DESPARDES — Saudi authorities have opened the door to naturalize competent foreigners, reports Al-Bilad citing Sabq.
The plan also aims at attracting outstanding and creative people from all over the world to live in Saudi Arabia, which would boost development and would benefit all the sectors in the country.
The steps are in line with the 2030 Saudi Vision, aimed at creating an attractive environment that is fertile to attract human competences from all over the world to live in Saudi Arabia.
The economic overhaul plan led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman aims to boost growth and lower unemployment. Central to those reforms was growing the private sector, boosting non-oil economy and attracting highly skilled expat workers.
King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has reportedly issued a royal order
allowing the naturalization of competent medical, scientific, cultural,
sports and technical foreigners.
According to Sabq, the royal order which was issued about two months ago serves the national interest by attracting gifted scientists, thinkers and specialized and creative people.
The King ordered the authorities to nominate eligible candidates from all over the world to be granted Saudi passports, including tribesmen who emigrated to Saudi, the children of Saudi women, and those born in Saudi Arabia and meet the naturalization criteria.
The Royal Order authorizes the naturalization of competent religious scholars, scientists specialized in medicine, pharmaceuticals, mathematics, computing, technology, agriculture, nuclear and renewable energy, oil and gas.
The step will also benefit those competences specialized in artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, nanotechnology, environment, geology, space sciences and aeronautics, in addition to gifted people who excel in the fields of culture, sports and arts and all other fields which contribute to support Saudi competencies, and transfer of modern knowledge.
The initiative will also target the naturalization of competences for geographical consideration, particularly scientists who are specialized in water desalination.
