Latest: New visa rules predicted to create a flood of jobseekers in the UAE
New rules governing the ways people work and live in the UAE come into effect today, Monday October 3.
Approved by the Cabinet in April, this is one of the biggest shake-ups to the country’s immigration policy in years.
Longer visit visas for tourists, long-term residency for sought-after professionals and easy access to the 10-year Golden Visa scheme were among the headline changes.
But what does this all mean, and does any of it affect or benefit you? Here The National breaks down the changes.
Is the Golden Visa changing?
Golden Visa services have a dedicated portal here, on the federal immigration website. Abu Dhabi’s service can be found here.
No costs have yet been released, but some require a deposit of between Dh1,500 and Dh2,000.
What happened?
The Cabinet approved the “executive regulations” of the Federal Decree-Law on Entry and Residence of Foreigners.
This put into motion the creation of new visas and formally approved others, such as the Golden Visa residency system, that had already been rolled out.
Many of the details were made public over the previous 18 months but the new elements include a 60-day entry visa for many tourists and allowing parents to continue to sponsor disabled children when they reach adulthood.
Who are the new visa rules aimed at?
Golden visas
The country’s leaders want to attract more skilled professionals, those with medicine and science backgrounds, the brightest students and tech-savvy minds to live in the Emirates.
Wealthy investors, entrepreneurs and company owners are sought after. Officials hope they will set down roots, invest in property and make the country their long-term home.
The wide range of 10 visa types may benefit many residents and people planning to make the country home.
There are several visa types that are aimed at these groups, including Golden Visas, which were first approved in late 2020. In the first year, 44,000 visas were issued in Dubai alone.
“The golden visa for an ownership of Dh2 million on real estate will definitely be a major boost for middle and higher segments to invest in the UAE through real estate or other sources," said Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer of Century Financial Consultancy.
Green visas
In the middle-income bracket are green visas, which are aimed at skilled workers, freelancers and the self-employed. These grant the holder five years’ residency.
To be eligible, an applicant requires a monthly salary of Dh15,000 and a bachelor's degree in certain skilled fields, including science, law, education, culture or social sciences, among others.
Someone who currently holds a two or three-year trade licence for freelance work may find this option attractive, but the costs have not yet been set out.
A green visa holder can sponsor relatives for residency for five years. Previously, this was typically allowed for two years.
Jobseekers
There is no specific provision for lower-income and lower-skilled workers to secure special visas. But jobseeker and five-year multi-entry visas may benefit people who wish to move to the Emirates, or join family here.
In particular, this could benefit people from countries that require paid-for visas in advance of flying, such as India, Pakistan, Philippines and Bangladesh. Officials did not say how long a jobseeker visa was valid for, but previously said six months when it was mooted before the pandemic.
Primarily, it is aimed at “young talent and skilled professionals”. Recent graduates from the world’s top 500 universities are included in this category.
“The abolishment of needing a sponsor or host for a visit visa is a big step to prompt young individuals to come to the UAE for job opportunities,” Mr Valecha said.
Family sponsorship
Last year, authorities allowed parents to sponsor their male children until they were 25 instead of 18.
The decision in April appears to affirm that and to add new provisions, allowing parents with a disabled child to sponsor them into adulthood. Parents can continue to sponsor unmarried daughters at any age.
Why are these changes being made?
The government hopes to attract more highly skilled people to live in the Emirates and build a bigger “knowledge economy”.
Scientists, coders and tech workers and just some of the professionals it hopes to attract.
Population growth is also high on the agenda.
Dubai alone wants to boost its 3.5 million residents to 5.8 million by 2040.
The country further wants to rapidly bounce back from the Covid pandemic, welcoming back millions more tourists. Allowing people to stay more easily for longer aids all of these goals.
Does any of this affect me?
If you are a salaried employee working for a company you are likely to stay on a regular two and three-year visa.
Employees may find they are eligible to secure a Golden Visa, particularly if nominated by a friend or acquaintance with that visa. Their status with their employer would not be affected and health insurance would continue to be provided as standard.
Who is eligible for a Golden Visa?
There is no exhaustive list of every job category.
You can apply here on the website of the Federal Authority for Identity using your Emirates ID and see if you are eligible.
Or you can be nominated directly by someone you know who already has a Golden Visa.
The list of eligible professionals and qualifications includes people in science, technology, arts, culture and the creative industries. People investing Dh1 million to Dh2 million in property also have several options.
Who pays for a visa?
Most of the new visas on the list are aimed at freelancers, self-employed people and business owners, who would foot the bill for their own visa or arrange through their own company.
Golden Visas have already processed payments in the hundreds or low thousands of dirhams.
It’s important to note that by law a regular employee working for a company cannot be made to pay for a basic residency visa.
‘Many roles take months to secure’
Louise Vine, managing director at Inspire Selection recruitment agency in Dubai, earlier this year said the recruitment process for professional roles, and particular senior roles, can take months.
“It gives people a purpose to come here and it helps the government understand they are on a mission to find a job, rather than being here as a tourist,” she said.
The duration, which has not yet been announced, will be important.
Depending on the level of the role, recruitment can take anything from a few weeks to several months, she said.
“You would need potentially three to six months to find a senior role in certain industries,” Ms Vine said.
“There are fewer jobs and also the interview process is quite lengthy, so it’s not just one interview and job done. It could be four or five interviews and case studies to prepare for, so it takes time.”
Kat Wightman's tips on how to create zones in large spaces
- Area carpets or rugs are the easiest way to segregate spaces while also unifying them.
- Lighting can help define areas. Try pendant lighting over dining tables, and side and floor lamps in living areas.
- Keep the colour palette the same in a room, but combine different tones and textures in different zone. A common accent colour dotted throughout the space brings it together.
- Don’t be afraid to use furniture to break up the space. For example, if you have a sofa placed in the middle of the room, a console unit behind it will give good punctuation.
- Use a considered collection of prints and artworks that work together to form a cohesive journey.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
if you go
The flights
Fly direct to Kutaisi with Flydubai from Dh925 return, including taxes. The flight takes 3.5 hours. From there, Svaneti is a four-hour drive. The driving time from Tbilisi is eight hours.
The trip
The cost of the Svaneti trip is US$2,000 (Dh7,345) for 10 days, including food, guiding, accommodation and transfers from and to Tbilisi or Kutaisi. This summer the TCT is also offering a 5-day hike in Armenia for $1,200 (Dh4,407) per person. For further information, visit www.transcaucasiantrail.org/en/hike/
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
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2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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