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UAE begins implementing new 100% ownership, 10-year visa for expats

The UAE cabinet has begun the implementation of 100% foreign ownership and 10-year residency visas for expats, investors and businesspeople.[Source]

What I found sad is the sub headline for the article which states that the new laws are expected to help retain expats in the UAE. It’s sad because most of the articles in Kuwait talk about different ways to get rid of us while UAE is appreciating their expats and wanting them to stay longer.

66 replies on “UAE begins implementing new 100% ownership, 10-year visa for expats”

Yes very sad indeed and the reason why I leave for good.I don’t want to stay in a country I am not cared for nor wanted. And I hold a EU passport.

*grabs salted popcorn, nachos, caramel popcorn, super-sized fanta and a little bit of chocolate” – this is going to be a long one.

incoming comments… “I fully support my government’s decision. If you don’t like it, you can go to Saudi/UAE.”

UAE cabinet looks at expats as assets to the country, it’s a different perception here, until that perception changes then only we would see such regulations being implemented.

Kuwait looks at expats as a liability aka a loss. Not value added. Any problem social or economic is blamed on the expat community. Without considering the value added by expats. Medical, teachers, rent, purchasing power. Economy is a closed circle. To sell more you need more people. Any money given to expat is wage aka compensation for effort and work value added to the country. It’s not taken or stolen money. Value added is usually more than wage given.

LOL at viewing expats as liability.. All those foreign engineers, business executives, teachers, students etc etc etc ALL USELESS. To hell with those parasites!!

In a serious note, the country needs to wake the hell up.. From what I hear, Kuwait was amazing in the 90s and was seen as the best country in the GCC… how the mighty have fallen.

Kuwait has always been haven for people of nearly all nationalities however recently both Kuwaiti nationals and citizens from foreign countries have both been playing the system.

Dubai just changed its tune because of its slowing down economy

All that I’m saying that great nations and superior countries raised on a pivotal factor that is diversity. i.e U.S in our era, Singapore, Dubai Etc. and many other examples from history such as the Abbasid state during Haroun Al Rashid when Baghdad resembled the NY of that era people from all over the world were welcome to come, contribute and flourish.

they even ban my family to enter Kuwait (and say you can only have your 2 years old daughter to enter) over a simple medical reason as overweight.

It’s a choice every country has to decide for their own good (or bad from other people’s view). We call it sovereignty. We’re (expats) the one who needs to adjust. If we fill the requirements of this nation, be happy with it and if we feel some needs some help, give them a hand as much as we can. All other else is left to the forces unseen and pray for a better result.

They are the natives here after all. Their land their rules, it sucks but what can you do.

I’d rather be an expat here than being treated second class in Europe, looking at these fourth generation asians in East London makes me grin uncontrollably knowing what will happen to them if they walk into the shire outskirts of the UK.

That fourth generation Asian has it better in London then he would in Kuwait, and you grin uncontrollably? It makes you happy?

Sad that what makes you happy is your own imagination too, not based on any knowledge or experience since you obviously aren’t from London. Pathetic.

Born and raised in Kuwait, but it is comments like this that make me GLAD I left. I was born in Kuwait, and so was my dad, but we were always “hindis” in Kuwait. In the States, I own a lot of property and treated with so much respect even though I was not born here. I will always value my childhood in Kuwait, but I cant help but grin when I see the almighty Kuwait fall like Hungry Bunny.

The caliber of expats in Dubai is miles ahead of kuwait, we get the cheapest and trashiest of expats, stop comparing Dubai to Kuwait

totally agree with above, Kuwaitis dont want to pay, they always negotiate, you don’t think of the expats welfare in terms of social benefits. Dubai is lighting years ahead of you.

You will never reach their level, because what you just wrote.

Your comment is insulting, you talk about expats like they are objects. Kuwait hires cheap labourers who they can take advantage of and it’s people with your way of thinking that make that happen. You are talking about PEOPLE. I’m sure your all class

Not totally true .. I have worked with one of the finest expat professors .. and the reason they don’t want to go to Dubai because they like the spirit of small city here in Kuwait. You can’t just assume that the best will always choice money over everything else!

What would high caliber expats come to Kuwait for? To get disrespected and mistreated? The only reason ” trashiest expats” live here is because they have no choice and they need the money. And people like me who grew up/born here, have families here but are treated like “trash” as you put it. I came to Kuwait when I was 7 and I lived 25 years here. And I get treated exactly the same as a someone who came to Kuwait yesterday. Something needs to change.

Like EU passport is going to do you anything. I’ve seen them dieing of hunger in the streets of london with their so-called EU passport.

hi hi… you cant compare.
If you don’t have a job in Kuwait, they kick you out of the country. At least in EU you get unemployment pay, shelter and money for food. The ones choose to bum out on the street and beg for money, half of them is scams, the other half is people who don’t want to be helped or refuse to stick to the rules.

This guy literally thinks the developed world is a POS because there’s homeless people. The ignorance is astounding. There’s a reason it’s called the DEVELOPED world, they are where Kuwait wishes it was (but will clearly never even get close).

Wow. After so many years of foreigners calling Kuwait their home, offering them a good standard of living and comfort, now everyone’s ganging up on it claiming we want to get rid of you. Talk about ungrateful. I understand that some expats are faced with intolerance and mistreatment, and dont even have the means to afford a good standard of living. Those that dont even have a voice or platform to speak out. But if youre comfortably sitting behind a computer and living out most of your life here, why are you complaining?

I also dont get all of this “trying to level up to Dubai and UAE”. Dubai is a trashy place with glamour as a disguise. Kuwait has its own charm and I dont see a point in comparing two different countries with different agendas. One of them being for touristic purposes to bring in more expats, tourists and investors, while the other actually doing something for the local community anf residents alike. Afterall, if UAE is so good why not just move there.

Unfortunately it all comes with a price of constantly being literally bullied by the local regulations and bureaucracy. It really gets tiring after a while. 🙁

We aren’t claiming that you want to get rid of us. Just open up Kuwait Times or Arab Times and you’ll see at least 2 or 3 articles with the sentiment of reducing the numbers.

Just recently there was a plan to reduce 1.1mln expats in 7 years to address the “demographic-imbalance”. As an expat, when you read such articles every day after living here for say 25 years. It’s quite disheartening.

Can you explain “the other actually doing something for the local community anf residents alike”?
Ask any expat who is middle-income how he is treated at government offices or at police stops.

Yes, it is true that Kuwait does care about its residents when it comes to issues of security and such and I’m very grateful for it has done for us so far but it doesn’t mean that the negative sentiment about us is not widely prevalent in the country right now.

Usually expats stay here temporarily, they earn money and return to their home and families. That’s why they are called expats all over the world, theyre not permanent residents. Sooner or later they leave. Demographic imbalance is a problem anywhere, its not a good thing. But thats the goverment’s fault for allowing it to reach this point and now they are looking for solutions.

What I meant by actually doing something for locals and residents, is that in UAE the intention is to draw in tourists. In Kuwait, its for the local community. Hope thats clear.

you definitely live in a bubble. “some expats” are faced with intolerance and mistreatment? are you serious? make that majority.and what logic is that if i sit behind a computer and live out my life here, i cant complain?

I live in a bubble? Im guessing your an expat. I was born and raised here as Kuwaiti. Yes “some”. There are so many expats who are happy in Kuwait too, are you living in a bubble? I dont like to generalize just because you are one of the people that dont like it here.

MOST expats are represented by the so called lower classes, treated badly,under paid if paid at all, passports confiscated, abused. So while i appreciate your sentiments, yoru math is wayyy off

yes you do live in a bubble, because you think ‘many’ expats living happily in Kuwait makes them the majority and i do like it here but that does not mean i haven’t faced the problems listed in this post.
you dont like to generalize? let me do it for you,
You were raised as a Kuwaiti, no wonder you termed us expats who are complaining for respect and better pay as ungrateful. how dare we do that sitting behind our computer screens.

Halyoosha’s argument is “if you have a computer, then STFU”

That’s not an argument, Halyoosha. It’s literally the EXACT attitude that people here are complaining about.

Kuwait is not SAVING expats from abject poverty. Expats working in Kuwait is a benefit for both expat, Kuwait and Kuwaitis.

The actions of the few, ruin it for the many..

Let’s be honest here, Kuwait after the Gulf war just isn’t the same. In all honesty some resident expats should be considered more patriotic than a few of us Kuwaitis, but sadly let’s not ignore the group that aren’t really here to call this state home. They are the few that affect the mass.

Dual citizens, land value inflation has created a negative mentality and a culture shock.

I believe we’re in the cusp of change as we see infrastructure back on track after years of stalemate and the wheel of action against corruption finally gaining momentum; once the rule of law is re-applied we can rediscover our positive equilibrium and return to a more mature stage away from school yard bickering.

Of course they want you to stay there! Do you know how much an expat has to pay in taxes and services to live there? A hospital visit is enough to break a family financially. It’s not just as simple as they want us there and they hate us here. I’d say about 95% of the people living here can not live there. It’s not necessary an expat utopia there as many might think.

OKAY. Here’s my opinion in the matter: Kuwaiti people don’t want to get rid of EVERY expat. They just want to level the playing field, you know? Schools are overstaffed with expats, hospitals are full of expats, GOVERNMENT buildings are full of expats…
Have you seen a country where expats are 3 times bigger than the nation’s own citizens? It’s a disgrace that the government allowed such dysphoria to exist.
And it’s not about racism; I, as a Kuwaiti, respect everyone who comes here to earn a good living. Everyone deserves to live a good life.
But.
I want my country to be self-sufficient; I want the doctors to be Kuwaiti, I want the Engineers to be Kuwaiti, I want my government to hire Kuwaitis in actual, important positions! If everyone keeps hiding behind the excuse that Kuwaitis don’t want to work, then Kuwaitis won’t LEARN to work! Humans adapt with changing circumstances, and the culture of work for a lot of people (let’s not generalize; I’ve met a lot of successful Kuwaiti entrepreneurs and people who committed to their work) won’t change unless people are pushed towards change.
And let’s be honest; how many of you actually understand this issue? Kuwaiti people don’t have a problem with European, American, and Asian expats. They actually like you guys and keep referring to those groups as the ‘good expats’, the ‘ones who love and appreciate our country’.
They have a lot of problems (At least from what I’ve seen from a certain political influencer)

Telling ppl to GTFO is not “leveling the playing field”
Firing employees and replacing them with someone Kuwaiti is not “leveling the playing field”
Causing expats to go through hell when it comes to just getting a license (yearly renewal? wth is that?!) is not “leveling the playing field”

What should have happened was this:

More investment in the private sector (including FDI’s) – this would have caused companies to flourish and more people being hired.

BETTER ROADS – this way traffic would have been greatly minimized.

Also, There are population imbalances between citizens/expats in Bahrain, Qatar, even Singapore… No issues and those countries are a lot more developed than Kuwait is.

Absolutely agree. I am the 3rd generation in my family to be living in Kuwait and we consider Kuwait as home. But the sad reality is that to the ppl here, there is no difference between me and a person who came to Kuwait yesterday.

Mimi, I have seen a country where expats are 3 times bigger. In fact, the country I am talking about has an expat population 8 times bigger than its own citizen.

That country is “drum roll”…. UAE.

Any expat who’s contributing positively to the growth and prosperity of Kuwait has nothing to fear.
There has been an influx of people who did more damage than good. They are the ones I suspect will be expunged (if the govt. is serious).

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