Today's Edition
MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)
The UAE has moved from 5th to 2nd place in the 2026 Global Residence Program Index published by Henley & Partners, entering the top three for the first time with a total score of 72.
"The UAE's rapid ascent reflects its transformation into a global wealth hub supported by tax competitiveness, regulatory agility, and proactive investor engagement," the report said.
The country received a maximum score of 10 for both quality of life and tax, and scored 9 for reputation, processing time, investment requirements and total costs.
The Global Residence Program Index forms part of the broader Residence and Citizenship Programs 2026 report, which points to a clear marked recalibration of the investment migration landscape.
According to the study, European dominance now faces growing competition from fast-developing markets in the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
"Forward-thinking countries such as Singapore and the UAE are engaging strategically with globally mobile investors," said Dr Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman at Henley & Partners.
"At a time when foreign direct investment, entrepreneurial talent, and fiscal resilience are critical, policy certainty and openness are decisive competitive advantages."
Greece retained 1st place in the residence index. Italy and Switzerland shared 2nd position with the UAE, while Portugal ranked 3rd and Australia took 4th. Canada and new entrant Uruguay shared 5th place, followed by Luxembourg and the UK in joint 6th. Costa Rica, Panama, and Singapore occupied joint 7th.
New Zealand rose to 8th, while Saudi Arabia appeared in the index for the first time in 9th place, tied with Malta. Latvia and the USA completed the top 10, and the Maldives made its debut in 11th.
The report said that the arrival of new participants points to a wider geographical spread of competitive residence offerings.
Global Race for Wealth and Talent
The Global Residence Program Index forms part of the broader Residence and Citizenship Programs 2026 report, which shows a similar pattern of recalibration across 15 citizenship-by-investment programmes.
Malta topped the citizenship ranking, followed by Austria in 2nd place. Grenada and St Kitts and Nevis shared 3rd position, Nauru moved up to 4th, while Antigua and Barbuda ranked 5th, with St Lucia and Türkiye in joint 6th.
Dominica, Egypt and Jordan took joint 7th place, with the latter two advancing from joint 8th in 2025. São Tomé and Príncipe debuted in 8th, while Samoa ranked 9th, adding more Pacific representation to the index.
Across both residence and citizenship indices, 40 leading programmes were selected from more than 100 worldwide and evaluated against a set of criteria that included reputation, quality of life, compliance, investment thresholds, tax regime, processing standards, and mobility outcomes.
Dominic Volek, Group Head of Private Clients at Henley & Partners, said that the data confirms that wealth is relocating at an "unprecedented" pace.
"Where it ultimately concentrates will depend on how credibly countries design immigration frameworks for investors, entrepreneurs and wealthy families."
Dr Juerg Steffen, Chief Executive Officer at Henley & Partners, argued that residence and citizenship programmes have evolved into core instruments of economic strategy against this backdrop.
"Jurisdictions that offer clarity, stability, and attractive pathways to residence and citizenship are positioning themselves to win," Dr Steffen added.
According to the Henley Private Wealth Migration Report 2025, the UAE attracted an estimated 9,800 millionaires last year, the highest number worldwide. The report linked this trend to the country's long-standing tax-free environment and its attractive Golden Visa programme.
