Few, if any, countries have managed to reach their full potential without drawing in talent from around the world. Despite the latest discussions in the United States and elsewhere on immigration, the US, like the UAE, has been built on bringing in talent from abroad.
To continue doing this, and attract even more of the best and brightest, the Cabinet on Sunday approved the creation of a new entry visa system that would bring in talented and qualified professionals.
The reasons for coming to the UAE to work are already obvious: the opportunities of life and work here are better than most places in the world. What, then, is different about this new system? Firstly, it is targeted, applying first to tourism, health care and education. Secondly, it will prioritise certain sectors and a new committee will be created to actually put forward a specific plan for attracting the best in regional and global talent.
As a statement of intent, then, it is very powerful. At a time when doors seem to be closing elsewhere in the world, the UAE is demonstrating it is open for business. By deepening and enlarging the pool of talented professionals in the country, new ideas, methods of management and even new businesses can be created.
It is that last aspect that warrants further study. Bringing in talented people to work in established businesses is one thing. But attracting top talent also means providing them with the financial, physical and legal infrastructure that allows them to innovate. While the physical infrastructure of the UAE’s largest cities is world-class, there are specific problems with funding for entrepreneurs, with bankruptcy laws and even with the availability of reasonable, short-term workspaces for rent.
Moreover, even if the visa situation was adjusted for talented entrepreneurs, that does not necessarily change the situation for their employees. New companies require flexible staffing arrangements – the ability to bring in people swiftly for short periods of time would be a significant help.
A change in the legal environment shouldn’t only apply to entrepreneurs. It should also apply, for instance, to bringing in post-doctorate academics who are not yet professors and artists who are freelance. The new visa regulations are aimed at making it easier to bring people in. That’s often the paradox of the UAE. It’s often easier to keep talent than it is to bring it into the country in the first place.
