The UAE's long-term residency program will now reportedly include executive directors who earn a monthly salary of AED30,000 ($8,167) or more.
Bloomberg on Wednesday cited a Gulf News report, quoting Mohammed Al Marri, head of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs.
He was quoted as saying that executives applying for the so-called Golden Card, which entitles holders to 10-year residency, must also have a bachelor degree and show that they have worked for five years in the country.
Executives will be included under the special talent category, it said, adding that a maximum of 6,800 people will be granted 10-year visa in 2019.
On Tuesday, Al Marri said 400 people have so far been granted the gold card residency visas.
The UAE's new permanent visa is intended to generate foreign investment and attract top engineers, scientists, and star students.
The gold card visa is issued is renewed automatically every 10 years, so long as they satisfy the GDFRA’s terms and conditions and are still in the employed in the same activity.
The gold card is offered to a number of categories, including CEOs and real estate investors (property of more than AED5 million), inventors, entrepreneurs and specialized doctors and teachers in rare fields.
