Kenya is having quite the year. Its drawn-out protests, debt defaults, and members of parliament railing into Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua as they call for his impeachment are some of the obvious highlights of the year. Yet, the country is finding ways to win.
On Thursday, Kenya amended its citizenship and immigration regulations to introduce a Digital Nomad Visa. This visa targets individuals who work remotely for foreign employers while choosing their own work locations.
According to the amended regulation, applicants to the visa program must be employed by a non-Kenyan company, be earning an annual base salary of $55,000, and have no criminal history.
Kenya hopes the visa will bring more remote workers into the country, boosting its tourism sector, which grew by 21.3% in the first half of 2024, generating KES142.5 billion ($1.1 billion). In addition to tourism, the visa is expected to benefit other sectors like housing, transportation, and hospitality.
However, details of the program, such as the visa’s processing time, the duration of stay, and the pathway to getting Kenyan citizenship remain unclear. More information is expected to be communicated soon as the program takes shape.
Kenya will join other countries like Seychelles, Mauritius, Namibia, and Cape Verde which have successfully rolled out digital nomad visas, offering remote workers tax breaks and a chance to live and work from beautiful cities.
Remote work is growing in popularity worldwide and countries want to capitalise on it. In Nigeria, Lagos State will tax remote workers. Kenya, needing a quick win, will also try and tap into this growing travel-work culture. It is unclear if, and how much tax digital nomads in Kenya will pay.
