Golden Visa For Health Workers

As of June 23 2014, the Portuguese law has changed to award points for health sector workers. The new regulation is intended to make Portugal more attractive by encouraging highly qualified employees to work in the country.The idea of a “golden visa” has recently become much more prevalent than before. An EU/EEA citizen can apply for a Portuguese golden visa under the terms of Portugal’s National Residence Programme (RNP), which offers residency permits to those who invest certain assets or capital in the country.

A “golden visa” or “golden passport” is a visa for investment in an EU country. In 2015 the Portuguese government passed a law to give Non-EU citizens permanent residence status if they purchase real estate with at least 500,000 EUR (500,000 USD).The Portuguese Golden Visa is a property investment program designed to attract wealthy individuals from all over the world. Portugal offers a stable economy, direct flights to European capitals, great weather and affordable property prices. Choose your preferred visa option below.

Golden Visa For Health Workers

The UAE will issue Golden Visas to eligible frontline workers in the country, along with their families.

It follows a directive issued by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, on Sunday.

Additionally, the long-term visas will also be granted to families of fallen frontline heroes in recognition of their services to the nation during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The UAE has previously adopted several measures to recognise and incentivise the efforts of frontline workers in the country.

In July 2020, UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan had issued a federal decree to establish a Frontline Heroes Office (FHO), chaired by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Read: UAE establishes new office to recognise and support country’s frontline workers

According to the FHO, those who qualify as frontline workers include those working in healthcare facilities as well as on prevention and protection activities. At healthcare facilities, those who qualify include staff involved in the frontline response against Covid-19 pandemic including doctors, nurses, allied healthcare professionals (lab technicians, respiratory therapists, radiographers), housekeeping, cleaning, waste disposal and other exposed staff (e.g. porters, security, catering, administrative, pharmacists) as well as fallen frontline heroes (deceased workers).

The prevention and protection personnel eligible include crisis management employees involved, security and emergency services employees involved, humanitarian entities and volunteers as well as sterilisation employees involved in frontline operations.

Among the many incentives announced by the office since its formation include an initiative in January this year to provide expanded medical insurance coverage to the nation’s underprivileged frontline heroes and their immediate families.

The “Frontline Heroes Insurance Top-Up Programme” was developed in partnership with the National Health Insurance Company (Daman), with funding received by the Frontline Heroes Office.

Read also: UAE’s frontline workers eligible for upgraded medical insurance

In other incentives, Etihad Airways last year partnered with the Frontline Heroes Office to offer flight discounts, preferential check-in and special holiday packages to those registered with the FHO. Frontline professionals were offered a 15 per cent discount on Etihad Airways flights.

Pupils who leave high school with top marks would also be eligible – along with their families. Students leaving universities with a GPA of 3.8 will also be included. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, announced the nationwide move on Sunday. It will come into effect from December and the application website is here. “We want to keep those who are talented here so we can continue together our journey of development and achievement,” he said.

The original scheme brought in last year was aimed at top investors, company executives and scientists. Some wealthy expat business owners with long-standing investments and contributions were approached or invited to apply. Dr Ramanathan Venkiteswaran, medical director of Medcare and Aster Hospitals and Clinics, said his teams were thrilled by the news. 

“Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, doctors have been at the frontline of battling this deadly virus,” he told The National. “The extended visa will provide opportunity for doctors to continue to serve the people, striving for excellence in all fields of patient care.” Dr Amgad Farouk, a consultant urologist who works for Medcare’s Al Safa hospital, said the move would “attract many more doctors to Dubai and create a medical hub for any health issue”. In the UAE, a person’s residential status is typically tied to their employer through a residency visa. It is cancelled once the two part ways and the former employee typically has 30 days to secure a new visa or find another job.

Mammootty and Mohanlal receiving the ‘golden visa’ in UAE was a greatly celebrated moment that popularised the concept throughout India. Soon, it became a matter of pride among celebrities and fans to obtain a golden visa from the UAE government. Well, not many would have understood what a golden visa was or how someone could get it, but it became the talk of the town among Indians.

UAE’s Golden Visa, a visa valid for ten years unlike the usual two years, is the nation’s form of appreciation to investors, doctors, personalities from the various fields to enhance the talents and bring about development in the country. Golden visa is also alloted to students and their parents who perform exceptionally well in academic and innovative aspects.

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Also Read: A Love Letter To My BMI Chart

Ordinary Malayali expats in the gulf, who have been toiling hard for years, would have wondered when they would get a golden visa, while celebrities received them. But guess what, a large section of Malayalis, the public and private healthcare professionals like nurses, ambulance workers and frontline workers have started receiving a golden visa for their contribution during the Covid-19.

The fact that a large percentage of nurses in the UAE are from India and particularly from Kerala ensures a direct impact of this scheme on a large number of Malayali families.

Kottayam-based Anumol and Athirampuzha-based Sunil Joseph, two nurses working in Abu Dhabi, were one of the first few Malayalis who received the golden visa. Anumol, who had to renew her visa applied for the same. After which, she came to know that she had received a 10-year-long visa. Many other Malayalis have started receiving their golden visa, serving as a source of happiness and comfort.

Also Read: The Nostalgic Impact Of Akkara Kazhchakal

People used to wonder why most NRI Malayalis in the gulf have at least one nurse in their family. Well, this is the kind of reception the nursing community receives in the UAE. The news has made a number of Malayalis heave a sigh of relief.