Saudi Residency by Investment Program Gains Interest of 40K applicants in a few months

According to the Saudi Gazette, an English newspaper launched and published in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, around 40,163 people applied for Saudi residency by investment program between January 2024 and July 2025. This shows that the program is gaining the interest of a large number of people, and the reason for major attraction could be the possible benefits the program offers to its investors. 

What is Saudi Residency By Investment Program? 

The premium Saudi residency by investment program allows its investors, skilled professionals, and entrepreneurs to live and work in Saudi Arabia without the need for any local sponsor. It is very significant among investors because it provides them with permanent residency if they meet certain conditions and invest in the residency program. 

Earlier Scheme Investment Categories

According to the earlier scheme, the premium Saudi residency by investment program provided only two investment options to its investors if they want to secure permanent residency, which include real estate investment where the investor must buy real estate or property worth at least 4 million Saudi Riyal (US$1.1 million), the real estate however should be residential. The individual can also secure permanent residency by business investment, where the investor must invest at least 7 million Saudi Riyal (US$1.9 million) in the economic activities or business in Saudi Arabia.

Expansion of Saudi Residency By Investment Categories

The two categories that were included in the earlier scheme of residency program were later expanded to seven categories to further attract foreign investors and enhance the competitiveness of the program. The following are those seven categories:

 

• Exceptional Competence
• Talent
• Business Investor
• Property or Real Estate Investor
• Entrepreneur
• Limited Premium Residency 
• Unlimited Premium Residency

 

Each of the above categories has its own requirements and duration, which differ from those of other categories. The expansion of investment categories for the first time provided several pathways to foreign investors in real estate, business, and other sectors. This could be the reason why many investors applied for the Saudi Arabia premium residency by investment program.

Saudi Arabia Issues 8,074 Premium Residency Permits

The year 2024 proved to be a huge success for Saudi Arabia as the country issued 8,074 residency by investment permits to its investors in this year. Out of this number, exceptional competence held the largest section with 5,578 permits, while 685 permits were granted under the category Talent in February 2024, and the remaining were granted under other categories. The data claims that numerous foreign investors were attracted by the exceptional competence category, which is mainly designed for the high value individuals (HVIs) who have a clear set of principles that they continue to invest in order to achieve higher results. The minimum salary of these individuals, i.e, researchers, is US$4000, and for senior executives, it is approximately US$21,000.

Reason Behind Surge in Residency Applications

Today, a great number of people, including foreign investors, seek global mobility and a better living environment for themselves and their families. They want to live in a country that provides them with a stable future, where they do not stress about the security of their life and the effects of political conflicts on it. Saudi Arabia is the country that provides its investors with all of these benefits through its residency by investment program. The investors of this program can travel visa free to around 89 destinations, which provides them the ability to explore business markets of different countries and expand their business there. Moreover, they can live and work in Saudi Arabia without the need for sponsorship, which is very beneficial for them. 

 

Furthermore, according to the current laws of Saudi Arabia, only the citizens of Saudi Arabia and investors of premium residency programs can own a property in the country, which makes the premium Saudi residency by investment program the best pathway for foreign investors to access the real estate market of Saudi Arabia. These are the prime reasons why a large number of people are applying for the premium residency by investment program. 

 

Thus, after observing the notable surge in applications of Saudi Arabia premium residency program, Mohammed Al Wahhabi, the real estate agent of Saudi Arabia, described the high demand as “Impressive but not surprising”.

Conclusion

The Saudi Arabia premium residency by investment program plays a key role in the high economic growth and increasing global recognition of the country. It provides several benefits to its investors, including an attractive lifestyle and better business opportunities. The excessive investments in its residency program have made Saudi Arabia a central hub for innovation, talent, and investment. 

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