Tropical climate, sunny beaches all year round, good food… if you are thinking of moving to one of the islands of the Canary archipelago, this article could be very useful.
I will tell you about all the necessary documentation, the steps to take before departure and remember that if at the end of the reading you still have doubts … do not hesitate to contact me! I will answer to all your questions.
It is commonplace to think that a small investment and to pack two swimsuits in a suitcase are enough to make the dream of “drop everything and go live in the Canary Islands” into reality.
But are we really sure that this is the case? Is the tax system so much more advantageous than that of Italy or Spain? What are the pros and cons of living in an archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean? Let’s find out together!
1 First of all, let’s start by geolocating the archipelago and getting to know the islands that compose it.
Surely, you have happened to wonder how many Canary Islands are there. There are eight islands (there were seven until June 2018 when “La Graciosa” was also declared an official island) located off the African coast, facing Morocco, slightly higher than the Tropic of Cancer.
Going from the East (closest island to Africa) to West (the most offshore island in the Atlantic Ocean), we find:
The region has two capitals: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (which groups the island of Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and La Graciosa) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (province of Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro).
2 The largest islands in the archipelago, and the center of economic, financial and bureaucratic activities, are Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
Here, the most widespread work activities are those of the tertiary sector, which represents 75% of the economy, and in particular the tourist field , being the third most visited destination in Spain.
Obviously, the tourism sector carries with it the activities related to it, such as: construction , retail and real estate market .
For this reason, it goes without saying that the islands’ economy has suffered sharp losses as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Especially islands such as Fuerteventura , Lanzarote and the other smaller islands, which have more than 80% of their economy based on tourism, have experienced heavy economic losses, with the closure and bankruptcy of almost 60% of the companies.
As for the industrial sector , it represents only 7-8% of the GDP of the autonomous community. It is mostly an industry for agri-food processing and the production of electricity .
On the other hand, the primary sector (agriculture) is more developed. Although only 10% of the islands’ surface is cultivated, one of the main activities is the production and export of bananas (followed by tomatoes and cucumbers). In recent years, the cultivation of tropical fruits such as avocado, pineapple (almost all grown in the Hierro) and mangoes is also spreading.
The cultivation of bananas, on the other hand, is fundamental for the economy of the island of La Palma and important in Gran Canaria and La Gomera .
A sector in strong development, thanks to the particular composition of the land of a part of the island of Gran Canaria, known as the Agaete Valley , is that of quality coffee .
It is in fact the only coffee plantation in Europe. Typica , an Arabica variety of Ethiopian origin is grown here. If you want to know more, read this article where I will take you on a tour of Finca de los Castaños.
Finally, another emerging activity in the islands is that of Freelancers . In recent years, more and more so-called ” digital nomads ” decided to establish in one of the islands of the archipelago (in particular, Tenerife and Gran Canaria).
Among the main reasons for this new phenomenon there are certainly the good climate all year round, a facilitated taxation system and the spread of modern coworking spaces. But I will tell you about this more in depth in this article .
3 To move to the Canary Islands from a European Union country, you don’t need any special documentation: your passport or electronic ID card and European Health Card (to access Emergency services such as First Aid – Primer Auxilio – or call an ambulance) is enough.
On the other hand, if you have British citizenship and plan to move to the Canary Islands after Brexit…the situation becomes a bit more complicated. If you have never lived and / or worked in Spain (and therefore do not have the NIE, which I will talk about in the next paragraph), you can only stay for a maximum of three months without the need for a visa.
4 The first thing you will need to be able to work in the Canary Islands (and in Spain in general) is an identification number for foreigners (known as NIE blanco) which will allow you to register with the Spanish welfare.
This number is issued by the Police, through an appointment, and only against a pre-employment contract. Through this link you can access the procedure for booking an appointment to obtain the NIE . on the island of Gran Canaria (the website is in Spanish only).
Similarly, if you want to open your own business, you will first need the white NIE, which they will give you after you have submitted a self-declaration in which you will state that you require it, in fact, to open a VAT number (darse de alta, in Spanish).
On the other hand, in order to obtain the so-called green N.I.E., which is a foreign resident card that will give you access to discounts and benefits as a Canarian resident, you will need other requirements:
The NIE will be your identification number, which you will not be able to do without in order to carry out any economic activity (or not) such as: opening a bank account, buying a telephone card, proceeding to the “e mpadronamiento ” (ie the registration of the domicile) , etc…
P.s. as a result of the pandemic and subsequent economic crisis, the timelines and procedures for obtaining N.I.E. have lengthened and it is no longer so obvious to obtain it.
5 Tropical climate, golden beaches, good food… what could be the negative aspects of living in a place like this?
Indeed, residents often boast that they live in a paradise, which is not far from reality. The point is that it all depends on our priorities and expectations in life. Having also lived in London, diametrically opposed in so many ways, I thought I would make a list of what are the positive and negative aspects of living on an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
This guide will help you not to miss the most striking places to visit in Apulia…but first of all, let’s dispel a myth: the
Associated with the idea of tropical islands, exotic places and remote locations in Africa, coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the
The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly changed our existences, radically disrupting our outlook on life and our priorities. Many economic sectors have experienced losses from
🇮🇹🇬🇧👇🏼 ¡Qué no me quiten lo volao! 😆✈️
Ha sido un 2023 super intenso...y todavía queda 🤭
¡A qué el 2024 lo sea el doble!🙏🏼✨️
¿Ready para acompañarme en los próximos viajes? 😃
Comenta con el nombre del lugar que te gustaría descubrir conmigo 🥰 Habrá muchas novedades con My Friend in on tour para el próximo año 🥳
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El próximo martes, 5 diciembre, vuelve una de las exposiciones artísticas que más me fascina 😍
El gigantesco Belén de arena de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, en su XVIII edición ✨️
Localizado en la playa de las Canteras, entrada gratuita todos los días de 10 a 22 hasta el 8 de enero.
¿Te lo vas a perder?
Menciona a la persona con la que te gustaría visitar este lugar mágico 🥰
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November photo dump ✨️
11, gracias por
🤳🏼 las noches borrosas
🦶🏻 todos los avances
🏖 las playas desiertas
🦋 los detalles
🎡 ella y yo, de nuevo 🇬🇧
🫠 su boquita
🌞 disfrazarte de verano
❄️ y ser invierno tan bonito
🐧 2 de mis cosas favoritas en 1
🎞 las good memories
¿Qué tal ha sido tu noviembre? 🥰
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🇬🇧🇮🇹👇🏼 ¡Feliz día internacional del influencer!(o, como prefiero, creador/a de contenido)
Casi nadie lo va a leer todo... pero aquí les dejo un trocito de mí y de mi mundo 🥰👇🏼
Quien me conoce sabe que prefiero definirme cómo una
👜 Emprendedora
🫂 Fundadora del programa My Friend in
✈️ Bloguera de viaje
💻 Creadora de contenido
📷 Fotógrafa
💪🏻 Y gran trabajadora
Antes que influencer
🤣🤣
Por eso que hoy quiero hablar de lo que hay detrás de estos muros o vitrinas tan bonitas que ven: tantas, tantas horas de trabajo, inversión, sudor y noches sin dormir.
Desde afuera parece que estoy siempre "por ahí", "gozando" y "bien viviendo".
Lo que no se ve son
✨️las horas estudiando y creando contenido
✨️las noches enteras organizando viajes y excursiones "a medida" para que todos puedan vivir una experiencia única y segura;
✨️los días escribiendo articulos de blog, editando fotos, montando videos
✨️Semanas discutiendo con App developpers, mejorando mi web y hablando con proveedores y clientes a todas horas
A veces no logro ni apagar el cerebro y dormirme, porque me quedo pensando en todo lo que tengo que hacer. Y con mil preocupaciones al vivir sola y ser autónoma (que sí, que yo también pago alquiler, impuestos -MUCHOS- y tengo que comer, limpiar etc etc).
Así que la próxima vez que mires el video bonito de un influencer, dando vueltas por el mundo y pienses "que envidia te tengo, que bien vives", acuérdate de dos cosas:
1. Si quieres, tú también puedes hacerlo. Empieza. Dedícale horas, dinero, pasión, inversión, y no te pares hasta alcanzar lo que tú quieras (o ese estilo de vida que deseas").
2. Detrás de 8 segundos de video hay 8 horas de trabajo.
Viva el día de los creadores de contenidos, esos locos que han decidido contar el mundo a través de sus corazones ♥️
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