Many skilled employees and special talents in the UAE are unaware that they are eligible for the 10-year Golden Visa, HR and recruitment specialists have said.

Eligible employees often do not apply for long-term residency as they are not sure if they qualify or do not know how to go about applying for it.

The UAE had recently expanded the Golden Visa scheme, allowing more categories of people to get the coveted 10-year visa.

Nicki Wilson, managing director, Genie Recruitment, said companies would do well to help eligible employees get long-term visas. Doing so would "show that the company is looking at the longevity of talent as opposed to filling in a requirement short term."

“There is a prestige that comes with having a Golden Visa and if an employer can help facilitate the issuing of a Golden Visa either by ensuring an employee is on the minimum salary of Dh30,000 or offering the PRO assistance to the application, this is a benefit that should be looked at,” said Wilson.

Under changes that went into effect recently, more skilled professionals can get the long-term residency, with the minimum monthly salary requirement dropping from Dh50,000 to Dh30,000. Disciplines include medicine, sciences and engineering, information technology, business and administration, education, law, culture and social sciences.

Applicants should have a valid employment contract in the UAE, and be classified in the first or second occupational level as per the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

Nicki Wilson added that a lot of individuals want the Golden Visa but might now know how to obtain one.

“A lot of people have no idea how to even go about applying for one let alone know if they even qualify for one so as an employer having the resources to assist with this shows commitment to your employees,” she added.

According to Nazar Musa, CEO of PRO Partner Group, the 10-year visa will cost between Dh2,800 and Dh3,800 for applicants currently in the UAE. But for applicants outside of the UAE, the Golden Visa will cost between Dh3,800 and Dh4,800,

“This is a government processing fee, hence the additional cost for applications from outside the country. The exact amount is also dependent on the category in which the applicant is applying,” said Musa.

Deepa Sud, CEO of Plum Jobs, a Dubai-based HR advisory, executive search and business transformation consultancy, said there is an increasing trend for candidates to obtain a Golden Visa which they choose to keep during their employment.

“This allows both the organisation and employee to have more flexibility for the remuneration package they offer as employers are benefiting from reduced visa processing costs which they are passing onto the new employees to attract higher calibre candidates,” added Sud.