Dubai has launched the ‘Verified Contributors’ Programme, inviting researchers, designers, translators and subject-matter experts worldwide to work on short-term, paid projects that support the emirate’s long-term innovation agenda. The initiative, announced on 14 January 2026 by the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), lets professionals contribute remotely without relocating or applying for a UAE work visa. (y-axis.com)
Participants who pass a skills-verification process join a vetted pool that DFF can tap for rapid research briefs or in-depth studies across more than 25 sectors, from AI governance to urban sustainability. Each assignment comes with a formal contract and remuneration; experts may accept or decline projects case-by-case, giving them flexibility while giving Dubai instant access to niche knowledge. (y-axis.com)
For multinational HR and mobility teams the programme offers a compliant way to second expertise into UAE government projects without triggering labour-quota or residency hurdles. Companies can keep staff on home-country payrolls yet still engage in high-profile Dubai work, an attractive proposition for consultants and R&D units trialling ‘work-from-anywhere’ models. (y-axis.com)
![Dubai Future Foundation unveils ‘Verified Contributors’ programme to harness global remote talent]()
Should contributors eventually need to visit Dubai for workshops, prototype demonstrations, or to transition into a longer-term on-site role, VisaHQ can simplify the visa process. Its dedicated UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) guides applicants through tourist, remote-work and specialist-residence visa options, offers real-time status tracking and provides corporate account management—handy for mobility teams coordinating multiple passports.
Although the scheme itself does not grant visas, DFF confirms that contributors required on-site in future could transition to existing UAE remote-work or specialist-residence visas processed through the ICP smart-services portal. Dependants can then be sponsored once an Emirates ID is issued. (y-axis.com)
Action items: global mobility teams should map internal expert pools against DFF’s published priority themes, brief staff on application steps, and update policy to cover remote-service contracts governed by UAE law. Data-protection officers must also review cross-border transfer clauses, as project deliverables will be stored on Dubai Government servers. (y-axis.com)
Participants who pass a skills-verification process join a vetted pool that DFF can tap for rapid research briefs or in-depth studies across more than 25 sectors, from AI governance to urban sustainability. Each assignment comes with a formal contract and remuneration; experts may accept or decline projects case-by-case, giving them flexibility while giving Dubai instant access to niche knowledge. (y-axis.com)
For multinational HR and mobility teams the programme offers a compliant way to second expertise into UAE government projects without triggering labour-quota or residency hurdles. Companies can keep staff on home-country payrolls yet still engage in high-profile Dubai work, an attractive proposition for consultants and R&D units trialling ‘work-from-anywhere’ models. (y-axis.com)
Should contributors eventually need to visit Dubai for workshops, prototype demonstrations, or to transition into a longer-term on-site role, VisaHQ can simplify the visa process. Its dedicated UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) guides applicants through tourist, remote-work and specialist-residence visa options, offers real-time status tracking and provides corporate account management—handy for mobility teams coordinating multiple passports.
Although the scheme itself does not grant visas, DFF confirms that contributors required on-site in future could transition to existing UAE remote-work or specialist-residence visas processed through the ICP smart-services portal. Dependants can then be sponsored once an Emirates ID is issued. (y-axis.com)
Action items: global mobility teams should map internal expert pools against DFF’s published priority themes, brief staff on application steps, and update policy to cover remote-service contracts governed by UAE law. Data-protection officers must also review cross-border transfer clauses, as project deliverables will be stored on Dubai Government servers. (y-axis.com)
