For many years, the Gulf region has thrived as a result of its ability to attract talent from abroad. The Gulf states entice and retain foreigners by permitting a select group of expatriates to become citizens without giving up their original nationality.

On 4 April 2024 in an interview with Alhurra channel, Abdulla Ziad Galadari, Senior Partner at Galadari Advocates & Legal Consultants, talked about the current regulatory landscape of obtaining UAE citizenship. He stated that while investors, skilled professionals, and notable contributors are often prioritized, the scope of the process might be widened in the future. Crafting citizenship policies, he observed, requires judicious legal foresight to accommodate both international norms and economic ambitions. Variations in the rules across Gulf states reflect differing philosophies towards inclusivity and openness, he noted, underscoring a strategic embrace of foreign talent as an advantage for the region’s development and global stance.