If you’re thinking of adding to the number, then it is best to get to grips with the visa requirements beforehand as they are often quite complex and demanding.

If you are from some countries, you can get a visa on arrival at Dubai airport. These countries are as follows:

• GCC Nationals: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
• Greece
• Finland
• Spain
• Monaco
• Vatican City
• Iceland
• Andorra
• San Mario
• Liechtenstein.
• France
• Italy
• Germany
• Holland
• Belgium
• Luxemburg
• Switzerland
• Austria
• Sweden
• Norway
• Denmark
• Portugal
• Ireland
• United Kingdom
• USA and Canada
• Australia and New Zealand
• Japan, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong

The government of Dubai updates the list from time to time so get in touch with the UAE embassy or visit the official website of the Dubai government for up to date information.

If you come from outside of those countries then you will need a sponsor in order to acquire a Dubai visa.

Eligible Sponsors

• Anyone who is a Dubai residence visa holder with an income of more than AED 4000 a month
• Your travel agent or the hotel where you are staying
• Any company that is based in Dubai

The sponsor must submit the relevant paperwork and pay the fee on your behalf. A
visit visa for Dubai last 55 days from the date you arrive and can be renewed for 1further month if needed.

Without a Sponsor

Without a sponsor it can be very difficult to acquire a legitimate visa in order to work in or visit Dubai, but there are some potential options.

If you fly into Dubai on Emirates airlines, you can make a visa application without a sponsor. The airline have set up Visa Processing Centres in various countries, so getting in touch with the airline is the best place to start.

Also Dubai’s visa restrictions are relaxed a little during some of the many festivals that occur in the principality, such as the Dubai Shopping Festival

In the case of the Intra Company Transfer, the company must meet several conditions. First, it should have a recognised presence both in the UK and in South Africa. Third, both must be part of the same international group. If these three conditions have been satisfied, the candidate for Intra Company Transfer may then be considered for transfer from the UK office to the South African subsidiary or division.

As far as Secondment work permits are concerned, the applicant cannot move to South Africa to work. Secondments only allow candidates to visit the company’s South African office or branch and as part of their job description, to provide services, but not transfer there. A typical example of the type of services that could be carried out on a Secondment working permit is the installation of equipment, software or similar. The work being done is strictly observed, in order to ensure that only essential and specialised services are being provided. It is clear that only very skilled and experienced workers will be able to claim a Secondment working permit.

Before these work permits are issued, South African officials will consider further criteria in order to ensure that a candidate is fit to be issued with one. Of course, the individual must be able to carry out the job, but another major criterion is that the candidate should have worked for the company for period of at least six months.

The US business visa or B1 visa, allows a foreign national to enter the country on short-term business activities, such as attending conferences, but actually carrying out work is not permitted. A B1 visa usually allows a candidate to enter the USA for up to six months, but the total validity period of this visa is anywhere from one to 10years, in most cases.

The B2 travel visa, allows a foreigner to travel around the USA, temporarily, for tourism purposes and to visit friends and family.

The L1 or H1B visa is issued to people who wish to live and work in the country for a longer period of time.

For anyone wishing to establish a business in the country, an E1 or E2 visa must be applied for. These two visas have five-year validity and holders of E1 and E2 visas have the opportunity to pursue a US Green Card.

Anyone intending to relocate in the USA permanently should go down the employment-based routes for US Green Cards by first applying for EB-1 and EB-2 visas.

The EB-3, EB-4 and EB-5 visas permit qualified individuals to apply for permanent residency in the country through employment opportunities.

An individual may also apply for a Green Card through specific categories of family relationship, such as a sibling, spouse, parent or fiancé.

The annual US “Green Card Lottery” is aimed at giving candidates from under-represented countries the opportunity of obtaining a Green Card and of living and working in the country.

Because South Africa is endowed with massive natural resources, mining and extraction is a good industry to consider when looking for employment. The health of the South African economy relies heavily on mining and extraction, from diamonds to petroleum. One of the largest companies in the industry is BHP Billiton. This is a multi-national that employs approximately 37,000 people worldwide and had a turnover of US$31.8 billion, in 2005. South Africa is one of the world leaders in aluminium extraction, in Richards Bay and coal mining in Mpumalanga. It is also a leading player in the field of heavy metals. There are many job opportunities in BHP Billiton, which offers its employees an extensive range of training and award programmes.

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SAB Miller is heavily involved in the consumer and manufacturing sector of South Africa, being the second largest brewery in the world. The company was formed in 2002, following a merger involving South African breweries and Miller Brewing. Even though the base of operations and headquarters is in London, the South African branch has a major presence in the country. It has seven breweries, including two in Johannesburg and others in Cape Town, Pretoria, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Pietersburg. It had a turnover of US $2,522 million and manufactures a large number of globally recognised lager beers, in addition to a number of soft drinks. Benefits and salaries are generous and the company insists that their employees work on a flexible schedule and have a balanced and healthy lifestyle. The company also provides competitive training, which is designed to help employees achieve their full potential.

You begin the Australian immigration process by applying offshore, which is to say in your current country of residence and it is only completed successfully when you have moved to Australia. Skilled workers are needed to support the dynamic workforce and industry and in order to be able to work in Australia involves obtaining a skilled class of visa. These include the Skilled Independent Regional Visa, Skilled Independent Visa, Skilled Sponsored Visa and the Employer Nomination Scheme.

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Family-based visas are also available, such as the Contributory Parent visa or the Last Remaining Relative Visa. Your spouse or unmarried partner can join you in the country by obtaining a Spouse Visa, De Facto Visa or Prospective Marriage Visa.

Australia is divided into several states or territories and State/Territory Nominated Independent Visas are available for anyone with business or investment concerns. Other business-related visas include the Investor Visa, Business Owner Visa, Business Talent Visa and Senior Executive Visa.

There is a diverse set of options to choose from for anyone wishing to permanently work and settle in Canada. After satisfactorily complying with the three-year residency requirement, the Immigration service or Citizenship and Immigration in Canada (CIC), will review your eligibility for permanent status in the country.

One very effective way of obtaining a Canadian visa is by applying for a Federal Skilled Worker Class Visa.

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This is how the country entices foreigners who have the relevant business acumen and technical skills to help make Canada a more progressive and technologically advanced country. This type of work visa is issued based on a points system and many factors are involved before a person can be qualified to apply for one, including age, work experience, educational background, English competency and even the coping mechanism of the individual to settle in a foreign country.

Once a Skilled Worker Visa, has been obtained the holder will be issued with permanent resident status. In this way, the candidate will enjoy equal rights to those of a Canadian citizen. The only difference is that they will not be allowed to vote. However, it will give them the freedom to choose where in the country to work.

Another option for prospective immigrants is the Immigrant Investor Programme. A minimum investment of $400,000 (CDN) is mandatory and investors must show that they have successfully managed an enterprise and have accumulated a substantial level of assets, not less than $800,000 (CDN).

Existing permanent Canadian residents or citizens can sponsor their foreign relatives, using the Canadian Family Visa. They need to confirm that they agree to support their benefactors for a specified period of time, usually between three and ten years, until such time that their relatives are able to support themselves financially. This is an easy way for foreigners to obtain permanent residency in Canada, because they will not have to go through the points system.

Canadian Student Visas are given to anyone intending to pursue their education in the country. Applicants must show proof that an approved Canadian educational institution will accept them. In this way, students can work part-time and their visas will be renewed if they wish to further their studies. However, if they will be in the country for less than six months, then a Canadian Study Visa is not necessary.

Holders of Tourist Visas can only stay in Canada for a maximum of six months and it is strictly forbidden for them to seek employment in the country.

There are four types of Tier 2 visa:
General visas allow foreign professionals to move to the country if a UK employer sponsors them. Overseas workers who move to the UK with a Tier 2 visa are usually in great demand and it’s skill shortages in their specific areas of expertise that generally necessitates the approval of their visa.

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Intra Company Transfers are designed for foreign nationals who have to move to the UK due to employer-mandated job relocation. For General and Intra Company Transfer visas, an S/NVQ level 3 or above is required, as specified in the relevant code of practice.

Sports People visas are for professional athletes and coaches whose employment is deemed a crucial factor in the development of their sport.

Ministers of Religion, as its name implies, is a type of work visa intended for preachers or ministers of religion, missionaries and other members of church polity.

The Tier 2 visa does not grant temporary residency, but it can lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), popularly known as permanent UK residency.

There are different types of visa, but all fall under either of the two broad categories, immigrant and non-immigrant. Immigrant visas offer permanent residency, whereas non-immigrant visas only grant a temporary stay. The most common types of visa are as follows:

Work Visas: Issued to foreign nationals whose profession is in great demand. The availability of work visa depends on the shortage of labour supply in the local market. Skilled professionals who are encouraged to move to South Africa are engineers, information technology professionals, accountants and finance specialists.

Retirement Visas: For foreign elderly people who wish to move to South Africa to spend their retirement years. The South African constitution has anti-discrimination provisions in place; even foreign retirees can work in South Africa once they obtain this visa. The financial status of retirees is a major factor in the approval process and applicants must be earning at least R20, 000 per month from their annuity or pensions to qualify for a retirement visa.

Spouse and Life Partner Visa: Applicants must have sponsorship from a South African relative or permanent resident.

Business Visas: Issued to people who move to South Africa to invest. This visa only grants temporary residency and has features similar to the UK Investor Visa and the US EB-5 Visa. Business Visa applicants must have a minimum investment of R2.5 million.

There are different kinds of workers that the Australian government allows to stay permanently in the country. The first group includes what are known as ‘Employer Sponsored Workers’, who are sponsored and endorsed by an Australian or oversees employer.

‘Professionals and other Skilled Migrants’ covers people who have skills needed for specific occupations in Australia. They may not necessarily be endorsed by an employer, but nevertheless will be granted an Australian visa if they meet the requirements.

The country is in need of doctors and nurses, which is why, when an applicant is a registered doctor or nurse, the consul or immigration officer may issue an Australian visa immediately.

Though Australia is a relatively under populated continent, it still has several cities, apart from the most popular ones, such as Sydney and Brisbane. Therefore, the government encourages consuls to grant Australian visas to skilled migrants who wish to work outside these major urban areas.

Immigrants who are still unsure about their preferred profession or job, can make use of the Skill Matching Database. This process assists potential migrants in determining which will be suitable to their education and employment history.

This visa grants the right to work in India on a contractual basis. The term can be extended periodically for one additional year.

Indian embassies or the foreign offices of the High Commission are responsible for processing the visa of anyone intending to work in India. The sponsoring employer can also facilitate the submission of visa applications of prospective employees. The documents required from visa applicants are, an application form, photographs of the applicant, passport, employment certificates or proof of employment and proof of legal residence in the origin country

The Intra Company Transfer (E) visa is another type of visa that grants aliens the right to work in India. The E Visa is intended for foreign nationals who are assigned to the Indian office or branch of their employer and it aims to facilitate the relocation of key employees of international companies. The requirements to obtain this type of visa are as vague as those of a regular permit.

Visa holders can bring their spouse and dependents to India. However, the right to work in the country is non-transferable, so dependents must obtain a work permit for themselves, should they want to work in India.