Working without a single address

The question “Where do you work?” used to be easy to answer. That answer was most often tied to a clearly defined location: an office with an address, a desk, a computer, and specific arrival and departure times.

Today, however, for a growing number of people, that space is much more flexible: a laptop in a backpack, a phone in hand, a video call from temporary accommodation, documents in the cloud, and an internet connection that must work - regardless of whether the person is in an apartment, a cafe, a coworking space, on the coast, or on the road between two cities.

It was precisely from this change that the phenomenon arose. digital nomads: people who work remotely, while also traveling, residing in different countries, and organizing their work independently of one physical location.

Although digital nomads are often superficially associated with attractive images of working from the beach on social media, the essence of the phenomenon is much deeper. It speaks to a changing relationship with work, space, time, travel, and everyday life. Work is becoming less and less about the office as a place, and more and more about the ability for a person to remain connected, available, and productive - wherever they are.

Flexibility as a new working reality

Remote working is no longer just an emergency during the pandemic. In recent years, Europe has been seeking a new balance between returning to the office and employees' need for flexibility. Eurofound indicates that hybrid working has evolved from an experiment into common practice in some organizations, but that there is no one-size-fits-all model, which is why companies are trying to balance productivity, work organization, employee autonomy, and people's well-being.

Digital nomads are the most visible part of this broader change: they represent not only a new tourism niche, but also a new working reality in which some jobs can be performed from different environments, provided that digital tools, a stable connection, and basic conditions for everyday life are available.

That states have recognized this change is also shown by EY Global Immigration Index from March 2026. According to a 2018 report, more than 48 jurisdictions around the world provide visas or permits for digital nomads and remote workers, with Europe leading the way with 40 percent of these programs.

Among them is Montenegro, which, along with its strong tourist recognition and natural advantages - from the sea and mountains to outdoor culture and international events - also has official frameworks through which digital nomads are recognized as a special audience.

The Government of Montenegro has previously adopted a program to attract them, while the digitalnomads.gov.me portal brings together information on residency, visa regime, local community and living and working conditions. This sets the stage for digital nomads to not just be short-term visitors, but people who work in Montenegro for a certain period of time and function on a daily basis, expanding this topic beyond tourism promotion and connecting it with digital infrastructure, services, workspaces, local community and quality of life.

Connection as a prerequisite for life and work

Digital nomads are not ordinary tourists. For them, a destination is not just a place to rest, but a temporary space to live and work. That is why when choosing a location, they do not only look at nature, climate, prices and tourist attractions, but also at what their everyday life depends on: reliable internet, availability of services, coworking spaces, security, simple administrative procedures and the ability to connect with the local community.

Although digital nomadism is often associated with freedom of movement and flexibility, this freedom has a very specific prerequisite - a quality internet connection. Video meetings, access to cloud services, sending files, online payments and communication with teams and clients do not suffer interruptions. For a digital nomad, the internet is therefore not an additional convenience in addition to accommodation, but a basic tool on which productivity, availability and business continuity depend.

A destination that wants to attract remote workers must enable them to get work done reliably, regardless of whether they are in an apartment, office, coworking space, or on the road between two locations.

Connectivity that follows the user

This year, Crnogorski Telekom commercially launched speeds of up to 4 Gbps on the optical network, with WiFi 7 technology, responding to the growing need for homes, apartments, offices, coworking spaces and small businesses to have a strong and reliable connection for everyday digital obligations.

Optical infrastructure provides a solid foundation for working from a single location. However, the life of a digital nomad involves moving between cities, business events, the coast and nature, so their work is often not tied to a single address.

That's why mobile internet is becoming an equally important part of their everyday work routine. A stable mobile network, hotspot, eSIM, and simple packages allow users to remain accessible and productive even when they change locations.

The role of companies like Crnogorski Telekom is to connect these two experiences: the optical network, which provides reliability at the place of residence, and the mobile network, which follows the user as they move.

Life on the move: between work and nature

This topic is best understood through the experiences of people who already live such a rhythm. The perspective of the Outdoor Girlz community shows an everyday life that takes place not only between home and office, but also between work obligations, training, travel, spending time in nature and time spent online.

"The time has come that requires us to adapt our lifestyle in order to achieve everything. And today we can only do that by overlapping these areas - work and hobbies or travel, sports and spending time in nature, as well as spending time with family and friends during these activities," says Iva Kristić from the Outdoor Girlz community.

Such a lifestyle, he points out, requires good organization, but at the same time brings a different and more dynamic everyday life.

"It's actually not bad at all. It's challenging in terms of organization and can be tiring at times, but it certainly brings a new and more interesting way of life and that's how it should be viewed," says Kristić.

Speaking about the advantages of Montenegro for people who seek to combine work, travel, and spending time in nature, she particularly highlights the proximity of different landscapes and the possibility of changing surroundings in a short time.

"And since time is the most precious element in our modern lifestyle, Montenegro is the perfect country. Everything is within reach, from hidden coves or sandy beaches on the coast to mountainous landscapes in the north, beautiful canyons, lakes and clean rivers, clean air. Nature is unrealistically beautiful and offers countless options for various activities, but also for a quick weekend trip and escape from stress and speed. When I say speed, I mean the fact that, when a person goes into nature, time stops 'rushing'."

It is precisely moments like these, adds Kristić, that allow people to, at least temporarily, distance themselves from the pressures of everyday life.

"And that's what we all need - to be free from pressure for a little while and to be able to breathe a sigh of relief, to reset ourselves."

The ability to work from different locations further opens up space for this lifestyle and longer stays outside the city.

"And for people who can take their work with them, there are no limits. As the internet is available everywhere in Montenegro, there are more and more so-called digital nomads, or people who decide to move out of the city for a while and live and work from various beautiful parts of our country. That's why I think Montenegro is ideal for a modern and healthy lifestyle," concludes Iva.

The knowledge that comes with people

Digital nomads can also have a broader developmental role. Freelancers, startup teams, and professionals working for international markets are not just users of the destination's services - their stay can bring new knowledge, business contacts, and stronger connections with the local technology and entrepreneurial community.

From the experience of the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro, connecting international professionals with domestic startups is one way to turn their stay into an opportunity for cooperation and internationalization.

Radivoje Drobnjak, program activities manager at the Science and Technology Park, sees digital nomads as globally mobile talents who can play an important role in the development of the domestic innovation ecosystem.

"Digital nomads represent a new generation of globally mobile talents who choose environments in which they can simultaneously live, work and develop business opportunities in a quality manner. For the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro, they are not just users of coworking spaces, but potential catalysts for the development of an innovation ecosystem. The greatest value they bring is knowledge, international business networks and experience working in the global market. Their presence creates opportunities for knowledge transfer, connecting with domestic startups, developing new partnerships, international validation of innovative solutions and opening doors to investors and foreign markets.

Modern innovation ecosystems are no longer limited by geography. They function through networks of talents, investors, researchers and entrepreneurs who collaborate regardless of location. This is precisely why digital nomads can represent an important element in the process of internationalization of the Montenegrin startup ecosystem. Our goal should not only be to attract digital nomads, but also to actively integrate them into the local startup community through mentoring, meetup events, startup programs, hackathons, accelerators and joint development of innovation projects. When international talent becomes part of the local ecosystem, then real added value is created for the knowledge-based economy.

In order to turn this potential into a long-term development advantage, Drobnjak points out, appropriate infrastructure, simpler procedures, and a strong community of innovators and entrepreneurs are needed.

"Competition among destinations for digital nomads today is not driven solely by the quality of the internet or natural beauty. It is driven by the quality of the innovation ecosystem. Montenegro has the potential to position itself as a regional startup and remote work hub, but for this it is necessary to develop a comprehensive ecosystem that combines digital infrastructure, flexible workspaces, simple administrative procedures and a strong community of innovators and entrepreneurs. Equally important are programs that enable the so-called soft landing for international professionals - from quick connections with the startup community and technology companies, to involvement in networking events, mentoring programs, investor meetings and international innovation initiatives.

The Science and Technology Park of Montenegro is developing just such a model of an open innovation ecosystem. Through infrastructure support, startup programs, international projects, and cooperation with universities and businesses, we are creating an environment in which domestic and international talents can jointly develop new products, test business models, and build companies with global potential.

"If we want long-term effects, digital nomads should be seen as part of a talent attraction strategy, internationalization of the startup community, and development of an innovation-based economy. In that case, Montenegro will not only be a remote work destination, but a place where new partnerships are created, startups are scaled, and internationally competitive innovations are developed," concludes Drobnjak.

What remains

The true value of digital nomads is not measured only by the number of arrivals or the length of stay, but by what they leave behind: new contacts, knowledge exchange, business connections, and a reason to return again.

The challenge for Montenegro is therefore not just to be a place from which to work, but an environment in which residence grows into belonging, and connection into concrete cooperation. Only then will digital nomadism cease to be a passing niche and become a real development opportunity.

( Telekom )