RELOCATION DEALS: Some countries and communities are offering financial incentives to attract new residents, workers, entrepreneurs and families in 2026, particularly in areas facing population decline or abandoned properties.
Here are five destinations with notable relocation incentives:
🇮🇪 IRELAND: Eligible applicants can receive up to €50,000 to renovate a qualifying vacant property, or up to €70,000 for a derelict property.
Higher grants are available for qualifying properties on offshore islands. Applicants must meet property and occupancy conditions.
🇯🇵 JAPAN: Eligible people relocating from the Tokyo metropolitan area to participating regional communities can receive up to ¥1 million for a household or ¥600,000 for an individual. Families may also qualify for additional support for children. Conditions vary by municipality.
🇵🇹 PORTUGAL: The Emprego Interior MAIS programme provides financial assistance to eligible workers and entrepreneurs who relocate to qualifying inland areas for employment or to establish a business. Support can also cover family members and transportation of belongings.
🇮🇹 ITALY: Several regions and municipalities offer incentives to attract residents and businesses to smaller or depopulated communities.
Calabria, for example, has allocated €5 million to its mountain-village initiative, with support focused largely on new businesses, remote workers and pensioners.
🇨🇭 SWITZERLAND: The village of Albinen has offered incentives of around CHF25,000 per adult and CHF10,000 per child to qualifying residents who meet strict conditions, including property and residency requirements.
⚠️ IMPORTANT: These programmes do not generally mean foreigners are simply paid to move abroad.
Most require applicants to meet specific conditions, such as securing employment, starting a business, buying or renovating property, or committing to live in a particular location for a set period.
Also, relocation incentives do not automatically grant immigration or work rights.
Here are five destinations with notable relocation incentives:
🇮🇪 IRELAND: Eligible applicants can receive up to €50,000 to renovate a qualifying vacant property, or up to €70,000 for a derelict property.
Higher grants are available for qualifying properties on offshore islands. Applicants must meet property and occupancy conditions.
🇯🇵 JAPAN: Eligible people relocating from the Tokyo metropolitan area to participating regional communities can receive up to ¥1 million for a household or ¥600,000 for an individual. Families may also qualify for additional support for children. Conditions vary by municipality.
🇵🇹 PORTUGAL: The Emprego Interior MAIS programme provides financial assistance to eligible workers and entrepreneurs who relocate to qualifying inland areas for employment or to establish a business. Support can also cover family members and transportation of belongings.
🇮🇹 ITALY: Several regions and municipalities offer incentives to attract residents and businesses to smaller or depopulated communities.
Calabria, for example, has allocated €5 million to its mountain-village initiative, with support focused largely on new businesses, remote workers and pensioners.
🇨🇭 SWITZERLAND: The village of Albinen has offered incentives of around CHF25,000 per adult and CHF10,000 per child to qualifying residents who meet strict conditions, including property and residency requirements.
⚠️ IMPORTANT: These programmes do not generally mean foreigners are simply paid to move abroad.
Most require applicants to meet specific conditions, such as securing employment, starting a business, buying or renovating property, or committing to live in a particular location for a set period.
Also, relocation incentives do not automatically grant immigration or work rights.
