Most software engineers, data scientists and engineering managers who get a UAE Golden Visa use the skilled professionals route. The UAE Golden Visa requirements for this route are a job in the UAE at MOHRE occupational level 1 or 2, at least a bachelor’s degree, and a monthly salary of at least AED 30,000. The visa lasts 10 years, you don’t need a sponsor, and you can sponsor your family (ICP).
The point that confuses most applicants is the salary. Official pages say “monthly salary”, but since 2024 many applicants have been told that only basic pay counts. This guide explains what the official sources say, where they are unclear, and how to prepare. It is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so check the ICP or GDRFA page before you apply.
UAE Golden Visa requirements for tech workers at a glance
| Condition | Skilled professionals route | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Job | A valid UAE work permit and approved employment contract | ICP |
| Job level | MOHRE level 1 (managers, executives) or level 2 (professionals) | ICP, ADDED |
| Education | Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, attested | ADRO |
| Salary | At least AED 30,000 a month, or the equivalent in foreign currency | ICP |
| Proof of salary | Salary certificate and 6 months of UAE bank statements | ADRO, GDRFA |
| Duration | 10 years | ICP |
To test a salary against the threshold, use our UAE visa salary check.
How many years is the UAE Golden Visa?
For skilled professionals, it is 10 years. ICP describes Golden Residency as a ten-year residence “with automatic renewal” for “skilled professionals in senior occupational levels” (ICP). Other Golden Visa categories run for 5 or 10 years. Real estate investors and entrepreneurs, for example, get 5 years (u.ae).
Who counts as a skilled professional
ICP says the category covers “chairpersons and chief executives at occupational level one, and specialists at occupational level two”, based on the classification of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) (ICP).
MOHRE sorts jobs into nine levels based on the International Standard Classification of Occupations (u.ae):
- Level 1: legislators, managers and business executives
- Level 2: professionals in scientific, technical and human fields
- Level 3: technicians in scientific, technical and humanitarian fields
The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development spells out that level 2 includes professionals in “Sciences, Engineering, Health, Education, Business and Management” and “Information Technology” (ADDED).
Golden Visa for engineers and software engineers
There is no separate Golden Visa for software, civil, mechanical or AI engineers. An engineer qualifies through the same skilled professionals route as anyone else. What matters is the job title your employer registered with MOHRE, because that decides your level. A “Software Engineer” or “Data Scientist” title is normally a level 2 professional job. A “Technician” or “Support Specialist” title may be registered at level 3, which is enough for the Green Visa but not for the Golden Visa.
Ask HR which MOHRE occupation and level appear on your work permit before you apply. If the title is wrong for the work you do, fix it with your employer first.
ICP also lists two 10-year categories that can fit some engineers, but they need an official recommendation rather than a salary test (ICP):
- “Leading specialists in the fields of industry and the Fourth Industrial Revolution”, on a recommendation from the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology or the relevant local authority
- “talents in the field of digital technology”, listed under exceptional talents
ICP’s page does not give separate conditions for the digital technology category, so use the ICP eligibility check to see whether you fit it.
The salary requirement: basic or total pay?
This is the question most people search for, and the official sources do not settle it.
What the official pages say:
- ICP: “a monthly salary of at least AED 30,000, or its equivalent in foreign currency” (ICP).
- GDRFA Dubai: “A monthly salary of no less than AED 30,000” and “a bank statement showing bank salary transfers for the last 6 months” (GDRFA).
- Abu Dhabi: “Minimum monthly salary of AED 30,000 or equivalent”, shown in a salary certificate and six months of bank statements (ADRO).
None of these pages says “basic salary”, and none says allowances count either.
What happened in practice: In August 2024, law firm DLA Piper reported that the threshold had moved from a gross salary of AED 30,000 including allowances to a basic salary of AED 30,000 excluding allowances (DLA Piper). Press reports at the time quoted ICP customer service, but we could not find a published ICP rule or decision that says so.
What this means for you:
- If your basic salary is AED 30,000 a month or more, you meet the threshold on any reading.
- If only your total package (basic plus housing and transport allowances) reaches AED 30,000, you may be refused. Check with ICP (171 inside the UAE) or GDRFA before you pay the fee.
- Your salary certificate and bank statements must show the same numbers. The bank statements must show six months of salary transfers.
Gulf offers are often split into basic pay and allowances, so your basic pay can be much lower than your total pay. Our guide on how to read a Gulf job offer explains why. If a Golden Visa matters to you, negotiate the split before you sign, not after.
How many jobs pay enough?
On Gulf Dev Jobs on 16 October 2026, no job that states a salary in its ad reached AED 30,000 a month, and 2 jobs reached the AED 15,000 Green Visa threshold (visa salary check). Most Gulf employers don’t publish salaries, so this says more about salary transparency than about real pay. Senior engineers, staff engineers and managers at large employers are the ones most likely to clear AED 30,000. Our software engineer salary guide has the pay ranges.
Golden Visa vs Green Visa
If you don’t reach AED 30,000, the Green Visa for skilled employees may fit. It lasts 5 years, needs no sponsor, and needs a valid UAE employment contract, a job at MOHRE level 1, 2 or 3, a bachelor’s degree and at least AED 15,000 a month (ADRO).
| Golden Visa (skilled professionals) | Green Visa (skilled employees) | |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 10 years | 5 years |
| MOHRE level | 1 or 2 | 1, 2 or 3 |
| Monthly salary | AED 30,000 | AED 15,000 |
| Degree | Bachelor’s | Bachelor’s |
| Sponsor needed | No | No |
Documents you need
The Abu Dhabi Residents Office lists these for skilled professionals (ADRO):
- An employment contract approved in the UAE.
- Proof that your job is at MOHRE level 1 or 2.
- An attested bachelor’s degree or equivalent. Attestation takes time, so start early. Our guide to degree attestation for UAE and Saudi work visas walks through it.
- Bank statements from an approved UAE bank covering the last 6 months, showing a monthly salary of at least AED 30,000.
- A salary certificate from your employer, issued within the last month.
- A practising licence, only for professions that need one (doctors, teachers). Software jobs don’t.
ICP also requires valid health insurance for you and your family for the whole residency (ICP).
How to apply, step by step
- Check your eligibility. Use the eligibility tool linked from the ICP Golden Residency page.
- Collect six months of salary history in a UAE bank account. In practice this means you apply after about six months in your job.
- Get your documents ready: salary certificate, bank statements, attested degree, contract and MOHRE level proof.
- Apply through the right authority. Dubai residents apply through GDRFA. Abu Dhabi residents can apply through ADRO on TAMM. Others apply on the ICP smart services platform.
- Pay the fees and complete the medical test and Emirates ID update as instructed.
GDRFA lists a processing time of 48 hours once the application is complete (GDRFA).
How much does the Golden Visa cost?
GDRFA Dubai lists these fees for issuing a Golden Residence permit (GDRFA):
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Residence permit fee | AED 1,100 |
| Extra for each year beyond two years | AED 100 a year |
| Knowledge Dirham and Innovation Dirham | AED 10 each |
| Fee for applying from inside the country | AED 500 |
| Delivery | AED 20 |
Medical test, Emirates ID and health insurance cost extra. Typing centres and agents add their own service fees. ICP and ADRO don’t publish a single total, so ask the authority for the full amount before you apply.
What the Golden Visa gives you
According to ICP, Golden Residency holders get (ICP):
- long-term residency without a sponsor
- residence permits for a spouse and children “regardless of their age”, and for parents
- the freedom to live, work, study and invest in the UAE
- the right to sponsor domestic workers
- for family members, the right to stay until their permits expire if the Golden Residency holder dies
The UAE portal adds that holders can stay outside the UAE for more than the usual six months without losing their residence (u.ae).
You still need a work permit to work. MOHRE issues a “Golden visa holder work permit” to the employer, valid for two years (u.ae). The difference is that your residence no longer depends on that one job.
Requirements for Indian, Pakistani and other nationals
The official ICP, GDRFA and ADRO pages list no extra conditions by nationality. The same job level, degree and salary rules apply to everyone. What differs by country is degree attestation: the steps in India, Pakistan or elsewhere before the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs can attest your degree.
Property route
If you own property, there is a separate route. The UAE portal lists a 5-year Golden Visa for real estate investors, and a 10-year visa for investors with at least AED 2 million in public investments (u.ae). Its conditions are outside the scope of this guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum salary for a UAE Golden Visa?
For skilled professionals, AED 30,000 a month, or the equivalent in foreign currency. Official ICP, GDRFA and Abu Dhabi pages say “monthly salary” without defining it. Since 2024, applicants have widely been told that only basic salary counts, so if your basic pay is lower than AED 30,000, confirm with ICP or GDRFA before you apply.
Can a software engineer get a Golden Visa in the UAE?
Yes. Software engineering is normally a MOHRE level 2 professional job. You need a UAE job registered at level 1 or 2, a bachelor’s degree, at least AED 30,000 a month and six months of UAE bank statements. Check how your employer registered your job title, since that decides your level.
Is there a Golden Visa for AI engineers in the UAE?
AI engineers usually qualify through the same skilled professionals route. ICP also lists 10-year categories for “talents in the field of digital technology” and for leading specialists in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the second on a recommendation from the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology. Use the ICP eligibility check to see which fits you.
Do I need six months in the UAE before I apply?
In practice, yes, if you apply on salary. GDRFA asks for bank statements showing salary transfers for the last six months, and Abu Dhabi asks for statements from an approved UAE bank for the same period. People on a new job usually apply for the standard work visa first and the Golden Visa later.
Can I get the Golden Visa without a job in the UAE?
Not through the skilled professionals route. ICP requires a valid UAE work permit under an approved contract. Other routes, such as investor, entrepreneur or exceptional talent, have different conditions. ICP gives eligible applicants outside the UAE a six-month multiple-entry visa to complete their application.
What happens to my Golden Visa if I change jobs?
Your residence does not depend on one employer, so you don’t lose it when you change jobs. Your new employer still needs a MOHRE work permit for you. Keep your documents up to date, and check with ICP if your salary or job level drops a lot.