BUENOS AIRES, June 10, 2025 (AP) — Argentina launched a new digital nomad visa program Monday, allowing remote workers to reside for up to two years with a path to permanent residency.
The program grants 12-month renewable visas to applicants earning at least $2,500 monthly from foreign employers or freelance contracts. Successful applicants receive a tax identification number, access to the public healthcare system, and the right to open dollar-denominated bank accounts.
Immigration data released alongside the program launch showed 12,400 remote workers entered Argentina in the first five months of 2025, up from 2,800 in the same period last year. Most are from the United States, Spain, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
The surge reflects Milei's elimination of currency controls in January 2024, which allowed foreigners to access dollars at market rates, ending the parallel exchange rate premium that had effectively doubled costs for visitors. Simultaneously, Argentina's cost of living, measured in dollars, fell to roughly 40% of regional peers like Chile and Uruguay.
Co-working spaces across Buenos Aires report occupancy rates above 85%. La Maquinita, one of the city's largest co-working operators, opened three new locations in the first quarter of 2025 and plans to expand to Cordoba and Mendoza by year-end.
But the rapid transformation has generated friction with longtime residents. Rents in Palermo and Recoleta have risen an estimated 25% in dollar terms over the past year, pricing out middle-class Argentine families. Opposition lawmakers have introduced legislation to restrict digital nomad visas to applicants who commit to renting properties outside Buenos Aires' most expensive neighborhoods.
The government announced that Argentina would open dedicated visa processing centers in Miami, Madrid, and Berlin by September, and is negotiating reciprocal agreements with Portugal and Estonia that would allow Argentine remote workers to operate from those countries without additional permits.
The economic impact extends beyond the technology sector. Restaurant owners in Palermo report that foreign residents now account for roughly 30% of weekday lunch customers, up from 8% two years ago. English-language schools have expanded their adult programs, and several coworking spaces now offer Portuguese and Spanish classes tailored to remote workers.
Critics argue that the program accelerates gentrification without generating commensurate economic benefits for Argentine citizens. A bill introduced by opposition deputies would require digital nomad visa holders to pay a 5% tax on foreign income, with proceeds directed to affordable housing programs in neighborhoods affected by rising rents.
