A skilled professional employed in the UAE on AED 30,000 a month or more and holding a bachelor's degree can qualify for a 10-year Golden Visa. Below: the three mandatory conditions, the MOHRE job classification, the dedicated track for IT, engineering and science, and how to prepare the documents.
Who counts as a "skilled professional" for the Golden Visa
The Golden Visa is the UAE's long-term residency for people who contribute to the country's economy and science. It runs several categories — investors, entrepreneurs, outstanding talent, outstanding students — plus a separate one for skilled professionals in employment. That last route is the one most professionals will be looking at.
"Skilled professional" here is not a loose label but a set of verifiable criteria: an employment contract approved in the UAE, at least AED 30,000 a month, a bachelor's degree or higher, and a role classified at level 1 or level 2 by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). When those elements line up, the category applies.
It is one of several residency routes, alongside work and investor visas — if you are still choosing, start with our full overview of UAE residency types. Companies building a team here will also find value in our guide to hiring employees in the UAE.
The three mandatory conditions: salary, education and contract
The conditions are stated explicitly, so you can assess your position before filing. The table below summarises them, based on data from the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED).
| Condition | Requirement | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum salary | From AED 30,000 per month | Or the equivalent; the amount is evidenced by the employment contract |
| Education | Bachelor's degree or higher | Master's and doctoral degrees also qualify; a foreign degree is attested |
| Employment contract | A valid contract approved in the UAE | Issued by a UAE employer; evidences both the role and the salary |
| Job classification | MOHRE level 1 or level 2 | Level 1 — managers and business executives; level 2 — professionals |
| Professional licence | For regulated professions | A valid licence where the emirate or the UAE requires one |
Two notes. The salary is the monthly rate fixed in the contract, not annual earnings with bonuses; an equivalent in another currency is acceptable. And a bachelor's degree is the minimum bar — master's and doctoral degrees clear it comfortably.
MOHRE job classification: levels 1 and 2
The classification of the role is the pivotal check. MOHRE maintains a single system of occupational levels; the top two qualify.
Level 1 — "Managers & Business Executives". Leadership roles: senior management, functional directors and heads of business units.
Level 2 — "Professionals". Specialists in science, engineering, healthcare, education, business and management, information technology, law, sociology and culture — a broad list that captures most highly qualified professional and technical hiring.
The practical takeaway: what matters is not the informal job title on a CV but how the role is written into the contract and which level it sits in. The same work can be labelled several ways, and it is the contract wording that is assessed.
The categories keep expanding, too: in 2025–2026 the Golden Visa was opened to nurses, teachers, content creators and esports athletes, among others.
IT, engineering and science: the disciplines in focus
Engineering and science have their own, tightly defined track: a bachelor's or master's degree in one of the approved disciplines.
- artificial intelligence;
- big data;
- computer engineering;
- electronics engineering;
- software engineering;
- electrical engineering;
- biotechnology.
Two conditions attach to it. First, the degree is certified by the UAE Ministry of Education. Second, the employment contract is in the same specialisation — you work in the field your degree is in, not in an adjacent role.
For IT specialists this opens two lines at once: MOHRE level 2, where information technology is named explicitly among the professional fields, and the engineering and science track. A developer, data engineer, ML specialist or systems architect is best served by working out early which line fits more precisely — the document set follows from that choice.
What the 10-year visa gives you
A 10-year horizon. Enough runway to plan properly: buying a home, schooling for children, long-term projects and career moves inside the country.
Self-sponsorship. The visa needs no employer sponsor — the residency belongs to the professional. Changing jobs does not send it back to the start, which strengthens your position in the UAE labour market.
No six-month rule. Ordinary UAE residence visas lapse if the holder stays outside the country for more than six consecutive months. The Golden Visa is not subject to that rule — you can remain abroad for longer and keep residency.
Family. A holder can sponsor family members — a spouse and children — so relocation is planned for the whole family at once. The eligible composition and supporting documents are confirmed under ICP rules.
Residency and taxes. Visa residency and tax status are related but distinct, and worth separating from the outset. Professionals who also run their own company here work under a separate set of rules, covered in our guide to UAE corporate tax.
How to prepare the documents
The paperwork is the most predictable part of the process — the list is known in advance.
The degree. Qualifications issued abroad are attested and legalised before filing. The UAE applies full consular legalisation, so an apostille alone is not sufficient: the degree passes through a chain of certifications in the issuing country and finishes with attestation inside the Emirates. The steps are in our article on document attestation and legal translation in the UAE. On the engineering and science track it is additionally certified by the UAE Ministry of Education.
The employment contract. A valid UAE-approved contract evidences the role, the salary and — on the engineering and science track — the match between job and degree.
The professional licence. Regulated professions — doctors, pharmacists, teachers and others — evidence a valid licence where the emirate or the UAE requires one. Arrange it alongside degree attestation: both draw on the same documents.
Always confirm the current document list and filing procedure with the ICP — the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security — and the u.ae portal.
Common slips, and the takeaway
A few points that most often deserve attention at the preparation stage:
- measuring the threshold against annual earnings instead of the monthly contract rate;
- filing a foreign degree that has not been attested and legalised;
- relying on an informal job title without checking how the role is classified in the contract;
- on the engineering and science track, not verifying that the degree discipline matches the work;
- leaving the professional licence until later when the profession is regulated.
The takeaway is straightforward. The skilled professionals category is an open, clearly defined opportunity: four verifiable conditions, a broad list of MOHRE level 2 fields and a dedicated track for IT, engineering and science. The UAE invites talent deliberately and on a long horizon, and a 10-year self-sponsored visa with the right to bring your family expresses that policy directly. Check your position early and assemble the documents in order.
This material is for information only and does not constitute legal advice. Programme conditions are updated — verify current requirements with the UAE official sources: the ICP (icp.gov.ae) and the u.ae portal. Every application is decided by the competent UAE authorities.
