, Thailand, Spain, Colombia and Portugal.
On average, they stay in 3 to 4 countries per year. When choosing their destination, there are a few criteria such as a good internet connection, a pleasant climate, an affordable cost of living and easy access to a visa (or no visa at all). Only 12% of them stay in the same place for 3 months.
In order to break down preconceived ideas, travelling and working around the world also means asking yourself some existential questions. Digital nomads also have problems like the inability to disconnect from work, uncertainty, loneliness and also potential financial difficulties.
