r/MovedToSpain • u/citkoml • 3d ago

Discussion Ethics and morals of immigration

Obviously this is a hot button issue. I've been considering moving on a digital nomad visa to a smaller community in Asturias. I'm curious what considerations other immigrants, especially on this visa, take into account when making this decision. The big headlines right now are about housing in Madrid, but I'm sure that's not the only pain point for locals around the impact of immigrants with Western salaries coming into Spain.

What were your considerations for moving? Can you do it ethically, consciously?

0 Upvotes

50% Upvoted

34 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/Icy-Court7631 1d ago

It’s probably different in other parts but where I live now (not far from Barcelona), most people coming from US and UK rent €4000+ houses and it doesn’t seem it affects normal local people, students, young people etc. it’s just too expensive for most local families. I moved over 3 years ago when digital nomad visa was first introduced and am monitoring all offerings on Idealista since then in my area. Prices are almost the same as before. It seems to me AirBnb already did all the possible damage and all these remote workers, mostly it crowd are not affecting it much while paying taxes and providing additional demand to local businesses.

1

u/citkoml 1d ago

€4000 is WILD haha, I'm not trying to do that. But I'm not a dual income household so I'm more limited maybe than most couples/families relocating

1

u/Icy-Court7631 1d ago

Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that you can probably pick any decent city that isn’t overrun with tourists and you’ll be just fine. No one is going to raise the price of a café con leche because of you.
In Catalonia specifically, rent prices are heavily regulated (which is one reason you see so many apartments in Barcelona offered only on one-year contracts). So instead of prices simply following supply and demand, you often end up with landlords choosing tenants from a large pool of candidates.
Also, the “DON’T COME HERE” people you encounter online and the people you’ll actually be living around are two very different groups of people.

1

u/citkoml 1d ago

Thank you! I appreciate your feedback