UAE Golden Visa now targets talent in AI, climate sectors, says expert
'After Covid-19, the government's primary goal was to attract capital into the country. That's why, during the initial wave in 2022–23, many of the Golden Visa recipients were real estate investors,' Keswani told Khaleej Times in an interview.
'However, from 2023–24 onwards, we entered the second phase of the programme. The government empowered multiple departments — including the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Sports, and Abu Dhabi Residents Office — to scout globally for individuals who could make the UAE their second home and add meaningful value to the economy.'
Keswani emphasised that the programme is no longer just about capital inflow. 'It's now about long-term growth potential. We're seeing candidates from sectors like AI, IoT, cloud computing, and private wealth management. The government's approach has evolved; it now targets individuals with specialised skills who can contribute to the broader community.'
The UAE introduced its long-term residency programme in 2019 to attract foreign investment. According to the latest figures, 158,000 people received Golden Visas in Dubai alone in 2023.
Of these, approximately 40% were investors, with the remaining 60 per cent spread across various other categories. 'About 22 per cent of the total were professionals from banking and non-banking sectors, including those involved in AI and climate change,' Keswani noted. 'The government has made substantial investments across various industries and is now strategically attracting talent aligned with those sectors.'
He added that the initial phase of the programme was capital-centric. 'In recent years, we've seen eight of the world's top 20 hedge funds establish operations in the UAE, bringing around $48 billion in business. But with such a capital influx, there's a need for the right talent — CEOs, CTOs, and other key executives — to optimise and grow that investment. That's why the government's focus has shifted from purely capital to a more strategic, talent-driven approach.'
More categories
The Golden Visa currently offers a 10-year residency to a wide range of individuals, including outstanding students, scientists, graduates from top global universities, coders, and highly qualified professionals.
According to Keswani, whose firm has arranged visas for over 250 individuals in the past six months, additional categories are expected to be added in the near future.
'Yes, definitely — especially in areas like AI, climate tech, IoT, and cloud computing,' he said. 'In the past five months alone, we've seen a significant rise in the number of private bankers, AI consultants, and cloud experts being shortlisted. These professionals are often behind large-scale projects or are significant investors themselves, and the programme is adapting accordingly.'
Greater flexibility for professionals
Keswani also highlighted the flexibility of the UAE's Golden Visa scheme.
'The long-term residency allows individuals to switch employers or even leave their jobs to pursue entrepreneurship while continuing to reside in the UAE,' he explained. 'The government has done an excellent job targeting the Asia-Pacific talent pool. Moreover, senior professionals like CEOs and CTOs with substantial income can invest in property here, obtain residency, and manage their assets independently.'
He emphasised a key advantage of the programme: 'Residency and investment are treated as two separate legal entities. So if someone wants to liquidate an investment and move to a different asset class, they can do so without affecting their residency status. This structure gives skilled professionals flexibility and control, which is why the programme has resonated so strongly with global talent.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
an hour ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE: SCA warns investors against unlicensed individual, company in Dubai
The Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) has issued a fresh warning to investors against dealing with an individual and a Dubai-based company found to be operating without approval. In a notice published on its website, the regulator said Thoufeek Raja Abdul Majeeth is not licensed or authorised to carry out activities under its supervision. 'The SCA assumes no responsibility for any transactions or dealings with him in this regard,' the statement noted. The SCA also cautioned the public against FX GLOBE Marketing Management, a Dubai-based firm, stressing that it is not authorised to conduct regulated financial activities or provide related services. The authority urged investors to verify the licensing status of any entity before transferring funds or entering into agreements, warning that transactions with unlicensed operators could leave them vulnerable to fraud. The move is in line with SCA's mandate under Federal Law No. 4 of 2000 to protect investors and safeguard the integrity of financial markets. This is the latest in a series of advisories issued by the regulator. On July 17, the SCA cautioned the public against engaging with Sigma-One Capital, Sigma Wealth World Financial, and Sigma One Cap Marketing Services, none of which are licensed to operate in the UAE. The warnings come on the heels of a series of Khaleej Times investigative reports that uncovered how such entities operating through shell firms, fake offices, and offshore registrations lured UAE residents into transferring thousands of dirhams through aggressive cold calls and misleading trading dashboards.
Khaleej Times
2 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Tokio Marine Insurance UAE simplifies claims with Kodak Alaris' AI-driven automation
Tokio Marine Insurance UAE, a leading provider of comprehensive insurance solutions in the region, has significantly accelerated its claims registration process through a new partnership with Kodak Alaris. By deploying AI-driven document automation technology, the insurer has reduced claims processing time by 90%, streamlined operations, and improved overall customer satisfaction. 'Insurance is more than just a policy, it's a promise,' said Tsuyoshi Yamasaki, General Manager at Tokio Marine Insurance Dubai. 'When our customers reach out, they're often in distress. It's our job to be there at the time of need.' Until recently, the claims team at Tokio Marine Insurance UAE manually processed hundreds of submissions a day, particularly for car insurance. Each case required multiple documents - police reports, Emirates ID, driver's license, vehicle registration - and involved extracting dozens of critical data points, all by hand. With up to 600 claims arriving daily via email, the workload placed immense pressure on staff and exposed the process to inevitable delays and errors. That pressure reached new heights during the unprecedented floods of 2024, which drove claim volumes to record levels across the country. The experience reinforced the need for a future-proof solution that could scale under pressure and maintain the company's high service standards. To address the challenge, Tokio Marine Insurance UAE turned to Kodak Alaris - a trusted technology partner with deep experience in document intelligence. Together, the two teams designed and implemented an AI-enhanced automation solution, anchored by Kodak's Info Input platform and powered by Microsoft Document AI. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, Kodak Alaris engaged in in-depth discovery sessions and ran a focused proof of concept that validated results from the outset. Since deployment, the time required to process each claim has dropped by 90%, enabling faster communication with customers - often within hours rather than days. The automation platform now handles three times the daily claims volume, while exception handling has decreased by 60% due to improved accuracy and automated validation. With a legacy dating back over 144 years, Tokio Marine Insurance has long been committed to its guiding principle: 'QUALITY, ALWAYS.' This latest digital transformation initiative reinforces that promise by simplifying a historically complex aspect of the insurance journey - claims processing. Staff who once focused on manual data entry are now redeployed to handle complex cases requiring human judgement, enhancing both job satisfaction and customer outcomes. 'It's not about replacing people; it's about empowering them. Our staff are now spending more time resolving edge cases and less time correcting typos. That's where human judgment really shines,' Yamasaki explained. Beyond operational efficiency, the volume of data captured per submission has increased significantly, enriching insights available for better decision-making, audit trails, and pricing models. 'Being able to automate data extraction means we can now add several more fields into our insurance systems per claim,' shared Mohamad Bader, Senior Manager – Information Technology at Tokio Marine Insurance UAE. 'It's helping with compliance, forecasting, and tailoring our offerings better than ever before. The biggest change however is the elevation in customer satisfaction. Faster response times mean fewer follow-ups, and greater trust. People feel cared for, and that's what sets us apart.' In an era where digital transformation often comes with hype, Tokio Marine Insurance UAE's partnership with Kodak Alaris stands out for its tangible, meaningful results. It's a case study in how thoughtful use of automation and AI can not only solve business problems - but also make life easier for the people behind each policy. 'Technology is most valuable when it improves lives. With Kodak Alaris, we've built a bridge between operational excellence and human empathy. The company's solution enhances our human effort, makes our operations smarter, and most importantly, helps us take care of our customers better,' concluded Bader.
Khaleej Times
3 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
You get a better lifestyle and safety in UAE, says Moldovan expat
Dubai-based CEO Elvira Jain has been in the UAE for 12 years and like most expatriates, says time flies in the Gulf. After a high-flying career as a fashion model, Moldovan-born Jain now runs a communications agency, Ellyse Management. During her career she has boasted collaborations with prestigious brands such as Gucci, Dior and Armani, and now, she's turning her hand to entrepreneurship in the Gulf's fashion capital. If you had to use one word to describe money what would it be? Opportunity. If you had to write a letter to money, what would you say? Due to money we can have the possibility of travelling and having better education and health. It's not the same everywhere but in Dubai you need resources to survive. How would you describe your relationship to money? I respect money. You need to use money smartly. I don't waste money and I calculate well. I do have an economics background, so I try not to overspend. Sometimes it is tricky, because I do like to spend, but I think money comes to people who also respect it and use it in the right direction. Also having a business and having created it by myself, I calculate everything and make projections and budget. How do you think this relationship was formed? When I was in school, aged 7-8, my parents used to pay me for every highest mark I used to get at school and I used to keep the money in a book, so I was really motivated to get better marks and more money. I was also one of the best in class. What good or bad lessons about money management did you learn from your mother? My mom sometimes tends to overspend and sometimes not spend much on unnecessary things so I try to also evaluate if it's worth to spend or not but sometimes is difficult. Who do you speak to about money matters and is it something you consider 'taboo'? I don't consider it a taboo. I can speak to my parents, my husband, and my kids . It cannot be a taboo since it is part of our daily life. Who has taught you the most about financial management? I learned a lot from my parents and from my husband. What do you think has been the most profound experience you've had so far in relation to money, good or bad, and what has it taught you since? When I used to travel as a model in different countries, they gave you a weekly allowance and you had to manage it. This taught me to spend only on what I really needed to. How do you think living in the UAE has changed your relationship with and perception of money? I can say that to live well you need money. The equation of money and income (in the UAE) is different compared to European countries. You get a better salary but then you also have to spend more on rent and monthly expenses. But of course, you get a different, better lifestyle and most of all, the UAE is the safest country to live in. If you could give your child or your younger self one piece of advice about money now what would that be and why? Spend only on what you really need because money comes to those who respect it. What do you value spending money on? It depends on what I need at that moment. I do like to pamper myself so there are also some spendings that we can't avoid as ladies. Do you long-term plan your finances, and if so, how? I like investing in real estate. What is your long-term goal or dream which is pegged to your finances? I wish to have a lot of properties in different parts of the world How much do you save each month? Since I'm a business owner, the income might vary, so savings are different. But I try to have a savings account and a different current account. How much do you plan to have by the time you are 65? I can't give a number because depreciation of money is real, so what might seem a lot now might be much less in the future. I try to think 100 times before investing so it's tough to say.
