Post Brexit, you might have thought language learning had slipped off people’s priority lists and with it our global ambitions. You’d be wrong. Following years of Covid restrictions, post pandemic cabin fever has put travelling firmly back on many people’s ‘to do’ lists, and not just for recreation.

Flexible working patterns and improved digital infrastructures mean that working remotely is now a serious option and many young people with the skills and desire to travel are increasingly opting to set themselves up abroad, working remotely as ‘Digital Nomads’ or ‘Techpats’. An understanding of foreign languages, including digital ones, is becoming an essential part of their toolkit.

Countries such as Germany, Spain, Costa Rica and even Barbados are capitalising on this trend—just a few of those offering temporary residence permits, or ‘digital nomad visas,’ to those wanting to work remotely for a foreign based business, often technology companies. These visas are increasingly common, with over 50 countries currently offering some kind of permit, for periods of typically up to 12 months, and the numbers are growing. Having the ability to “get by” in a number of languages is a key skill; add to that a fluency in coding, and the world really is your oyster.