UAE: Entrepreneur Visa Valid For Five Years Introduced In UAE

Under the directives and in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship announced the implementation of the Cabinet's decision to issue five-year residency visas for entrepreneurs as part of its aim of enhancing the ease of doing business in the country.

Sheikh Mohammed, in the presence of Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs attended the signing of a number of collaboration agreements between the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, the Business Incubator HUB71 in Abu Dhabi, and the Dubai Future Foundation, to promote opportunities to attract entrepreneurs and creative professionals.

The three entities will collaborate in the areas of training, sharing knowledge, enhancing ease of doing business and creating a conducive environment for investment and business.

The signing ceremony was also attended by Jassim Mohammed Buatabh Al Zaabi, Director of the Abu Dhabi Financial Department; Ali Mohammed bin Hammad Al Shamsi, Chairman of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, and other senior officials.

The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship will be in charge of issuing the residency visas while HUB71 in Abu Dhabi and Dubai Future Foundation's Area2071 in Dubai will nominate entrepreneurs for receiving the benefits of the initiative.

Major General Saeed Rakan Al Rashidi, Director General for Foreigners Affairs and Ports at the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, said the move is part of the Cabinet resolution that aims to regulate the issuance of residency visas to investors and entrepreneurs.

Dr Mohammed Rashid Al Hamli, Secretary- General of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council said that the UAE has become a destination of choice for professionals looking for exceptional opportunities.

He said that he is committed to supporting close integration between various government entities and the private sector to promote pro-business government policies and development programmes.

He further said the latest decision of the government will have a positive impact on the economy and cement its position as a global business hub.

As per the agreement, the Authority and HUB71 will develop strategies and plans to attract entrepreneurs to Abu Dhabi.

Khalfan Juma Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), said that the Foundation aims to enhance collaboration between various government and private entities and unify efforts to make the UAE a model for innovation in the business sector.

Entrepreneurs and their families will be provided with a five-year renewable residency visa. This will be a personal visa, which will help ensure the independence of the entrepreneur and promote a pro-business environment, he said.

To be eligible for the visa, entrepreneurs should have a former business that is worth a minimum of Dh500,000 or has the approval of an accredited business incubator in the country.

He should also have obtained insurance coverage for him and his family for the entire period of his residency.

The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship can also grant a five-year visa to three executive directors working for the entrepreneur, provided they commit to working exclusively for the entrepreneur during the period of the visa.

Entrepreneurs will be allowed entry into the country on a six-month multi-entry visa as part of support provided to them to complete procedures to set up their business.


Tourism Observer

UAE: New Visa Scheme And Employee Fees To Improve Private Sector Growth

New measures introduced by the UAE to encourage business competitiveness are set to provide a boost for private sector growth, as the country eases back on spending restrictions following a recovery in oil prices.

The UAE introduced a string of business reform measures late on Wednesday, including the reworking of business fees to hire private sector workers and more flexible visa regulations.

With oil recovering, the UAE is in one of the best positions to loosen fiscal policy as it has massive savings and sovereign wealth, said Jason Turvey, Middle East analyst for Capital Economics.

A key measure introduced is the scrapping of fees businesses pay to hire private sector workers, many of whom are expats. Fees have been replaced by an insurance system.

Businesses will now pay an annual tariff of 60 dirhams ($16.34) per worker instead of a deposit of 3,000 dirhams.

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE’s prime minister and ruler of Dubai, tweeted that the move would save billions.

In a cabinet meeting today, we approved reforms including replacing the bank guarantee system for private sector employees with a low-cost insurance scheme.

This will release 14 billion dirhams back to the private sector companies and will further lower the cost of doing business, he tweeted late on Wednesday.

The latest announcement comes on top of a recently announced stimulus package worth $13.6 billion for the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

This including plans to ease restrictions on full foreign ownership of UAE businesses and to let some foreigners stay longer, thereby reducing the amount of earnings sent out of the country.

The latest batch of measures is also linked to tourism and hospitality with a pledge to exempt transit passengers from entry fees in the first 48 hours.

A transit visa extension will be made available for up to 96 hours for a fee of 50 dirhams.

Tourism should be supported by this and other measures at a time when the industry has faced headwinds such as the strong dollar, Monika Malik, chief economist of Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank.

Other measures include the introduction of a six-month visa for jobseekers who overstay their visa but want to work in the country, and a temporary visa to enhance the UAE’s position as a land of opportunities, a destination for talents and professionals, according to Sheikh Mohammed.

Lower oil revenue and weaker regional economies have hurt growth in the UAE, where expatriates make up about 80 percent of the population.

Last year, growth slumped to an inflation-adjusted 0.5 percent after OPEC nations agreed to production cuts, down from 3 percent in 2016.

Visa reforms are part of overall measures to improve the business environment and boost economic competitiveness, said Malik.

An immediate lift to employment was unlikely, she said, but the measures would improve company liquidity and profit margins, and possibly lead to increased capital expenditure.

Sheikh Mohammed said: The UAE is among the 10 most competitive countries in the world and our goal is to remain a top destination for ease of doing business, through an agile economy based on flexibility and openness.

Gulf countries want to encourage new industries and attract foreign capital. The rebound in crude prices has given them more room for spending.

Saudi Arabia has also announced plans to revive growth as austerity is reined back, he said.

With oil recovering, UAE and others can afford to loosen fiscal policy.

Measures taken recently by Dubai have included a one-year freeze on school-fee hikes, and a waiving of some fees on aviation and real estate transactions that will help cut the cost of living and doing business.

A research note from Emirates NBD said the latest UAE measures should offer some relief for businesses across all sectors, boosting the key transport and logistics sector.

The measures were broader in scope than we had expected following the instructions to reduce the cost of doing business in the emirate, the bank said.


Tourism Observer

UAE: Dubai Latest Hotspot Is New 430-room Jumeirah Al Naseem

Innovative structural engineering was needed to ensure Dubai’s newest tourism hotspot, the Jumeirah Al Naseem, took full advantage of its spectacular location. Construction of the Jumeirah Al Naseem was announced in late 2012 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Ruler of Dubai.

At the time, he emphasized how Dubai’s tourism infrastructure must match the UAE’s increasingly strong position as an international tourism hub. Global infrastructure and engineering advisory firm Aurecon rose to the design challenges, helping ensure the venue delivers a truly five-star experience for its guests.

The opening of the new 430-room Jumeirah Al Naseem gives substance to the Ruler of Dubai’s ambition. The fourth luxury hotel within the Madinat Jumeirah Resort development, the Jumeirah Al Naseem links with the three existing Jumeirah resorts, which occupy a prime spot on the stunning local coastline. The Resort, Dubai’s largest, was recently named in the Top 3 hotels of the Middle East and Africa by Travel + Leisure magazine.

Aurecon started work on the Jumeirah Al Naseem in December 2012 when the company was invited to collaborate on a range of engineering disciplines by leading development and management company, Mirage Leisure and Development. Aurecon and Mirage have collaborated on several previous developments within the Madinat Jumeirah Resort. Other companies appointed to the project included South African architects, Northpoint, who delivered the concept, and the Dubai office of Woods Bagot, who served as executive architect.

Having been awarded several engineering disciplines within the project, Aurecon began its design work in 2013. Civil and structural work was led by the local Dubai office with support from Aurecon’s office in Cape Town, while acoustics design, vertical transportation, marine design, waste management and geotechnical design was handled by experts in other global offices in Australia and South Africa.

Wouter Brand, Technical Director of Buildings and the Project Director for Aurecon’s work on the Jumeirah Al Naseem, says the company’s previous experience in the region, particularly in hotels and resorts, proved invaluable in making this project a success.

“Our knowledge of the local construction industry was as important as our ability to provide engineering solutions to the many design challenges of the project,” he said. “Creating a seamless connection with the rest of the resort was essential, as was making the most of its geographic location, lying across the water from the spectacular Burj Al Arab Jumeirah and delivering incredible sea views to all guest rooms.”

One of the biggest challenges to the structural design was to accommodate the complex building geometry and orientation of the hotel rooms, which were not compatible with the structural grid of the supporting basement car park. The lower level car park was designed with a rectangular grid of supporting concrete columns and walls for effective traffic flow and generous parking bay sizes. However, the structural column grid for the superstructure was restricted by the orientation of the hotel rooms and corridors, as well as the siting of the public entrances, retail and services spaces on the ground floor.

Adjusting the orientation of the hotel was not an option because every room was required to have a sea view; while the grand entrance hall was situated to give guests a sweeping vista of the iconic Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. With numerous balconies and floor plates that stepped back with increasing height, the combined design challenges made for an intricate and highly detailed engineering process.

“The optimal solution to this engineering challenge was the introduction of a concrete transfer slab to overcome the differences between the column grid above and below the ground level” said Faan Calitz, Technical Director of Structural Engineering at Aurecon. “The transfer slab system, which in certain areas is in excess of a metre thick, proved to be one of the challenging technical aspects of the project.”

The design had to ensure low deflection of the transfer slab and provide structural redundancy against earthquake loads. It was made more demanding because the transfer slab does not have a uniform thickness or a uniform top level, as it also has to support landscape, planting and pool areas, which lie at different levels around the ground floor of the hotel.

Geotechnical and Marine

Early involvement with the geotechnical and enabling works contractor was also crucial to the success of the project. Aurecon recommended the site be vibro-compacted to improve soil conditions and reduce the risk of liquefaction, which can occur during a seismic event. This compaction lowered the ground level by 400 mm and was an effective ground improvement solution.

In addition, Aurecon carried out a Marine Study for the project, which assessed the vulnerability of the coastal development to severe storm surges. The study included a risk assessment of possible flooding and associated inundation and run-up levels, and care was taken to ensure that ground floor levels of the hotel were above possible flood levels. Aurecon also designed marine protection elements, which included sheet piling to the front of the property to prevent undermining of the structure.

Local knowledge

As with all projects in Dubai, Aurecon’s design had to be approved by Government authorities before any construction could proceed. This approval process is aimed at ensuring the highest standards of design and construction quality are maintained in Dubai.

“Aurecon understands the importance of achieving an approved design within the available timeframe, because this is essential if a contractor is to commence construction on time,” said Ben Hawkes, Senior Structural Engineer who was based at the project site. “The Middle East is well-known for the scale and spectacular nature of its designs, as well as ambitious timeframes that are set for development. This all adds to the importance of ensuring that the execution of any project includes a robust plan for achieving authority approvals.”

“At Aurecon, we are committed to engineering solutions that suit the designs and dreams of our clients,” he concluded. “Although it’s only one part of the overall development, the location and guest experience of Jumeirah Al Naseem is crucial to ensuring Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah Resort remains one of the world’s leading tourist destinations for many years to come.”

About Jumeirah Al Naseem

The gross floor area for the Jumeirah Al Naseem is 85 000 m2, including the basement parking which has space for some 400 cars. It includes pedestrian-friendly walkways to connect it with neighbouring facilities including the Madinat Jumeirah Souk, Talise Spa, Quay Health Club, Canal, Wild Wadi Water Park and the glorious Jumeirah Beach. The hotel was officially opened to guests on 1 December 2016.