Saudi Arabia Sets Criteria for Exceptional Talent Residency

Saudi Arabia has published detailed eligibility criteria for its Exceptional Talent Residency, identifying four professional groups: researchers, healthcare professionals, scientific professionals, and executives. Researchers must hold an employment contract with a whitelisted entity in a priority specialization, earn a minimum monthly salary of SAR 14,000, possess at least a bachelor's degree, and have over three years of relevant work experience.

They are also required to achieve a minimum score under a points-based assessment system and have at least three published research papers in their field. Healthcare and scientific professionals share similar baseline requirements, including an employment contract with a whitelisted entity, a bachelor's degree or higher, and over three years of experience, but do not have the same salary and research paper requirements as researchers.

Executives must hold an employment contract at either the first or second executive level within an eligible organization. This initiative aims to attract skilled foreign nationals to Saudi Arabia as part of the kingdom's broader efforts to enhance its global talent pool.