Do Spain’s conservatives want to attract millions more digital nomads?

The man rumoured to become Spain’s next Economy Minister has stated that his party wants to attract millions of digital nomads to the country.

As Spain’s general election campaign gains momentum, the centre-right People’s Party has begun outlining its proposals for governing, should the polls be correct and the right-wing bloc (PP along with far-right Vox) enter government after eight years of Socialist rule.

The PP’s deputy secretary-general, Juan Bravo, appeared at a recent Ibero-American Congress on Marketing, Communication and Public Affairs, and outlined the party’s priorities that would shape his party’s agenda during its first hundred days in government. 

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In keeping with recent policy announcements on property, such as offering zero tax incentives for rural property buyers, Bravo outlined ideas for broader tax cuts, boosting business investment, reducing unnecessary spending and simplifying administrative procedures while boosting housing, competitiveness, productivity and employment.

The proposals are in keeping with wider policy announcements by the party on the campaign trail.

The PP leader and possible next Spanish prime minister Alberto Núñez Feijóo recently proposed a reduced self-employment contribution of €50 a month for three years for young people under 40 who set up businesses in rural areas; a 50 percent reduction in income tax for the first few years of business activity; a rural relocation grant of up to €15,000; and public guarantees of up to 80 percent for the investments required on farms.

Bravo stated that Spain has significant opportunities for growth, but warned that legal and fiscal certainty, housing, infrastructure and productivity require urgent action. 

One large opportunity, he clarified, is digital nomads. 

“People want to come to Spain: by 2040 there will be one billion digital nomads worldwide and 8.1 percent (81 million people) would choose our country,” he said.

While Bravo’s comments can’t reasonably be taken to mean that he wants to attract a further 81 million people to Spain (the population is currently ticking towards the 50 million threshold), as they have in some Spanish outlets, it does perhaps point to an underlying policy direction — tax cuts, pro-business deregulation, and international money.

According to official figures from Spain’s Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, the number of foreign professionals with Digital Nomad Visas and other residency permits for remote work surpassed 300,000 at the start of 2026.

Digital nomads have been blamed by some in Spain for contributing to the housing crisis. Foreign workers earning double or triple what most locals earn (while often paying reduced tax rates) have reportedly contributed to property market inflation, especially in the rental sector, as well as the gentrification of Spanish cities.

In response to what he considers to be a supply problem, Bravo outlined measures such as streamlining administrative procedures, reducing VAT and other deductions to make processes easier for landlords and tenants, notably pledging “the construction of one million homes over the next four years”, he said.

A recent PP policy note emphasised that the party “is committed to reducing red tape for the self-employed: from four tax returns a year to two or even just one”. This would also benefit those with Spain’s Digital Nomad Visa, as they have to register as self-employed.

The party has also promised to ease the tax burden on entrepreneurs and facilitate the transition from self-employment to an SME

Bravo’s recent comments on digital nomads, however, could put PP policy at odds with previous positions and its possible future coalition partner, far-right Vox.

The PP has previously given its support to regional pacts with Vox that establishes a ‘national priority’ to put Spaniards first for benefits and state aid. 

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At a time when not only housing but immigration is dominating public debate in Spain, the country’s right-wing parties have remade regional pacts on the basis of a ‘national priority’ policy that puts Spaniards before foreigners.

The idea, rhetorically, at least, is as simple as it is controversial: to give priority to Spanish citizens over foreigners, including European Union citizens, in areas such as social benefits, housing and certain public services. 

How exactly inviting millions of wealthy foreigners with greater spending power is in keeping with a ‘national priority’ is unclear. 

The Local has asked the PP for clarification.

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