The most important rule of nomad life is to line up the income before you leave. Searching for work abroad on savings is stressful, and stress makes the job search harder. This guide covers the three routes to a location-independent income, where to look, and how to make the move with an employer you already have.
Three Routes to a Remote Income#
- A remote job. Salaried work for one employer. The most stable, and the easiest income to prove for a nomad visa. The catch is that many “remote” jobs are remote only within one country, for tax and legal reasons. Look for “work from anywhere” or “remote, global” roles, and companies that use employer-of-record services.
- Freelancing or contracting. Several clients, usually paid per project or by the hour. More flexible and often better paid per hour, but lumpier, and the first clients are the hardest to win.
- Your own business. An online shop, a product, content, consulting. The most freedom and the least predictability. Count it as income only once it has paid steadily for six months.
Skills That Travel Well#
Most remote work falls into a handful of fields:
- Software development, data and IT: the biggest pool of remote jobs and the best pay.
- Design: product, UX, graphic and brand design.
- Marketing: content, SEO, paid ads, social media, email marketing.
- Writing and editing: copywriting, technical writing, journalism, translation.
- Customer support and operations: support, success, project management, virtual assistance.
- Teaching and coaching: online language teaching, tutoring, fitness and business coaching.
- Finance and consulting: bookkeeping, accounting, analysis, specialist consulting.
Remote Job Boards#
- We Work Remotely: one of the largest remote-only boards.
- Remote OK: huge volume, strong in tech.
- Remotive: curated remote jobs and a community.
- Working Nomads: hand-picked listings by category.
- Himalayas: detailed company profiles, filters for timezone and location.
- Wellfound: startup jobs, many remote.
- FlexJobs: paid, heavily screened, few scams.
- Remote.co and JustRemote: vetted roles across many fields.
- Jobspresso: tech, marketing and support roles.
- LinkedIn: filter by “Remote” and check the location rules in each listing.
Freelance Marketplaces#
- Upwork: the biggest general marketplace.
- Fiverr: packaged services sold as gigs.
- Toptal: screened, high-end developers, designers and finance experts.
- Contra: commission-free freelance profiles.
- Arc.dev: vetted remote developers.
- Freelancer: large and price-competitive.
Marketplaces are a good way to win your first clients and reviews. Over time, most successful freelancers move towards direct clients and referrals, which pay better and come without platform fees.
How to Stand Out#
- Referrals beat applications. Remote jobs get hundreds of applicants. A warm introduction from someone at the company is worth more than a hundred cold applications.
- Pick a niche. “Shopify developer for fashion brands” wins more work than “web developer”.
- Show your work. A portfolio, case studies, a GitHub profile or published writing.
- Show you work well remotely. Mention async communication, time-zone overlap you can offer, and the tools you use.
- Be clear about time zones. Say what hours you can be online for meetings.
Asking Your Employer to Work Abroad#
If you already work remotely, ask before you go. Working abroad without permission can breach your contract and create tax problems for your employer.
- Read the remote-work policy. Many companies allow a few weeks a year abroad.
- Make a specific request: where, for how long, which hours you will be online, and how nothing changes for your team.
- Address their risks: you will handle your own visa, you won’t stay long enough to create tax obligations (or you will discuss options such as an employer-of-record service), and you will have reliable internet and a backup.
- Start with a trial, such as one month, and build from there.
Avoiding Scams#
- Real employers don’t ask you to pay for training, equipment or “processing”.
- Be wary of interviews held only by text chat, or job offers without an interview.
- Never cash a cheque or forward money for a new employer.
- Check that the company exists, has a real website and has employees on LinkedIn.
- If a remote job pays far above the market for little work, it is almost certainly a scam.
Further Reading#
- Remote.com guides: how companies employ people in other countries legally, useful when you pitch your employer.
- Himalayas remote job market data: filter jobs by time zone and the countries a company can hire in.
Remote Work FAQs#
What is the best job for a digital nomad?
Any job that can be done fully online for clients or an employer who don’t need you on site. Software development, design, marketing, writing and customer support are the most common. The best one is the one you can already do well enough to be paid for.
Can I be a digital nomad without a degree?
Yes. Most nomad jobs care about skills and a portfolio rather than degrees. Some nomad visas, such as Turkey’s, Spain’s (a degree or three years’ experience) and Italy’s, do have education or experience requirements.
How do I find a remote job I can do from any country?
Look for listings marked “work from anywhere” or “remote, global”, search on remote-first job boards, and target companies that hire internationally through employer-of-record services. Read the location rules in every listing: many remote jobs are limited to one country.
Is it legal to work remotely while travelling?
It depends on the country and your visa. Most tourist entries technically forbid work, though remote work for a foreign employer is rarely enforced. Nomad visas exist to make longer stays legal. See the visa directory.