Qatar first Gulf nation to grant permanent residency to expats

News Qatar

Qatar first Gulf nation to grant permanent residency to expats

Once the new law is implemented, permanent residents will be able to enter and leave the country without permission from their employers, as is required for other residents.

The landmark law also allows expatriates serving in the Qatari armed forces to apply for permanent residency.

A Sudanese citizen, serving in the Qatari army for decades, told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity that he received an application to become a permanent resident.

This law would serve as a gesture of appreciation to many of our Arab brothers who have lived among us for decades and made an honorable stand supporting Qatar against the siege by the neighbouring countries

Vision 2030

Analysts say the new law is part of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani's ambitious Vision 2030, which aims to create a sustainable and modern Qatar in the next 10 years.

"This law would serve as a gesture of appreciation to many of our Arab brothers who have lived among us for decades and made an honourable stand, supporting Qatar against the siege by the neighbouring countries," Abdallah al-Athbah, chief editor of Qatari newspaper Al Arab, told Al Jazeera.

In June 2017, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt cut off diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of funding "terrorism" and fomenting regional instability - allegations Doha denies.

Athbah said the new law is a "first step" in Qatar's "investment in human capital", which will benefit the state in vital areas such as medicine, science and engineering.

"The pioneering new law is part of a national strategy of modernisation and sustained development," a senior Qatari official, who declined to be identified, told Al Jazeera.

On plans to grant just 100 permanent residencies a year, Athbah said the move will allow the government to evaluate its policy and revise it as needed in the years to come.

Qatar is one of the richest countries in the world with an average income of nearly $124,000 per year, a figure that surpasses many Western countries, including the United States.