UAE golden visa for students a big step

The UAE golden visa for outstanding students passing out of secondary schools will go a long way in encouraging talented youngsters to plan their future in the country. The visa programme unveiled in 2019 allows foreigners to live, work and study in the UAE without requiring a sponsorship.

Initially offered to investors, the golden visa is now available to students scoring 95 per cent or above or a GPA of 3.75. Their immediate families are also eligible for the ten-year residency.

Since the formation of the country in 1972, the UAE has been a preferred choice of residency for entrepreneurs, traders and talented professionals in almost every field. For decades, the country has provided enabling environment to foreign workers to flourish and pursue their careers.

The youngsters who opted to settle down in the country in recent decades raised their children who studied in public and private schools in the UAE.

Generations of expatriates have benefited from growth opportunities, world class education and health care facilities and a wholesome experience with great lifestyle in this country where foreigners enjoy religious and cultural freedom and get protection from anti-discrimination law.

It is logical, therefore, the UAE offers long-term residency to their children who are leaving schools with flying colours. This will further boost the UAE’s ability to retain talent and attract talented youngsters who are likely to follow the footsteps of their parents while planning their future and building careers in this country.

The long-term residency is part of the country’s vision to attract exceptionally talented people in the fields of artificial intelligence, big data, epidemiology and others.

“This is the first push in a series of such moves. We want to retain the talents and brains in the country so they can continue on this journey of innovation and development with us,” said His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in November 2020 — when the visa was first announced.

In the Year of Fiftieth, this visa programme is an attempt to make bright youngsters permanent partners in the progress of the nation and a big step to build a pool of exceptionally talented foreign workers for the next fifty years.

Also, for these youngsters, the golden visa is a reversal of the residency process where students will now sponsor their family members.

This will allow families to stay together in the UAE where working expat parents cannot keep adult children on their sponsorship.