How to Get Paid to Move to Georgia & Best Programs That Pay

10Yes, you can really get paid to move or relocate to Georgia!

This article reveals exactly how it works and some of the best companies and/or programs that pay or help you get paid to relocate to Georgia.

 

Why Get Paid to Move to Georgia?

Horace Greeley is attributed as saying “Go West young man go West.”

However today, there is another voice and it is not beckoning the individual to go West but to go South.

Specifically, the southern state of Georgia and the city of Savannah want you to bring your skills and talents to their fair city and are willing to help with some of your relocation costs.

The new frontier is the undiscovered and rapidly growing area of technology.

Consequently, many states are competing to have qualified individuals come to their cities and states to not only utilize their technological talents but make their specific geographical areas a hub for further technology businesses.

 

Personal Story

Growing up as kids we always had a unique way of choosing teams.

The kids that wanted to play would line up against the backstop when choosing sides for baseball, and then two team captains were chosen.

One would throw the bat vertically towards the other team captain and he or she would catch the bat and then each of the captains would extend their hands up the handle of the bat.

The one that got closest to the knob at the end of the bat would be able to pick first.

Being termed as “husky” as a young lad, I was often the last one to be chosen.

This is even though I thought I hit pretty good, but the team captains wanted someone “less husky.”

It wasn’t a pleasant experience but even today “picking team members” follow along the same line.

Those who have the talent and expertise that the team captain wants to be selected over other individuals.

For the most part, the ones that are first picked are generally more qualified.

So it is today, especially in the world of technology.

Savannah, Georgia is picking their team members and they want you if you have certain qualifications.

They’re willing to help with your relocation costs.

 

More About Savannah, Georgia 

Georgia is the peach state and Savannah, Georgia is a community in which it appears that time has forgotten.

This coastal Georgia city borders South Carolina and is separated by the Savannah River.

Savannah, Georgia is an immaculate city and is famous for its beautifully manicured parks, quaint horse-drawn carriages, and antebellum architecture.

The historic district of Savannah maintains antiquated cobblestone squares and Spanish moss covers the majestic oak trees in such parks as Forsyth Park.

Amid this district is the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.

Savannah is a study of traditional customs meeting with the new world of technology.

 

Best Programs That Pay You to Move to Georgia

 

Savannah Economic Development Authority

While embracing the old, the Savannah Economic Development Authority is extending its hand to the new.

Their proclaimed mission is to create, foster growth, and provide new opportunities for employment and for businesses to invest in Savannah.

SEDA wants to be the conduit for businesses to make a connection with the city.

To accomplish this goal, they want to make Savannah attractive to new and established businesses as well as provide the needed resources to train workers, enhance infrastructure, make properties available, lobby for incentives and tax abatements, and more.

They want to make the warm Southern hospitality of Savannah just as warm and inviting to businesses.

 

Savannah Technology Workforce Incentive 

One such incentive program is entitled the Savannah Technology Workforce Incentive.

This incentive offers to pay certain relocation fees associated with workers of specialized technology experience to move to Savannah.

The incentive is $2,000.

Although this amount may seem minimal at best, it is more of an opportunity for individuals who want to take part in something much larger than themselves and help to build a community based on their foundational skills and talents.

Adding to the impact of the stipend is the reality that Savannah, Georgia has a cost of living that is well below the average cost of living across the United States.

Therefore, this re-location stipend becomes a little bit more impactful due to less money being paid out over a variety of expense categories.

 

Eligibility 

To be considered for this stipend includes.

• Individuals with a minimum of three years of experience that can be verified in the tech industry

• Willing to commit to a minimum of two years

• Are either self-employed or remotely working for a company located within a radius of 60 miles from Savannah

• Physically moved to Chatham County and commit to a one-year lease or purchase residential property

• Make application after 30 days of relocating

• Have the original receipts, needed documents to verify residency, a valid Georgia driver’s license, and verify their residency by demonstrating proof of a County address

 

Purpose 

The purpose of providing this incentive to technology professionals is to increase the technology workforce in the city and in hopes of attracting new technological businesses based on an established workforce.

Savannah is also home to several schools devoted to higher education.

Those schools include the Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah State University, and Georgia Southern University Armstrong campus.

It is anticipated that the demographic that this stipend will respond favorably to is a young couple just starting in life.

Therefore, the hope is that those individuals will take on a mentoring mantle to help these young students with technology and possibly influence them to the point that this may become a career choice.

 

 

Applications 

Application for reimbursement of specific fees associated with the move includes the individual’s personal information (Chatham or Savannah address) contact information, contact as it relates to their residency, indicating the length of their stay at their residency, and demonstrating their residency in Chatham County.

Rounding out the application process is the request for the individual’s current employer, whether they are self-employed or not, and that employer’s email address.

Selection for this program is made by a committee that meets quarterly.

The application can be submitted at any time.

There is a maximum amount of 50 relocation packages and once that maximum limit has been reached then the quarterly meetings are no longer held and applications will no longer be accepted.

It appears that this is a yearly incentive.

Click here for the application.

 

Attachments 

If the applicant is selected for the program, they are required to submit several attachments to receive the relocation stipend.

The amount awarded to an individual is up to a limit of $2,000 and qualified expenses include professional moving services, truck rental fees, utility deposits, and reimbursement of gasoline.

Also, for the applicant to be reimbursed upon successful awarding of the stipend, SEDA requires that a hard copy of the lease or mortgage be submitted.

Also, a utility bill in the applicant’s name at that address, a copy of the Georgia driver’s license, a detailed experiential outline of their technology working experience, and if self-employed showing proof of income.

 

Commitment 

The commitment of accepting the $2,000 stipend is that the individual will reside within the county borders of Chatham and maintain their residency for a minimum of two years.

If the applicant moves away from the region the terms of the agreement require that they reimburse SEDA.

Also See: Get Paid to Relocate to Tulsa & Get Paid to Relocate to Vermont.

 

Qualifiers 

As with anything that involves money, certain qualifiers need to be adhered to.

Those qualifiers include that if any information is submitted and is proven to be untrue, SEDA takes this seriously and the applicant’s information will be considered and defined as fraudulent.

Subsequently, if this occurs, the individual making application will be identified by the Savannah Economic Development Authority and this information will be shared with partner agencies.

Additionally, there are no guarantees with an individual applying.

This simply means that because an application is submitted there are a variety of considerations as to who is best qualified out of the 50 opportunities as well as if there are if there is funding available for the current budgetary year.

The individual, following one of the quarterly meetings of the committee, will be notified as to whether they have been approved or denied.

Also, if the applicant is approved they will be sent an email by the accounting firm handling these finances.

This will occur within one week of the date that the committee has met.

All things considered and if everything is verified, the applicant will receive a check in the mail at the address that was provided on the application.

 

Employer Incentives 

In addition to this relocation program offered to qualified technology professionals, there are other incentives offered to businesses.

An incentive offered to qualified businesses is a $10,000 (Tier 1) and $20,000 (Tier 2) cash grant.

This grant is authorized for businesses that create a minimum of employment opportunities that are classified as high-tech jobs.

The wages for the employees who fill these jobs must be at a level of 25% above the average county wage.

The successful awarding of this money can be used in the tier 1 level towards the rental of a facility up to $6000 and the second tier up to $12,000 can be utilized towards the rent.

The company applying these incentives can only be paid after the jobs have existed for at least one full year.

These jobs must be retained for one year.

To learn more about this program click here.

 

Making Money Relocating to Georgia FAQs

 

What Is the Cost of Living in Savannah Georgia?

With one hundred being the US average as it relates to the cost of living, Savannah is given a score of 83.2.

Specifically, groceries are rated at 96.9, health at 89.5, housing at 57, the median home cost is $211,300, utilities 103.2, and transportation at 89.2.

 

Specifically, How Much Does It Cost to Buy or Rent a Home in Savannah?

Answer The average rent for an apartment in Savannah hovers around $1,354.

Of course, there are a variety of factors that feed into renting an apartment which could include location, size, number of bedrooms, etc.

 

What Is the Quality of Life Like in Savannah Georgia?

Answer Savannah has a rich history that extends back to 1733 when English colonists set foot on Georgia’s ground.

The city was named after the then king of England, King George II.

Also, Savannah played a critical role in the American Revolutionary War and Civil War and during reconstruction.

Savannah is such a popular city that over 50 million people visit Savannah each year.

Its historic old houses, coastal beaches, beautifully maintained parks, popular foods and the southern culture all blend to make Savannah a remarkable place to not only visit but live.

 

You Can Do It

Savannah, Georgia, is serious about creating a technology-friendly environment business environment for their city.

So much so that they are offering stipends and incentives for tech workers as well as technology-based businesses to head south.

Not only would this be an employment opportunity but a challenge to help a city redefine itself and create a more diverse business base for their community.

 

Conclusion

The directional call to relocate and move has no longer a Western focus.

All over the United States of America, cities and states see the value of diversifying their economy and as part of that diversification, they understand the financial impact that technology can bring to their community.

Therefore, many incentives are being offered to qualified technology and other diverse professionals to relocate to their city.

The migration has started, and many are taking advantage of new horizons that are not just on the western part of the United States but visible in all directions.