UAE expands Golden Visa programme to include more workers as global talent war heats up

The United Arab Emirates is expanding its Golden visa program to include more skilled professionals, scientists, and researchers.

Senior scholars and clerics, elite experts in industry and the fourth industrial revolution, experts in health fields, and experts in education are also included.

The Golden visa is a long-term residence visa which enables foreign talents to live, work or study in the UAE while enjoying exclusive benefits, which include:

a passage visa for a very long time with various sections to continue with home issuance
a residence visa that is valid for five or ten years and can be renewed
the benefit of not requiring a sponsor
the ability to extend their stay outside of the UAE beyond the usual six months in order to maintain the validity of their residence visa
the ability to sponsor members of their family, including spouses and children of any age
the ability to sponsor unlimited number of domestic helpers
the authorization for family members to remain in the UAE until the expiration of their permit in the event of the death of the primary holder of the Golden Visa.

Requirements for the Golden visa program depend on the type of residence.

1. For Skilled Professionals

You are eligible if you fulfill the following:

must have a job in the UAE.
occupy a position classified as follows by MOHRE’s occupational classification system:
Classification at Level 1: Managers and Business Executives
Professionals in the sciences, engineering, health, education, business and management, information technology, law, sociology, and culture are included in the Level 2 classification.
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent is the minimum educational level.
A monthly wage of at least AED 30,000 or the equivalent
Maintain a valid UAE Practicing License, such as a Physician, Pharmacist, or Teacher, if required.

Read Aso :

To apply, you will need to provide:

a UAE-approved employment contract
Evidence that the applicant is employed in a position that falls under MOHRE’s occupational classification scheme’s level 1 or level 2
Attested Bachelor’s or equivalent degree
A valid license to practice in the UAE or Emirate for occupations that require this
Certificate of employment
The employer’s salary certificate is accompanied by a bank statement from the previous six months showing a monthly salary of at least AED 30,000.

2. For Scientists and Researchers

Duration: 10 years

You are eligible if you fulfill the following:

possess a Master’s or Doctoral degree, as defined by the Ministry of Education, in Engineering, Technology, Life Sciences, or Natural Sciences.
a Master’s degree from one of the world’s top 250 universities or a PhD from one of the world’s top 500 universities. On the other hand, either an Expert’s or PhD from one of the best 100 colleges worked in the field of the review.
a grade of 1.0 on the Field Weighted Citation Index (FWCI).
accomplishments in the establishment of research and development sectors within and outside the UAE, in accordance with the Ministry of Industry & Advanced Technology’s recommendation.

To apply, you will need to provide:

For Master’s and PhD Degree Holders:

Equivalency certificate from the Ministry of Education;
a Field Weighted Citation Index (FWCI) grade of 1.0 or higher;
a CV with an H-index grade of 10 or higher;
a master’s or doctoral degree in engineering, technology, life, or natural sciences.

For Scopus H-index Applicants:

Link or screenshot showing a scope of H-index > 20
CV

For Applicants with Achievements in the Research and Development Sector:

Achievements in establishing research and development sectors in science and technology within or outside the UAE Link or screenshot showing Scopus H-index grade (optional) CV Masters or PhD in engineering, technology, life, or natural sciences

3. For Senior Scholars and Clerics
Duration: 10 years

To apply, you will need to provide: