Dubai: UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani al – Zeyoudi said that UAE announced a new visa on Sunday allowing foreigners to work in the country without being sponsored by an employer, loosening residency requirements in an attempt to boost economic growth.

It targets highly skilled individuals, investors, businesspeople, entrepreneurs, as well exceptional students and postgraduates, he said. Foreigners in the UAE are generally only given limited visas tied to their employment, and long term residency is difficult to obtain. Those holding the new green visa will be able to work without company sponsorship, and can sponsor their parents and children up to 25 years old, officials said.

The Covid – 19 pandemic has also impacted tourism and businesses in the UAE, whose economy was already slumping in recent years due to low oil prices. UAE launched the 10 year Golden visa in 2019 to attract wealthy individuals and highly skilled workers, the first such scheme in the Gulf.