What is the Dubai talent pass?

Dubai Airport Free Zone launched the pass to attract freelancers in the media, art, culture, technology and education sectors.

What is the talent pass?

The talent pass is a freelance licence being offered by DAFZ and is targeted at members in the creative community. 

What are the benefits?

The talent pass offers freelancers a three-year residence visa and a licence."Dubai Culture and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs will also offer a golden visa to eligible talent pass holders validated by DAFZ," Mr Al Hammadi said.

“Issuing a golden visa is a defined process between Dubai Culture and GDRFA, depending on the submission of profile and recommendation."

Talent pass holders are not required to rent office space in the free zone and can operate their business from anywhere. However, licence holders have the option to operate a dedicated desk and leverage other business facilities the free zone offers such as meeting rooms, he said.

These licence holders can also access a directory of free zone companies who can hire their services. “For instance, companies in the free zone might require an editor or a photographer. They can hire the talent through a centralised directory of freelancers who are licensed by DAFZ,” Mr Al Hammadi said.

Free zone customers range from international companies to small and medium enterprises as well as entrepreneurs.

What are the documents required for a talent pass?

The free zone requires certain documentation from the applicants such as a CV, letter of recommendation or portfolio to validate and authenticate the talent, Mr Al Hammadi said.

If the user is a graduate in the specialised field, they do not need to submit a letter of recommendation, he said.

DAFZ will evaluate and process applications for the talent pass and issue licences to practise commercial activities within the free zone.

How much does a talent pass cost?

The talent pass costs Dh9,500 ($2,586) and is renewable annually, Mr Al Hammadi said. However, the renewal fee is different. The visa charges will depend on the category of the visa applied for and the applicant’s profile.

Why did DAFZ launch the talent pass?

This initiative will further boost the free zone’s business environment and strengthen Dubai’s position as a global destination for innovators and talent, a statement from DAFZ said.“When the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in 2020, there was the rise of the gig economy. The talent pass freelance licence helps to make this service more legit,” Mr Al Hammadi said.

What the experts say?

The talent pass initiative is similar to the Tecom Group’s GoFreelance licence that was launched to attract freelance talent to Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City, Dubai Knowledge Park and Dubai Design Destrict, said David McKenzie, group managing director of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones. It costs Dh7,500 a year, he said.“DAFZ realised that the local economy is moving towards a gig economy where we encourage freelancers to base themselves in the UAE and work globally. We are going to start to move to a freelance economy because it’s cheaper for companies to operate on that basis,” he said.

The talent pass is another way of attracting talent with different skills to the market, he said.The existing licences offered by DAFZ focus more on the business, trade and service industries and not much on professionals in the creative industry. This new category will act as a bridge connecting the global talent with a rewarding platform, said M R Raghu, chief executive of Marmore Mena Intelligence.“This seems to be an extension of various initiatives taken to encourage the emirate’s creative segment. Dubai seems to be focusing on increasing the creative sector’s contribution to its gross domestic product and of late it has been introducing different reforms in that regard,” he said.