Dubai becomes favourite destination for nomadic executives
Dubai has overtaken Lisbon as the most popular destination for executives who have become digital nomads, according to a study by property broker Savills.
The company assessed the top 20 housing markets on their attractiveness to long-term remote workers. It found that high-profile hybrid workers are attracted to Dubai’s fast-growing financial technology and services sectors.
Many are also affected by the 200,000 job cuts in the tech industry in 2022. Retired managers see Dubai as a centre with an emerging high-tech economy.
The shift to hybrid working during the pandemic has prompted many executives to relocate to other parts of the world, including warm seaside cities with developed airports. They spend an average of 1.75 days a week in the office.
A survey by AWA found that 37 per cent of employers are planning to reduce office space. Meanwhile, Lisbon has slipped down the rankings in attractiveness to digital nomads after rents for prime property there soared.
Second place after Dubai in the travelling executives’ ranking is Málaga, with Miami third.
Digital nomads, as it is known, can remotely apply for a United Arab Emirates virtual resident visa. Foreigners don’t need to be physically present in the UAE during the application process – making life much easier for those who work for overseas companies and want a work visa without involving a local sponsor.
Resident visas for digital nomads are issued for a one-year renewable period. Applicants can apply through a website or smart application (UAEICP), but they must enter the UAE within 60 days of being authorised to enter and complete residency procedures.
Applicants must provide for visa processing a passport valid for another 6 months from the date of application, a recent photograph and health insurance covering healthcare services in the UAE. The entry permit will be sent to an email address.
The applicant must also submit a certificate of employment with a one-year contract from the employer and a minimum monthly salary of US$ 3500 or more, as well as a salary certificate for the previous month and bank statements for the previous three months.
The fee for virtual visa processing is just under US$ 100. If the applicant has submitted an incomplete set of documents, the application will be rejected within 30 days and the fees paid will be refunded within six months.
Source: Gulf News
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