Saudi Arabia Lists 4 Groups of Foreign Professionals Eligible for Exceptional Talent Residency
- Saudi Arabia opened its Exceptional Talent Residency to four categories of foreign professionals seeking to live and work in the kingdom
- The Saudi government published detailed eligibility criteria for each professional group on its official website
- Researchers face the most specific requirements among the four groups, including a minimum salary threshold and published research papers
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Saudi Arabia has outlined the categories of foreign professionals who qualify for its Exceptional Talent Residency, publishing detailed eligibility criteria for each group on the official government website.
The kingdom identified four professional groups as eligible: researchers, healthcare professionals, scientific professionals, and executives.
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Criteria for researchers, healthcare professionals, others
Researchers face the most stringent set of conditions. To qualify, a researcher must hold an employment contract with a whitelisted entity operating in a priority specialisation, earn a minimum monthly salary of SAR 14,000, possess at least a bachelor's degree, and have more than three years of relevant work experience.
Applicants must also achieve a minimum score under a points-based assessment system and have at least three published research papers in a related field.
Healthcare and scientific professionals share several of the same baseline requirements. They must hold an employment contract with a whitelisted entity in a priority specialisation, a bachelor's degree or higher, and more than three years of experience in a relevant field. They are also required to meet a minimum score under the points system, though the salary floor and research paper requirements that apply to researchers do not extend to this group.
Requirements for executives
The criteria for executives are more concise. An applicant in this category must hold an employment contract at either the first or second executive level within an eligible organisation.
The four groups in full are:
- Researchers
- Healthcare professionals
- Scientific professionals
- Executives
The publication of these criteria offers a clearer picture for skilled foreign nationals considering Saudi Arabia as a long-term destination, particularly amid the kingdom's ongoing efforts to attract global talent as part of its broader economic development agenda.
Saudi Arabia lists relatives for Premium Residency
Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that Saudi Arabia listed three categories of family members that Premium Residency holders can bring into the kingdom.
The eligible relatives are parents, spouses, and children under the age of 25.
Source: Legit.ng
