United Arab Emirates: Expanded Entry and Residency Visa Rules Forthcoming

April 26, 2022

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Country / Territory

At a Glance

  • It is expected that from September 2022, the UAE government will implement new regulations to attract applicants for long-term residency under updated Golden Visa and Green Visa rules.
  • Additionally, the government will be introducing three new visa types to encourage job seekers, investors and entrepreneurs to enter the country without a sponsoring entity, and to allow trainees with a sponsoring entity to enter for educational and internship opportunities.
  • These changes enable foreign nationals to remain in the country longer, since employment will no longer be tied to employer sponsorship (which except in some specific cases, could not be converted to long-term residency).

The situation

It is expected that from September 2022, the UAE government will implement updated entry visa and residency scheme rules with the aim of expanding eligibility for visas and creating a more dynamic labor market.

CHANGE DETAILS IMPACT
Improvements to Golden Visa rules. The government has expanded rules regarding eligibility for sponsorship and other aspects of the Golden Visa, a 10-year renewable visa for investors, entrepreneurs, highly skilled professionals in all sectors, such as medicine, sciences and engineering, information technology, business and administration, education, law, culture and social sciences, or those with exceptional talent that do not require employer sponsorship.

    • Expanded sponsorship. The amendments allow the sponsorship of children regardless of their age (currently the limit is 18 years old for sons); of parents and siblings, and of unlimited domestic workers. Additionally, dependents whose sponsor has died will no longer have their Golden Visa cancelled.

    • No out-of-country stay duration limit. The restriction on the maximum duration of stay outside the United Arab Emirates to keep the residence permit valid will be removed.

    • Reduced salary requirement for bachelor’s degree holders. The salary threshold will be lowered to AED 30,000 per month for highly skilled professionals with a bachelor’s degree (down from AED 50,000 for others) and for those with a valid employment contract in the United Arab Emirates.

    • Expanded eligibility for real estate investors. Real estate investors who have purchased one or more off-plan properties (those that are sold prior to completion) worth at least AED 2 million from approved real estate companies or a property at least AED 2 million with a loan from specific local banks will be eligible for a Golden Visa.

    • Expanded eligibility for entrepreneurs. Partners or owners in a start-up that generates no less than AED 1 million annually or who have approval for a start-up from authorities or who were a founder of a project that was sold for at least AED 7 million will be eligible for a Golden Visa.

       
  • Golden Visa holders’ dependents will benefit from automatic immigration status under the main applicant, and will no longer need to apply for separate status to enter the United Arab Emirates.
  • Golden Visa holders will benefit from increased travel freedom during their Golden Visa validity period.
  • The pool of candidates for Golden Visa applicants will be expanded due to the lower salary threshold.
  • The expanded eligibility for investors and entrepreneurs to enter the country without a sponsoring entity will create a more diverse labor market in the country, which is part of the government’s goal.

 

 
Green Visa. There will be new eligibility criteria for the five-year long-term residence under the Green Visa.

The new categories for long-term residence under the Green Visa will be:

  • Skilled employees with a minimum salary of AED 15,000 per month with a bachelor’s degree and a valid employment contract in the United Arab Emirates;
  • Freelancers and self-employed individuals who hold at least a bachelor’s degree or specialized diploma with proof of annual income of AED 360,000 for the previous two years; and
  • Investors in commercial activities who can present proof of their investment.
  • The pool of candidates for long-term Green Visas will be expanded, allowing employers more flexibility in their hiring decisions.
  • The Green Visa encourages long-term stays for skilled foreign nationals in the United Arab Emirates.
Job Exploration Entry Visa. This new visa type does not require a sponsor and will be introduced to attract skilled and talented professionals classified in the first, second or third skill level as per the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation or new graduates who hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from one of the top 500 universities in the world.

This visa will allow job seekers to enter the United Arab Emirates without a sponsor, where this was previously not an available entry option.

 

This flexibility will assist job seekers in finding their niche in the country’s dynamic labor market.

 
Business Entry Visa. This new visa type will be introduced to enable entry for individuals without requiring a sponsor, mainly investors and entrepreneurs who seek to explore business and investment opportunities in the United Arab Emirates. 

With the sole purpose of encouraging investors and entrepreneurs, this visa will allow entry for investors and business owners without the need for a sponsor or a host.

The Business Entry Visa will prompt an influx of investments and business ventures in the United Arab Emirates.
Entry Visa for Study and Training. Under this visa category, individuals will be able to attend training, academic and internship programs in the United Arab Emirates.

Sponsorship by an educational or research institute with a valid government license is a prerequisite for this visa.

The Study and Training Visa will allow foreign nationals more access to educational and internship opportunities in the United Arab Emirates.
  • Continued expansion of Golden Visa. Since the Golden visa was implemented, there have been numerous expansions of eligibility and benefits, including making the Golden Visa available to coders and introducing work permits for Golden Visa holders in the mainland.
  • Other recently-introduced visa schemes. The United Arab Emirates has also recently introduced other immigration schemes to attract talent to the country and support its economy during the pandemic, including a remote working scheme both federally and in Dubai.
  • Retaining talent. Before recent changes in the UAE immigration system, it was difficult for foreign nationals to remain in the country as their employment was tied to work visas that, except for in exceptional cases, could not be converted to long-term residency.
  • Expansion of talent pool. Under the Job Exploration Entry Visa, foreign nationals will be able to enter the country to look for a job, while employers will be able to pick talent from talent already in the country, instead of bearing the costs of recruiting from abroad. The expansion of the eligibility requirements for the Golden Visa and the introduction of the Green Visa will also allow employers to hire from a larger pool of talent to better match job opportunities with available talent.

The latest regulations and the expanded eligibility criteria will allow diverse foreign nationals to take advantage of the expanded work and residency options in United Arab Emirates. An influx of talented and skilled foreign nationals can be expected based on this law.

Full details of the eligibility requirements and further conditions will be available in the coming weeks. We will report on related developments.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].

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