Dubai launches visa for remote workers

15 October 2020
The residency programme will allow employees of overseas companies to live in the emirate

Dubai has launched a residency programme that will allow remote workers of overseas companies to relocate to the emirate.

Applicants must present their employment contract, with one year’s validity, and have a monthly salary of $5,000 (AED18,370) to be eligible for the programme.

Company owners must present proof of ownership for one year or more, and have an average monthly income of $5,000.

The virtual working programme costs $287 plus medical and administrative costs per person.

Authorities say the programme capitalises on evolving workplace trends, particularly amid the Covid-19 crisis.

“The global pandemic has changed how we live and work,” said Helal Saeed al-Marri, director general of Dubai’s Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing.

“As multinationals and leading startups across the world accelerate their rates of digital adoption, the need to be physically present to fulfil professional responsibilities has been redefined.”

The residency programme comes one month after Dubai announced an initiative allowing expatriates and foreign retirees to reside in the emirate.

Expatriates aged 55 and above are eligible for the five-year renewable retirement visa. They must fulfil one of the following financial requirements for eligibility:

  • Monthly income of AED20,000
  • Savings of AED1m
  • Ownership of property worth AED2m in Dubai

READ: Remote working risks future office demand

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