Great news!
Many of the residents of Gulf Nations are expats, and as much as we love it here, we require sponsorship to live in the region. But this is all changing for Saudi expats, as 73 foreigners were just granted permanent residency by the Kingdom.
For expats living in Saudi, non-sponsored residency is becoming a reality thanks to a new government initiative. This program was created by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and has been in the making since 2016. According to Bloomberg, the aim of this initiative is to “attract overseas investment by enabling selected people to buy property and do business.”
Just a month ago, in an unprecedented step towards opening up the Kingdom, the country announced their new tourist visa. Visitors will now be able to enter the country for 90 days maximum, and enjoy the incredible sights and upcoming touristic hotspots.
View this post on Instagram
The new tourist visa and permanent residence is in line with Saudi vision 2030, where the Kingdom aims to reduce its dependence on oil by diversify its economy, and developing other public service sectors like tourism. The Gulf state has been working hard to attract foreigners, and just recently announced its own Coachella.
View this post on Instagram
According to Bloomberg, “the kingdom received thousands of applications after offering permanent residency for 800,000 riyals (AED 783,546) or a one-year renewable permit for 100,000 riyals (AED 97,943).” Apparently, the first applicants to receive these permanent residencies come from everywhere around the world and have occupations such as investors, engineers, and doctors.
Images: Instagram, lead image @robertmichaelpoole
