By Sulagna Halder
New Delhi, 9 July 2025:
After a significant drop in the fee charged to obtain Golden Visas by around 2 crores rupees to approximately 23 lakh due to a tax drop by the government, the United Arab Emirates plans to raise its skilled workforce from the Indian community, the sources suggested. Launched in 2019 under a reserved scheme of wealthier investors, the new scheme is to be open to certain professionals and artists.
The new visa will permit people to live in the United Arab Emirates permanently, as long as they can pay AED 100,000 ( 23.3 lakh) in the case of the new visa in comparison to the previous model where the investment was at least 4.67 crore or property/business investment. The pilot programme, which was initially offered to the Indians and the Bangladeshis only, leaves them among the first beneficiaries of the UAE strategic plan to attract talent.
The UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security has made it clear that it is a purely nomination process and the applicant should be recommended by an authorised agency and this has to be done through a social and background check process. The visa is still based on merit; an individual cannot just pay his money and be sure of being approved.
Qualified applicants can be certified teachers, researchers, professionals, and university faculty with more than 15 years of work experience, along with qualifying nurses and creators of digital content, who have exceeded 25 years old). Also, experts in AI, cybersecurity, cloud computing, sport, and maritime spheres can be offered.
The ability to sponsor family members and domestic help, lifetime residency, freedom to live, work, and study in the United Arab Emirates, and exemptions from income, capital gains, and inheritance taxes are just a few of the substantial advantages that applicants will experience. Though attractive, the cost of living in the United Arab Emirates should also be taken into account, according to critics of visas.
The change in policy indicates a definite shift in emphasis from luring capital to utilising global expertise and knowledge. In the first three months of the program, more than 5,000 Indians are anticipated to apply. According to analysts, this change may reduce real estate speculation and promote deeper socioeconomic ties between India and the United Arab Emirates.
The UAE is expanding its talent pool and readjusting its immigration priorities by granting professionals lifetime residency. This opens up new opportunities for Indians, but only for those who have nominations and proven abilities. The plan is anticipated to have a major impact on recruitment, workforce mobility, and bilateral migration as it develops.
