Who are Digital Nomads and what do they have to do with Ofir?

Our acquaintances, friends and relatives often envy us for working in this great IT sector. It’s a fact that here in Ofir, we enjoy what we are doing and therefore we always strive to be better. Of course, there are days when everything seems hard, but after a few soccer table games or a few cups of strong coffee, all challenges become easier.

In the IT sector, there is a possibility to do your job no matter where you are. Our developers and our marketing team love to work from a cafe, a beach or from the comfort of their own home.

This geographical independence of the IT sector caused the appearance of the term “digital nomads”. Even though this term first appeared during the 90s, it’s gotten its full meaning after digitalization and widening the use of the internet on which we depend.

Every job that can be done remotely, regardless of the location, has its “followers” – digital nomads.

According to the official definition from the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia, “DIGITAL NOMAD” is a a third-country national (a person who does not have the citizenship of the EEA or the Swiss Confederation) who is employed or performs work through communication technology for a company or his own company that is not registered in the Republic of Croatia and does not perform work or provide services to employers in Croatia.”

It’s nice to see that back in 2021. our government has recognized this type of work which is not limited to living in one place and is using it to its full capacity, especially when it comes to the benefits of global business and digital connectivity. Here, it is important to mention the Croatian Digital Nomad Visa – a type of residence permit that allows foreigners to work as freelancers or entrepreneurs on the territory of Croatia. This visa can be issued for a maximum of one year and cannot be extended, but the application for a second visa can be submitted again after six months from the expiry of the previous visa.

Clearly, the coronavirus pandemic resulted by further increasing this type of work. It is predicted that by 2035., more than a billion people will be doing non-office jobs, and therefore consequently be able to become digital nomads.

Association of Digital Nomads in Croatia

Jan de Jong from the Webpower Adria company is a well-known digital nomad ambassador and the founder of the Association of Digital Nomads in Croatia.

Jan is a Dutch who has lived and worked in Croatia for 16 years. In many interviews he said that the planned stay of one year was extended by love – love for Croatia and its inhabitants, as well as for his wife Slavica, with whom he has four children.

We regularly keep up with Jan and give him props for everything he has done in Croatia and for Croatia, for which he recently received the “Friend of Croatia” award. We are looking forward to reading more stories like this, and we hope that they will soon come from Slavonia as well.

What does eastern Croatia offer to digital nomads?

Great telecommunications and IT infrastructure, healthcare and good transport infrastructure are just some of the reasons why digital nomads are increasingly choosing beautiful Croatia for their stay.

If we add reasonable prices, pleasant climate and visa-free convenience to the mix, it is clear to us why we see more and more people who spend their working days on a laptop in nature, in cafes, or in companies where they are not employed (coworking). This mostly happens on the Croatian coast, but eastern Croatia also has a lot to offer.

Although Croatia is branded to digital nomads mostly by its sea, beaches and coastal destinations, it is a matter of days when they will discover more reasonable prices, peace and gastronomy of eastern Croatia.

Osijek, which is developing in the direction of the Croatian Silicon Valley, offers great potential to digital nomads, which the OBŽ Tourist Board recognized and therefore offers various leisure activities. But what is still crucial for quality work outside the office?

High speed internet, comfortable workspace, excellent coffee and coworking.

As a company that offers a range of IT services, from programming, information systems development and digital marketing to IT consulting and support, we have been working in various locations, cities and also countries for years. We are therefore aware of the importance of a pleasant atmosphere (and good coffee) when choosing our location away from the office.

That’s why Ofir is giving digital nomads a free place in their offices! Depending on the capacity, 1 – 3 workspaces are always open to passers-by who lack some peace for a meeting or high-speed Internet to upload newly recorded video material.

All you need to do is contact us via the contact page and we will easily arrange all the details.

The openness of the Ofir team always gave the best results, especially in situations where we didn’t even expect it. The pleasant atmosphere we can provide to digital nomads is just an introduction to who knows what new ideas, concepts and projects. In the “worst” case scenario, you will get to know us (and vice versa) and help you fall in love with Osijek, its surroundings and its great food and drinks which make every project better ?