Move to Sardinia: Get paid $20,000 to live on this breathtaking Italian island

If you’ve always dreamt of living in a stunning European island town, surrounded by the sun and sea, you might want to move to Sardinia.

Especially since there’s a huge bonus grant involved — €15,000, or nearly $20,000 Canadian.

The Italian island of Sardinia is an autonomous region, and its government is offering this hefty incentive to those willing to help its depopulation problem by moving to its towns.

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Last month, Sardinian President Christian Solinas announced that the region is investing €45 million for the purchase and renovation of new homes in the island’s sparsely populated towns — those with 3,000 inhabitants or less.

The grant will be given to those who have registered their residence in any Sardinian small town, or to people who are having a home built in a small town with an intent to move into it within 18 months of purchase or construction completion.

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“The [incentive] can also be granted to those who transfer their residence there and who do not reside, at the time of submitting the application, in a Sardinian municipality,” states the government’s press release.

“We are working to make out island better,” said Solinas. He added that along with the grants, all the work being put into improving life in Sardinia has made this a fertile opportunity for aspiring residents.

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And don’t worry — living in a small town might not be the dull picture you’re probably envisioning.

The image below shows the small village of Bosa, and it looks like something out of a movie.

Ekaterina Pokrovsky

According to Schengen Visa Info, a website dedicated to news about European visa programs, this is not the first time Italy has offered incentives to people living or working in the country.

In May, the government decided to provide a one-time allowance of €200 per individual to certain worker categories, including domestic workers. Many of these categories attract foreign immigrants and ex-pats, who are often from developing countries.

Would you be willing to move to Sardinia and enjoy the island life, full of natural landscapes, vineyards, beautiful architecture, and rich history?