Saudi Arabia · Talent & extraordinary ability
Premium Residency — Exceptional Competence and Talent
This was introduced on 17 January 2024. Both products run for 5 years, renewable once, and holders are exempt from Saudization ratios. This is where the programme's real volume sits.
At SAR 4,000, this is the cheapest Premium Residency option by three orders of magnitude, and it comes with a route through to the permanent tier. 5,578 of the 8,074 permits issued in 2024 went to this category. This is what the programme actually does. Test it before writing a SAR 800,000 cheque.
Qualifying routes
A minimum monthly salary of SAR 14,000, plus qualifying research credentials.
A minimum monthly salary of SAR 35,000.
A minimum monthly salary of SAR 80,000.
Outstanding achievement in culture, arts or sport. Applicants must hold or be nominated for an approved award, and hold an official recommendation from the relevant Saudi authority.
The facts
- Minimum
- 14k SAR
- Total landed cost
- SAR 4,000 government fee, plus roughly USD 170 for the PRC assessment. No investment required.
- Route type
- By qualification
- Timeline
- 1–2 months (The fastest of the Premium Residency products.)
- Physical presence
- None published, though the salary routes presuppose a Saudi employment relationship.
- Family
- SpouseChildrenParents
- Permanent residency
- Yes. Holders become eligible for the permanent tier after meeting residency requirements, unlike the property route.
- Citizenship
- Effectively none.
- Language test
- Not applicable
- Dual citizenship
- Not permitted. You would have to renounce.
- Requirements
- a qualifying salary, shown by contract, for the competence routesan approved award or nomination, plus an official Saudi recommendation, for the Talent routeattested qualificationsa clean criminal recorda medical report
- 5 years, renewable once. This is not permanence, and the salary basis must persist for renewal.
- The salary routes tie you to a Saudi employment relationship, which is exactly what a UHNW family is usually trying to avoid.
- The Talent (Gifted) product is committee-discretionary, gated by award or nomination, and only 348 were issued in 2024. Do not plan around it.
- Saudization exemption is a genuine benefit for the employer, not for you.