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A new visa aimed at business owners, investors and entrepreneurs in the UAE will offer expanded benefits for sponsoring family members.
The "green visa" is to cater for people who have their own businesses and are not working for, or sponsored by, an employer.
Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, unveiled the visa on Sunday as he set out broader plans to attract top talent and boost foreign investment.
The owners of SMEs and high-performing students will also be eligible.
To be eligible, an applicant requires a monthly salary of Dh15,000 along with a bachelor's degree in certain skilled fields, including science, law, education, culture or social sciences, among others.
Someone who currently holds a two or three-year trade licence for freelance work may find this option attractive, but the costs have not yet been set out.
A Green Visa holder can sponsor relatives for residency for five years. Previously, this was typically allowed for two years.
Dr Al Zeyoudi said the new visa was aimed at the "self-dependent" investor who needed to sponsor family members.
"He's not going to be attached to companies. He's going to sponsor his parents, sponsor his children up to 25 – instead of 18 years old, like nowadays," he told The National.
The ability to sponsor a son to live in the Emirates into his mid-twenties is significant. Although a parent can sponsor their daughter's residency visa until she is married, male children cannot be sponsored once they leave school at 18. And although universities provide student visas, graduates often find themselves quickly looking for a residency visa once they graduate.
The new visa offers a grace period of 90 to 180 days in the event of cancellation – significantly longer than the current 30-day period.
A new flexible freelance visa, which was not detailed in full on Sunday, is also aimed at highly skilled people in "new sectors that we want to bring new ideas to", Dr Al Zeyoudi said.
He also pointed out a "humanitarian aspect" in the new visa regulations. Divorcees and widows may now stay in the UAE for a year as they try to find a job or find some other way of settling. As of now, they are allowed to remain in the UAE for 30 days.
Teenagers allowed to work part-time jobs for first time
Thirdly, a further change will allow children over the age of 15 to work for the first time.
A temporary work permit would allow them to secure a part-time job and get a taste for the workplace, without interrupting their studies.
The decision could be hugely significant and bring about a culture of part-time and temporary work.
"Anyone who's living here, who's above 15 years old, can apply for a temporary job," Dr Al Zeyoudi said.
"We don't want them to stop their education but it's a temporary visa to give them access to their market, shape up their skills and see the sectors they want to study and want to have a future in.
"It's a relaxation from us to ensure students have access to the market."
This story was updated on April 20, 2022.
Company%20profile
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UAE and Russia in numbers
UAE-Russia ties stretch back 48 years
Trade between the UAE and Russia reached Dh12.5 bn in 2018
More than 3,000 Russian companies are registered in the UAE
Around 40,000 Russians live in the UAE
The number of Russian tourists travelling to the UAE will increase to 12 percent to reach 1.6 million in 2023
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Overview
Cricket World Cup League Two: Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
Sunday, February 9, Oman v Nepal
Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
FIGHT CARD
From 5.30pm in the following order:
Featherweight
Marcelo Pontes (BRA) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 90kg
Moustafa Rashid Nada (KSA) v Imad Al Howayeck (LEB)
Welterweight
Mohammed Al Khatib (JOR) v Gimbat Ismailov (RUS)
Flyweight (women)
Lucie Bertaud (FRA) v Kelig Pinson (BEL)
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (BEL) v Regelo Enumerables Jr (PHI)
Catchweight 100kg
Mohamed Ali (EGY) v Marc Vleiger (NED)
Featherweight
James Bishop (AUS) v Mark Valerio (PHI)
Welterweight
Gerson Carvalho (BRA) v Abdelghani Saber (EGY)
Middleweight
Bakhtiyar Abbasov (AZE) v Igor Litoshik (BLR)
Bantamweight:
Fabio Mello (BRA) v Mark Alcoba (PHI)
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Magomedsultan Magemedsultanov (RUS)
Bantamweight
Trent Girdham (AUS) v Jayson Margallo (PHI)
Lightweight
Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) v Roman Golovinov (UKR)
Middleweight
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Steve Kennedy (AUS)
Lightweight
Dan Moret (USA) v Anton Kuivanen (FIN)
Country-size land deals
US interest in purchasing territory is not as outlandish as it sounds. Here's a look at some big land transactions between nations:
Louisiana Purchase
If Donald Trump is one who aims to broker "a deal of the century", then this was the "deal of the 19th Century". In 1803, the US nearly doubled in size when it bought 2,140,000 square kilometres from France for $15 million.
Florida Purchase Treaty
The US courted Spain for Florida for years. Spain eventually realised its burden in holding on to the territory and in 1819 effectively ceded it to America in a wider border treaty.
Alaska purchase
America's spending spree continued in 1867 when it acquired 1,518,800 km2 of Alaskan land from Russia for $7.2m. Critics panned the government for buying "useless land".
The Philippines
At the end of the Spanish-American War, a provision in the 1898 Treaty of Paris saw Spain surrender the Philippines for a payment of $20 million.
US Virgin Islands
It's not like a US president has never reached a deal with Denmark before. In 1917 the US purchased the Danish West Indies for $25m and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.
Gwadar
The most recent sovereign land purchase was in 1958 when Pakistan bought the southwestern port of Gwadar from Oman for 5.5bn Pakistan rupees.
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test Thursday-Monday at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
