Countries (and towns) that pay you to move there
Updated September 5, 2026
A number of countries, and some US towns and states, run genuine relocation incentive programs — cash payments, tax breaks, or remote-work visas designed to attract new residents to areas losing population or trying to build a remote-work economy. They're real, but details, funding, and eligibility change often, so always verify current terms directly before planning around one.
On this page
How relocation incentive programs typically work
- A local government, region, or sometimes a national program offers a cash payment, tax credit, or discounted housing to new residents
- Most require a minimum stay (commonly one year) and can claw back the incentive if you leave early
- Many are specifically aimed at remote workers, since they bring outside income into the local economy without displacing local jobs
- Amounts and eligibility change based on funding and local policy — a program that existed one year may be paused, changed, or ended the next
- Some are funded by regional economic-development budgets rather than a national government, which is part of why funding can dry up faster than a headline suggests
- A number of programs favor specific groups — remote tech workers, entrepreneurs, or retirees — rather than being open to anyone who applies
- Some pay a lump sum up front, while others release the money in installments tied to milestones like home purchase, a work permit renewal, or an annual residency check-in
- A program aimed at repopulating a shrinking area is usually easier to qualify for than one aimed at building a new industry, since the bar for eligibility tends to track the urgency of the local problem
Similar relocation incentive programs within the US
Several US towns, especially smaller or rural communities trying to attract remote workers, have run relocation incentive programs offering cash, tax credits, or other perks. These are typically run at the town, county, or state level rather than federally, and change frequently — search for current programs in your specific target area rather than relying on any static list, including this one, since terms can change or end. A program that offered $10,000 last year might have reduced its payout, added a residency requirement, or shut down entirely by the time you read about it. Local economic development offices are usually the most reliable source for what is actually active right now, and many maintain dedicated web pages or staff who can walk you through current eligibility.
Programs like this tend to cluster in places actively trying to reverse population loss or diversify a local economy — small Midwest and Appalachian towns in particular have experimented with cash and tax incentives aimed specifically at remote workers, who bring outside income without needing a local employer to create the job first. Amounts have typically ranged from a few thousand dollars up to somewhere in the five-figure range for the more generous programs, sometimes paired with discounted co-working space or help finding local housing, along with the same fine print about minimum stays that international programs use. A town in Kansas or West Virginia might offer $5,000 upfront plus access to a shared workspace for six months, while a more aggressive program could stretch to $15,000 if you commit to buying a home and staying for two years. The housing assistance component matters because these areas often have limited rental inventory, and program administrators have learned that helping someone find a place to live makes the cash incentive actually usable.
Coverage of these programs tends to spike whenever one gets picked up by national media, which can make it seem like there are more active offers at any given moment than there actually are — many of the programs written about a few years ago have since closed their application windows or run out of allocated funding. Search using recent date filters rather than relying on older roundup articles, and check whether a program is described as "accepting applications" versus "was accepted" in past coverage. A glowing profile from 2021 about a town in Oklahoma might still rank highly in search results even though that particular initiative stopped taking applicants eighteen months ago. Look for timestamps, check the program's own website for an application portal, and call the listed contact if the status seems unclear — the ten minutes spent confirming beats planning a move around money that is no longer available.
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What to verify before planning around one
- The program's official government or municipal website — not a secondhand summary — for current eligibility and payment amounts
- The minimum residency requirement and any conditions for repayment if you leave early
- Whether it's a cash payment, tax credit, or another form of benefit — these have very different practical value
- Visa and work-authorization requirements, if the program is international, separate from the incentive itself
- Whether the program is currently accepting applications — some run on a fixed annual budget and close once funds are allocated for the year
- Tax implications back home, since a foreign relocation payment or discounted property can carry its own reporting requirements
- Whether the payment is a grant or a loan structured to look like a grant — some housing incentives are technically a forgivable loan, forgiven only after the full residency term is completed
- Language, healthcare access, and local job market realities if you're relying on remote work — an incentive payment doesn't offset a genuinely difficult day-to-day fit
Specific relocation incentive programs and what they actually pay
Names, amounts, and requirements change often, so verify current terms directly before relying on any of these — but as of recent reporting, real programs have included:
- Albinen, Switzerland: reported to pay around $25,000 per qualifying adult and $10,000 per child, in exchange for a 10-year residency commitment and buying or building a home there, open to applicants under 45.
- Chile (Start-Up Chile): an equity-free startup funding program with tiers reportedly ranging from about $10,500 up to $80,000, plus a one-year visa, for founders with a qualifying business idea.
- Ponga, Spain: a small Asturias village reported offering roughly €3,000 per couple plus another €3,000 per child, aimed at young families willing to commit to around five years of residency.
- Sicily, Italy: the well-known "€1 homes" program requires committing to a renovation (often cited around €15,000) within a set timeframe, plus a refundable deposit — it's a discounted-property program, not a cash payment.
- Antikythera, Greece: reported to offer a monthly stipend (around €500) tied to a multi-year residency requirement, aimed at repopulating the small island.
- Saskatchewan, Canada: a graduate retention tax credit reported at up to roughly CAD $20,000, delivered over time through tax filings rather than as a lump sum, for eligible post-secondary graduates who stay and work in the province.
- Calabria, Italy: a region-wide program reported to pay up to around €28,000 to individuals or families willing to move to villages with populations under 2,000, paid out over three years and generally tied to starting or transferring a small business there.
Several of these are municipal or regional programs rather than national ones, which is part of why they're easy to miss and why terms can change with local budgets and leadership. Many were also introduced or expanded specifically to counter rural population decline, so don't be surprised if a program you read about has since tightened its eligibility rules or lowered its payout as the original funding round runs its course — this is exactly why checking the current official page matters more than trusting any list, including this one. (Sources: MoveBuddha, North American Van Lines)
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, though details and funding change over time — programs like these are typically run by local governments or tourism boards trying to boost population or remote-worker income in a specific area. Always verify current terms directly on the program's official site before making any plans, since eligibility and payment amounts do change.
Often yes — most programs require a minimum residency period (commonly one year) and can claw back the incentive if you leave before that. Read the specific program's terms carefully.
Yes — several US towns and states have run remote-worker relocation incentive programs, typically offering a few thousand dollars in cash, tax credits, or other perks to attract remote workers to smaller or shrinking communities. These change frequently, so search for current programs in your target area rather than relying on older lists.
Rarely fully — most are a fixed cash incentive or tax benefit, not a moving-cost reimbursement. You'd typically still need to budget for and arrange your own international move separately.