Our Correspondent
The UAE cabinet has adopted a new one-year remote work visa that will enable employees from all over the world to live and work in the UAE even if their companies are based in another country; it also approved a multiple-entry tourist visa for all nationalities.
At a meeting chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on March 21 the cabinet approved several initiatives to position the UAE as an ideal work and tourist destination.
The new visa scheme aims to attract talents and expertise from all over the world. The visa allows foreigners to enter the UAE under self-sponsorship and work in line with terms and conditions issued with the visa.
This is a major step that is considered first of its kind in the region. It provides the opportunity for entrepreneurs and talents to innovate in the UAE’s safe and attractive business environment, with access to all the necessary services including world-class utilities and telecoms.
The new scheme aims to support the public and private sector, enhance work-life balance, boost productivity and improve the business environment. It also enables employees to expand their digital skills and adapt to the emerging gig economy.
The Multiple Entry Tourist Visa is valid for five years and enables tourists to enter multiple times on self-sponsorship and remain in the country for 90 days on each visit, which can be extended for another 90 days.
On the global sphere, the country is making new economic partnerships. The UAE has joined the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the New Development Bank, established by the BRICS states.
Among the cabinet’s new resolutions was the UAE Strategy for Government Services that aims to boost the country’s competitiveness in the service sector and position it as the best in the world to provide government services.
The Strategy focuses on five main pillars that will carry out more than 28 initiatives within the next two years to provide advanced and efficient digital services, accessible to customers from anywhere around the clock. Within one year, a single smart platform will provide 90 percent of the UAE’s government services, with aims to bring customer satisfaction to more than 90 percent.
The Strategy aims to establish a comprehensive ecosystem that ensures designing new smart services, building an accurate customer transaction database, and creating a common data-sharing platform for government entities.
The Strategy also seeks to involve the public in designing proactive digital services that cater to their needs.
The Cabinet also approved a national water and energy demand management programme and a new system for hydrogen fuel-powered vehicles. This is expected to increase the efficiency of the three most energy-consuming sectors – transport, industry and construction – by 40 percent.
