The Abu Dhabi Residents Office has issued a new policy circular, dated 19 October 2026 and released to the media on 21 October, that raises the bar for foreign professionals seeking the UAE’s coveted 10-year Golden Visa under the “skilled employee” category. From tomorrow, applicants must present evidence of a basic (not gross) monthly salary of at least AED 30,000 (≈ US $8,170) paid into a UAE bank account for six consecutive months, together with a work-category classification of Level 1 (managers and executives) or Level 2 (specialist professionals) under the Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisation (MOHRE) occupational table. In a break with earlier practice, allowances and bonuses can no longer be aggregated to meet the threshold. The circular also makes an attested bachelor’s degree—validated by the UAE Ministry of Education—mandatory for all skilled-employee applicants, even those in technical trades. A professional licence, where the occupation requires one, must be active at the time of filing. These requirements will apply across all emirates once the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) updates its unified e-channels later this week. Employers with existing mid-senior expatriate managers on AED 25,000–29,999 packages will need to review reward policies quickly. Mobility teams should budget for targeted salary adjustments or consider alternative residence options, such as the five-year Green Visa or company-sponsored residency, for valuable staff who fall short of the new floor. Recruiters also warn that offer letters signed before 21 October but not yet stamped by MOHRE may have to be re-issued at the higher salary. The move fits a broader federal push to position the long-term visa as a premium immigration pathway that attracts—and retains—globally competitive talent. By tightening the income test and standardising the academic requirement, Abu Dhabi aims to curb speculative applications and align Golden Visa holders with the emirate’s economic-diversification priorities in advanced manufacturing, AI and life sciences. For multinational employers the message is clear: verify whether assignees meet the new criteria before commencing property purchases or school registrations based on an assumed Golden Visa. Those who still qualify should expect additional document-attestation lead times and, potentially, a more searching background check now that the case-review desk has been moved from outsourced service centres to an in-house team at the Residents Office.
Source: UECN
