DOHA — Qatar plans to introduce a 10-year residency programme for entrepreneurs and senior executives, Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said on Sunday, signalling a further push by the Gulf state to attract high-skilled professionals and investors.

The new long-term residency initiative places Qatar alongside regional peers that have rolled out extended visa and residency schemes as part of broader economic diversification strategies. The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Oman have in recent years launched similar programmes aimed at retaining talent, encouraging entrepreneurship and boosting foreign investment.

While detailed eligibility criteria and implementation timelines are yet to be announced, the proposed scheme is expected to target business founders, corporate leaders and senior professionals seen as critical to Qatar’s long-term growth ambitions.

Gulf governments have increasingly turned to residency reforms to reduce reliance on short-term employment visas, strengthen private-sector development and position their economies as global hubs for business, innovation and capital.