Digital Nomads in Portugal: Survey and Experimental Evidence

Last registered on March 19, 2025
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Digital Nomads in Portugal: Survey and Experimental Evidence
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0015524
Initial registration date
March 14, 2025

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
March 19, 2025, 9:03 AM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

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Primary Investigator

Name
André Lopes
Affiliation
ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics & Management
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
João Santos
PI Affiliation
Contact Investigator
PI Name
Kristin Surak
PI Affiliation
PI Name
Simon Weber
PI Affiliation

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2025-03-14
End date
2025-06-17
Keywords
Welfare
Additional Keywords
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
This study will explore the perspectives of digital nomads on Portugal’s tax incentives for RNHs (Non-Habitual Residents) amidst the country’s growing popularity as a remote work hub. With Portugal attracting an increasing number of location-independent professionals due to its favorable climate, infrastructure, and visa policies, the tax landscape plays a crucial role in decision-making for expatriates. Through direct surveys this research aims to assess digital nomads’ awareness, preferences, and reactions to tax benefits, investigating how these incentives influence relocation choices and long-term residency plans. The findings will provide insights into the effectiveness of tax policies in sustaining Portugal’s appeal as a global digital nomad hotspot.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Lopes, André et al. 2025. "Digital Nomads in Portugal: Survey and Experimental Evidence." AEA RCT Registry. March 19. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.15524-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Intervention Start Date
2025-03-15
Intervention End Date
2025-06-16

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
- The elasticity on mobility stated by the respondents which we will be able to compare to the elasticity on mobility measured with administrative data on relevant literature;
- The comparison of the elasticity on mobility for respondents affected by the negative treatment vs the elasticity on mobility for the respondents not affected by the mobility;
- The effect of the negative treatment on the intended length of residence;
- The effect of the negative treatment on the favourability towards the policy in their home country.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
We will present questions about preferences and beliefs after a negative treatment that showcases digital nomads’ potential negative impact on Lisbon’s housing market to half of the respondents and place those same questions without said treatment, serving as the control group.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Randomizer provided by Qualtrics in the survey flow elements.
Randomization Unit
Randomization will happen to any type of individual respondent splitting the sample in half without any type of cluster in consideration.
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
No planned number of Clusters.
Sample size: planned number of observations
Minimum of 200 foregin workers living in Portugal.
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
Minimum of 100 foregin workers living in Portugal for control, Minimum of 100 foregin workers living in Portugal for treatment.
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Ethics Review Committee of ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics and Management
IRB Approval Date
2025-03-07
IRB Approval Number
02/2025
Analysis Plan