Work from the beach as this Caribbean island offers long-term stays

The sunny Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao has extended an invitation to remote workers to work and live there for up to a year.

The @Home in Curaçao program will allow successful applicants to stay for up to six months initially, and they are eligible for an extension of a further six months. However, applicants must fulfill particular criteria.

The Nena Sanchez Gallery exterior wall in Curacao — Curaçao is filled with colorful streets and shopfronts © Eduardo Gato/Curaçao Tourist Board

The program is open to all nationalities in three categories - remote workers/digital nomads, hibernators/snowbirds and investors. Remote workers and digital nomads must prove that they can work location-independently using telecommunications technologies in one of the three categories, and they won't be subject to local income taxes. They must work for an employer registered in a foreign country, or conduct business as a partner or shareholder of a company registered in a foreign country. The third category is for those who offer freelance or consulting services to clients whose permanent establishments are in a foreign country, and with whom they have contracts.

Applicants in the remote worker/digital nomad category pay a $294 (€250) fee, and the application takes about two weeks to process. Families can also apply under this program. Those traveling from a high-risk country or area must undergo a PCR test within 72 hours prior to departure and fill in a Passenger Locator Card. They must also prove that they have a a flight booked back home and have valid international travel insurance. For more information about the @Home in Curaçao program, please visit the Government of Curaçao's website here.

Travelers to Curaçao can enjoy the island's thriving art and culinary scenes, along with its caves and hidden beaches. It also offers great snorkeling and diving, and is known for its multicultural community and colorful streets and shopfronts. But there are plenty of other options for travelers looking for an extended stay in the Caribbean, as the Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Dominica, and Antigua and Barbuda offer similar programs.