Golden Visa program to be expanded

IMPACT – HIGH

The United Arab Emirates has announced that it will expand its Golden Visa program.

Key Points:

• The UAE authorities have announced that, effective Dec. 1, the eligibility requirements for the 5-10 year Golden Visa will be expanded to the following individuals:
  • PhD holders
  • Physicians
  • Computer and programming engineers
  • Electrical engineers and biotechnology engineers
  • College and university graduates with degrees in artificial intelligence, certain data fields, epidemiology, virology
  • Graduates of UAE-accredited universities with grade point averages of 3.8 or greater
  • Top UAE high school graduates and their families
• Details of the application process are yet to be announced, in particular, whether applicants will require government nomination or they can submit an application directly to the relevant authorities for consideration.

Additional Information: The UAE is expected to add additional categories to the Golden Visa program soon.

Analysis & Comments: The expansion of the Golden Visa program will provide work and residence opportunities for a number of advanced degree holders, high-skilled professionals and top-performing students. At this stage, the UAE authorities are yet to release the details required to assess whether the Golden visa will provide a beneficial alternative work permit option for employers in the UAE. Deloitte will provide a further update and analysis when this becomes available.

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