The UAE’s decision to launch a remote work visa, following a similar announcement by Dubai last year, is a major step forward. The visa which will be valid for one year, will allow foreigners to enter the UAE on self-sponsorship and live and work in the UAE in line with terms and conditions issued of their visa.
Although the concept of the remote work visa is not new, having previously been introduced by Croatia, Georgia and a host of Caribbean countries, the UAE will be at a strategic advantage given its geography, low taxation regime, being home to the best financial free zones of ADGM and DIFC, and the range of entertainment activities available.
From the remote workers’ perspective, the visa will allow them to take advantages of:
Low Taxes
The UAE does not tax the income of individuals. This means that even in the absence of double taxation avoidance agreement between the UAE and the country of worker’s nationality, the worker will not have to pay any income tax on their salary whilst being a resident in the UAE. On the other hand, value added tax (or VAT) is only charged at a rate of 5 percent on goods and services. This rate is low if compared to the countries where 10 percent to 15 percent VAT is generally applicable.
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Safe Environment
Just very recently, Numbeo, a crowd-sourced global database of perceived crimes, ranked Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai as the first, sixth and seventh safest cities in the world out of 250 cities surveyed for 2021. The safety and well being will never be an issue for the workers and their families who wish to stay in the UAE under the new visa.
Accommodation
With property rents at their lowest, workers can take advantage of renting accommodation at affordable rates. Being a hub of entrepreneurs and freelance workers, the UAE is also home to many modern and affordable co-working spaces with office facilities – so workers can take advantage of such facilities should they wish to work in an office setting.
As an entrepreneurial hub, Dubai is also home to many modern coworking spaces where you will enjoy a dynamic lifestyle.
Health
Dubai has consistently ranked as one of the top destinations for health tourism. In 2020, the Global Medical Tourism Index ranked Dubai sixth on the list of 46 unique destinations for health tourism. The UAE (with Dubai in particular) continues to provide advanced health care services to both residents and tourists and has successfully built advanced medical infrastructure and world class facilities. The workers and their families can also take advantage of various health insurance options available to them to access the medical facilities in the country.
Covid-19 pandemic
The UAE ranks second to only Israel in terms of the proportion of population vaccinated against Covid-19. As of now, 56% of the country’s population has been vaccinated whilst immunization drive has been widened to include all citizens and residents aged 16 and above. It is no secret that this milestone has been achieved in a very short period thanks to the aggressive measures taken by the UAE government.
Having successfully tackled the COVID-19 crisis, Dubai is the ideal place to live with your family, as you will have access to world-class healthcare as well.
Ethnic and cultural diversity
The UAE is melting pot of cultures from all over the world. A major percentage of the country’s population is of foreign origin. There exist expat communities of almost all nationalities, so it is easy to develop new relationships and develop professional networks.
The remote work visa announcement is a major step in right direction and reflects the forward thinking of UAE’s leadership. The new set measures will further boost UAE’s appeal as a global destination. The remote work visa coupled with recent announcements (such as new foreign ownership regulations) will contribute towards diversifying the UAE’s economy and play a bigger role in the development of national economy.
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