Ziad Salloum may still be more than two decades away from retirement, but the father-of-three still worries about what the future might hold for his family.
Despite having been born and raised in the UAE, longstanding legislation prevents him from remaining in the country after he finishes working.
All that could now change, however, with the announcement yesterday of a Cabinet-approved plan to allow non-Emiratis retirees to stay in the emirates if they meet specific criteria.
From next year, residents aged 55 or over will be eligible to secure a five-year retirement visa if they own properties worth at least Dh2 million, have at least Dh1 million in savings or have an income of more than Dh20,000 per month.
On Monday, Mr Salloum, 39, a successful French lawyer, reveals he had only spent eight years living outside of the UAE.
He says he lived in Lebanon as a student and spent time in France, but that the emirates is the only country he considers home.
“I can’t see myself going back and living in Lebanon," the lawyer at Salloum and Partners in Abu Dhabi said. “I’m French but I never grew up in France.
“I love going to Paris and travelling the countryside but I don’t know where I would go if I didn’t have the option to stay here.”
Being brought up and living in the UAE for decades has had the same impact on thousands of other non-Emiratis.
And following the government announcement yesterday, many have welcomed the chance to remain in the country after retiring.
Nikki, 45, who did not want to give her full name, said she has lived in Dubai for nine years and now ran a health and beauty firm.
Born in Ireland, she also sees the UAE as her home, and would like to remain after finishing work.
“I only had this conversation with a friend yesterday, before the news came out,” she says. “I messaged her last night to say we can buy the rocking chairs now.”
The UAE remains a huge draw for thousands of residents due to its combination of great weather, tax incentives, and lifestyle choices.
The sun shines year round, while fantastic golf courses and beaches are also a big draw for those looking to retire.
Despite this Nikki has concerns about the initiative.
First, she argued, the public transportation system would need to be improved significantly as many retirees no longer drive.
"That infrastructure is not here yet," she says. "I would be very keen to see how they will do this in 10 years' time because it would take at least 10 years to instil confidence in people and encourage them to buy property if they've not invested already."
The prospect of the five-year renewable visa also worried her, she concedes. She said relocating to another country could potentially be difficult enough at start of a person's retirement, and would likely become even harder in older age.
"My fears are for when you hit 75 or 80 – then what happens?" she said. "At what stage will they stop you?"
The expense of health insurance is also a concern – and one of the biggest worries shared by residents discussing the plan in a flurry of posts on social media yesterday.
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“It’s nice to have it as an option and know you won’t be obliged to leave,” wrote one member of the British Expats Dubai Facebook page in a discussion on the topic.
“The cost of medical insurance would play a major factor though.”
Many are also worried about the cost of living in the UAE, which can be substantially higher than in Europe.
“It's a start and gives people options,” said one person on social media. “However, having experienced the change in cost of living here in Dubai over the last two decades I think it is untenable for many.
“Living costs have ballooned out of control. For many it wouldn't make financial sense to remain here even if they meet the criteria. Probably wiser to find somewhere with a great lifestyle and lower costs.”
Questions over the cost of living and healthcare were critical to consider, said Nikki. "These are the questions we have to ask ourselves," she said.
"If they can get the infrastructure right and build the right type of property for golden age people, who will of course contribute hugely to the GDP of the UAE, it could be very successful.
“And I do believe that they will do it. They are very quick in coming up with ideas."
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km
Price: from Dh285,000
On sale: from January 2022
If you go
The flights
The closest international airport for those travelling from the UAE is Denver, Colorado. British Airways (www.ba.com) flies from the UAE via London from Dh3,700 return, including taxes. From there, transfers can be arranged to the ranch or it’s a seven-hour drive. Alternatively, take an internal flight to the counties of Cody, Casper, or Billings
The stay
Red Reflet offers a series of packages, with prices varying depending on season. All meals and activities are included, with prices starting from US$2,218 (Dh7,150) per person for a minimum stay of three nights, including taxes. For more information, visit red-reflet-ranch.net.
match info
Chelsea 2
Willian (13'), Ross Barkley (64')
Liverpool 0
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
How to vote
Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.
They'll then be sent a special ballot voting kit by mail either to their address, the Consulate General of Canada to the UAE in Dubai or The Embassy of Canada in Abu Dhabi
Registered voters mark the ballot with their choice and must send it back by 6pm Eastern time on October 21 (2am next Friday)
Sunday's games
Liverpool v West Ham United, 4.30pm (UAE)
Southampton v Burnley, 4.30pm
Arsenal v Manchester City, 7pm
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
Naga
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UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Los Angeles, from Dh4,975 return, including taxes. The flight time is 16 hours. Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico and Southwest all fly direct from Los Angeles to San Jose del Cabo from Dh1,243 return, including taxes. The flight time is two-and-a-half hours.
The trip
Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic’s eight-day Whales Wilderness itinerary costs from US$6,190 (Dh22,736) per person, twin share, including meals, accommodation and excursions, with departures in March and April 2018.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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