The UAE has introduced several long-term residency programs, such as 10-year and 5-year visas, aimed at investors, students, professionals, and entrepreneurs. Speaking at Gitex Global, Faisal Al Bannai, Secretary-General of the Advanced Technology Research Council (ARTC) and advisor to the UAE President, highlighted that attracting talent to the UAE has become significantly easier compared to previous years.
“There are many talented individuals who have received Golden Visas, and some have even become UAE citizens,” Al Bannai noted. He emphasized that the UAE is creating a knowledge-based economy and actively working to foster partnerships with top industry players while investing in future technologies. The ARTC, with its 10 research centers and over 1,300 researchers from 70 countries, demonstrates this commitment. Leading technology firms like G42 and Edge are also playing key roles in bringing skilled professionals to the UAE.
Al Bannai stressed the UAE’s focus on developing sovereign technologies, especially in artificial intelligence. “AI is something we cannot ignore. We aim to be at the forefront of this technology,” he stated. He predicted that AI would soon take on essential decision-making tasks, impacting areas such as basic planning, network routing, hospitality services, and scheduling.
Reflecting on the ease of talent acquisition, Al Bannai remarked, “Attracting talent was challenging four to five years ago, but now, thanks to our robust ecosystem and projects, it’s much simpler.”
Additionally, UAE Minister of Economy Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri spoke at Gitex Global about the UAE’s economic plans. He emphasized the necessity for talent and shared a goal to increase the non-oil sector’s contribution from 74% to 80% by 2030, underscoring the UAE’s ambitions to diversify its economy.
