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Global Remote Work Index

Discover the best scoring countries to accommodate remote employees

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This map is based on data available at Natural Earth. Data is in public domain.

Best countries for remote workers

Ranks in the top global index criteria

  1. Germany
  2. Denmark
  3. USA
  4. Spain
  5. Lithuania
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What is it?

What is the Global Remote Work Index?

It’s a tool for digital professionals to assess and compare 66 countries’ attractiveness as remote work locations. The four aspects are; cybersecurity, economic and social conditions, digital and physical infrastructure, and COVID-19 response and handling.

The index helps determine where to travel and work next and uses data complied by scientists using only reliable, up-to-date studies.

Global remote work
Digital security

Digital security

It’s safe. A safe remote work location has adequate infrastructure, response, and legal capacities in protecting remote workers, their data, privacy, and online work from cybercrime.

Socio-economic attractiveness

Socio-economic attractiveness

The country has political stability, affordable local prices, and is accessible. The population of such destinations is accepting and easy to communicate with, while the socio-economic structures in place ensure high scores in the social life category.

Physical and digital comfort

Physical and digital comfort

It’s comfortable to be there – online and offline. Co-working spaces with quick internet speed are crucial for remote workers, and good general infrastructure and social life are essential for comfortable living.

COVID-19 response

COVID-19 response

It’s a COVID-safe destination. There are no guarantees, but countries with high overall vaccination rates and swift pandemic response history are safer to be in during the pandemic.

WHERE TO GO

Remote work locations around the world

For some, it’s all about the cultural experience; for others, it’s about cybersecurity, social life, infrastructure, or high-speed internet. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer — compare 66 countries for yourself to decide on your next remote work location.

OUR FINDINGS

Which countries score the highest?

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OUR INSIGHTS

What can we learn from the data?

Some results are counter-intuitive

For example, popular vacation spots would appear as perfect remote work locations at first glance. Still, they aren’t ranked as high due to lower scores in cybersecurity, socio-economic conditions, or internet speed. Latest travel restrictions may not favor working remotely, and even remote work visas are required to conduct business.

Europe is the remote work attractiveness powerhouse

8 of the top 10 countries scoring the highest in the general ranking are European. Also, European countries rank the highest in cybersecurity, partly due to GDPR, relative political stability, reasonable local prices, reduced travel restrictions, and less need for remote work visas.

English proficiency may come at a cost

Most countries with high English proficiency are also some of the most expensive with high local prices, like the USA, the UK, Australia, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany. This is the 'Cost of Living' factor and it greatly reduces remote work viability in these countries.

DATA SOURCES

How are the numbers calculated?

After analyzing more than 20 recent, scientifically sound studies, our data scientists could form comparable country scores. They take each element into account and calculate a final index that appears as a score anywhere from 0.000 up to 1.000. You can check the entire process and data sources to have a deeper look into the methodology.

The index is composed of four elements

30%

Cybersecurity

30%

Economic and social conditions

30%

Digital and physical infrastructure

10%

COVID response and handling

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Would you like to know more?

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at:

[email protected]