Italy’s Rural Tuscany Will Pay You Up To €30,000 To Move There

Anyone dreaming of living under the Tuscan sun in Italy can now apply to be paid to move there. In the latest news, Tuscany is offering applicants the chance to receive from €10,000 ($10,724) to €30,000 ($32,172) to buy a house in a quaint mountain town. Why is this Italian region making such a generous offer? Read on to find out more.

This Italian region will pay you to move to Tuscany

With its beautiful landscapes, many people dream of buying a house in rural Tuscany, but real estate is hugely expensive there. However, for those who are quick enough, a new offer could make the dream come true.

Authorities in the region have announced that they will pay people up to €30,000 ($32,172) to relocate to mountain towns in the region with dwindling populations.

How does this work and who is eligible?

What is happening in Tuscany is nothing new in Italy and other European countries as the rural towns and villages are suffering a population crisis. As kids grow up in rural towns, there is little in the way of jobs so they tend to move into a city to have a good life. This leaves the smaller communities with many abandoned houses and stagnant economies.

In recent months, local authorities have come up with several solutions for boosting their local population, including selling off properties for as little as €1.  However, in Tuscany, authorities have come up with a plan to pay people to move to the struggling villages.

The new scheme is dubbed “Residency in the Mountains 2024” and applicants will receive from €10,000 ($10,724) to €30,000 ($32,172) to purchase a house. However, the house must be in a mountain town with less than 5,000 inhabitants, of which Tuscany has 119. Moreover, the financial contribution cannot exceed 50 percent of the property’s purchase price and renovation costs.

‘Territories of unique beauty’

Euronews quotes Stefania Saccardi, Regional Vice President of Tuscany as explaining that the Tuscan mountains are “territories of unique beauty with villages to be rediscovered which, however, suffer from depopulation.” She added:

Deciding to live in one of these municipalities is therefore a challenge and an opportunity, especially for young people, and the chance for a new life choice.

With the rise in remote working and digital nomads, young people wouldn’t have to worry about having no job in the village as long as they have a good Internet connection.

Who is eligible for the scheme?

To be eligible for the scheme, strict conditions apply. Applicants must be Italian citizens or citizens of another European Union state. However, non-EU citizens holding a resident permit for a minimum period of 10 years can also apply.

Moreover, applicants must be registered as residents of an Italian town or city, but not already living in a mountain community.

Applicants can complete an online form on the Tuscany Region website here, which must be submitted by 1 pm CET on July 27. While the website is in Italian, an option is available to translate to English.

Readers, are you planning to apply for this generous offer to move to Tuscany region in Italy? Let us know by dropping a comment below.