February 23, 2026
Methodology About Newsletter
WE THE UAE 2031
The Vanderbilt Terminal for the UAE's National Transformation
INDEPENDENT GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE FOR THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% | UAE GDP: AED 2.03T ▲ 5.7% | Non-Oil GDP Share: 84.3% ▼ -5.2pp | FDI Inflows: $45.6B ▲ 48.7% | GDP Growth: 4.0% ▲ -0.3pp vs 2023 | Inflation: 1.7% ▼ +0.0pp vs 2023 | Female Participation: 55.1% ▲ +0.6pp vs 2023 | Population: 11.0M ▲ 4.8% | Emiratisation Rate: 12.5% ▲ 2.1pp | Global Competitiveness: #7 ▲ 3 places | Clean Energy Capacity: 7.2 GW ▲ 18.4% | ADX Index: 9,842 ▲ 4.7% | DFM Index: 4,621 ▲ 6.2% |

Definition

The UAE Golden Visa is a long-term residency system introduced in 2019 that allows foreign nationals to live, work, and study in the UAE without a national sponsor. Unlike standard employment visas tied to a specific employer, the Golden Visa grants holders autonomous residency for 5 or 10 years with automatic renewal, fundamentally changing the expatriate experience in the Emirates.

UAE Context

The Golden Visa emerged as part of the UAE’s broader strategy to attract and retain global talent, capital, and expertise. In a country where over 80 percent of the population consists of expatriates, long-term residency security was historically limited. The program was expanded significantly in 2022, broadening eligibility to include skilled professionals earning AED 30,000 or more per month, real estate investors, top graduates, and freelancers in specialized fields.

Key Data

  • Launch year: 2019, with major expansion in 2022
  • Duration: 5-year or 10-year renewable visas
  • Eligible categories: Investors, entrepreneurs, scientists, exceptional students, humanitarian pioneers, and skilled professionals
  • Investment threshold: AED 2 million in property for investor category
  • Issuance: Over 150,000 Golden Visas issued since inception

Significance for Vision 2031

The Golden Visa is central to the UAE’s 2031 ambition of becoming a global hub for talent and innovation. By providing residency certainty, the program encourages long-term commitment from high-value professionals and investors who might otherwise view the UAE as a transient posting. It directly supports objectives around economic diversification, knowledge-economy growth, and positioning the UAE as one of the world’s top destinations for skilled migration.

  • Free Zone - Economic zones where many Golden Visa holders operate businesses
  • DIFC - Financial center attracting Golden Visa-eligible professionals
  • Vision 2031 - The strategic framework the Golden Visa supports