In 2018, the UAE issued the Golden Visa, which is a new system for granting 10-year residence visa to researchers in the fields of science and knowledge and those with specialized talents such as doctors, specialists, scientists, inventors, as well as creative individuals in the field of culture and arts. The visa extends to the spouse and children of the recipient and can be renewed after 10 years. The new system allows the UAE to attract top talents and creatives in the cultural sector and to contribute to the development of a vibrant creative sector. This allows recipients flexibility, as their residence in the UAE is no longer tied to their employment with an organization, and gives them the stability to be able to innovate in the UAE.
The Golden Visa came into effect in 2019 and many creatives and artists have been granted the visa and 10-year residency in the UAE.
A comprehensive framework to support creatives is required for them to be able to produce and innovate in the UAE. Many supporting initiatives have been established to further encourage talent to choose the UAE as a destination, and some of those include funding institutions to support SMEs, faster and easier businesses licensing processes have been established across the country, amongst other measures. All of these initiatives and further planned initiatives will ensure that the UAE becomes an attractive destination for talent and creativity.