Following the announcement of ten-year residence visas for investors, doctors, specialists and top students, UAE Government introduces some progressive changes regarding UAE immigration and visa regulations with major decision on visa simplifications.
The new legislative set of improvements to visa and immigration rules is expected to be implemented until the end of this year and includes an issue of high importance for expatriates in the UAE – the introduction of a temporary six-month visa. Currently, employees can only remain in the UAE for 30 days after release of the cancellation paper. This new type of visa will allow them to remain in the country even after the cancellation of their employer-sponsored residence visa. During this six-month period, they will be able to search for new employment in the UAE legally, without putting the legal burden on the former employer. It is worth to add that such changes to the UAE Labour Law will provide the possibility for businesses to offer “outplacement” to their former employees.
The new immigration package also targets visitors and aims to promote tourism to the UAE. Accordingly, the major news for retail businesses is that transit passengers are now to be released from all entry fees for the first 48 hours. For a fee of AED 50, such transit visa will be extendable to up to 96 hours, during which time tourists can spend even more money on shopping in the UAE. However, it is still unclear, for example, whether this package targets all nationalities.
These changes are fairly considered a substantial boost to positioning the UAE as an attractive destination for top talents from all over the world.