Saudi Arabia Moves Toward Expanding the Premium Residency Program for Foreign Elites

Saudi Arabia is reshaping its Premium Residency program, and the scale of interest already tells a story on its own. In just a year and a half, the authorities have logged more than 40,000 applications — a number that signals demand well beyond expectations. Now the Kingdom is weighing whether to open the door wider, potentially letting in new profiles such as superyacht owners and individuals whose personal wealth starts around USD 30 million.

Nothing is officially confirmed yet. Still, insiders point to one likely condition for these ultra-wealthy applicants: a formal endorsement from the Saudi Ministry of Investment. In other words, obtaining Saudi Premium Residency at this level would not be automatic — it would be curated.

Obtaining Saudi Premium Residency Through Superyacht Status

The concept of accommodating superyacht owners appears decidedly intentional. It closely resembles Abu Dhabi’s Golden Quay initiative, launched at the conclusion of 2024. There, owners of yachts measuring 40 meters or more can secure a renewable residence permit valid for up to ten years. Admission to the program is contingent upon an official nomination, a preliminary measure that Saudi Arabia seems poised to implement in its own manner while enhancing the procedures for acquiring Saudi Premium Residency.

In Abu Dhabi, eligibility is split into two clear lanes:

• Private individuals owning yachts longer than 40 meters
• Key figures from the maritime world — CEOs, major shareholders of shipyards, yacht brokers, service operators, and insurance firms

Whether Saudi regulators will copy this framework line by line remains unknown. For now, the comparison simply shows the direction of travel.

New Categories, New Logic for Getting Saudi Premium Residency

Saudi Arabia's Premium Residency offer could reach a far broader audience if it included owners of superyachts and extremely wealthy individuals. Executives, entrepreneurs, real estate investors, and academics make up the bulk of the program's current user base. Making itself more accessible and attractive to wealthy foreign residents is the Kingdom's overarching objective, and the projected expansion fits in perfectly with that. Local equity markets and property ownership have already been made more accessible by recent legislation.

For those who manage to obtain Saudi Premium Residency, the benefits are tangible: unrestricted entry and exit, flexibility when changing employers, and the ability to extend residency rights to close family members.

The numbers suggest the strategy is working. After a major update in early 2024 that introduced seven new tracks, demand surged. That year alone saw 8,074 permits issued. Between January 2024 and July 2025, total applications crossed the 40,000 mark — a clear sign that obtaining Saudi Premium Residency is no longer a niche option, but a serious global magnet.

Unlocking Saudi Arabia Premium Residency: Who Can Actually Get In

Under the current rules, Saudi Arabia Premium Residency isn’t issued through one single “buy your way in” route. It runs through several investment and professional tracks, each with its own logic, numbers, and filters.

Obtaining Saudi Arabia Premium Residency by Investing in Real Estate

Foreign investors must purchase residential property worth at least SAR 4 million (roughly USD 1.1 million). The property must be:

• free of any mortgage or financial encumbrances
• fully completed (no half-built projects)
• valued and confirmed by appraisers officially accredited in the Kingdom

Your residency status stays valid for as long as you continue owning that asset — ownership is the anchor here.

Obtaining Saudi Arabia Premium Residency Through Business Investment

Business investors have a stricter checklist. You’re expected to:

• obtain an investment license
• invest at least SAR 7 million (around USD 1.9 million) within two years
• hire a minimum of 10 Saudi nationals

This track grants eligibility for permanent residency — it’s designed for people building something real inside the country, not just parking money.

Obtaining Saudi Arabia Premium Residency Under the “Exceptional Competence” Track

Saudi Arabia also keeps a lane open for high-level specialists and senior leadership. This track targets people whose skills and roles are hard to replace. Salary thresholds vary sharply:

• from about USD 4,000/month for researchers
• up to about USD 21,000/month for top executive management

This isn’t about investment size. It’s about professional weight.

Foreign nationals make up over 40% of the population and more than 75% of the workforce, so they’re not a side audience — they’re a core segment for this program. Recent decisions that expand foreign access to the real estate market can push even more interest toward obtaining Saudi Arabia Premium Residency.

And the proposed “elite tier” for ultra-wealthy individuals and superyacht owners isn’t just a vanity upgrade. It’s aimed at tourism economics: encouraging high-end visitors to stay longer, spend more, and feed into the growth of new premium destinations — especially the resort developments along the Red Sea coast.

Steering Saudi Arabia Premium Residency Expansion Without Losing Control

Expanding Saudi Arabia Premium Residency is part of a broader government strategy: bring in investment, talent, and long-term economic activity — without turning the system into an open gate. The likely inclusion of superyacht owners and high-net-worth applicants fits that direction. And if the Kingdom adds a requirement such as official recommendations from the Ministry of Investment, it’s basically a way to keep the program attractive while staying picky about who gets through.

Overall, the initiative is built to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position as a regional hub for premium residency — and to support long-term growth by attracting capital, skilled professionals, and a more upscale form of tourism.