Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar has announced the launch of two new categories of residence visas for entrepreneurs and executives.
Announced on February 2 at the Web Summit Qatar 2026, the categories reinforce Qatar’s commitment to attracting talent and empowering leaders to set up, operate and scale ventures from Qatar.
The Residency Visa for Executives targets professionals contributing to Qatar’s private sector growth and development. The category offers an employer-nominated pathway for residency, ensuring business continuity and supporting the development of a leadership talent base across national priority sectors.
Qatar residency visas for executives and entrepreneurs launched in 2026
Meanwhile, the Residency Visa for Entrepreneurs provides a pathway for founders, partners and innovators who aim to establish their investment projects or expand their businesses within Qatar‘s business environment.
Holders of this residency are offered benefits, including residency with renewal options, access to the ecosystem of business incubators and accelerators, and benefits that help reduce cost of living through a network of partners.
The visas have been designed to offer procedures, services and access to facilitation platforms that allow business leaders to focus on scaling their operations and contributing to the country’s transformation.
“Qatar’s growth story is powered by people, by innovators, leaders and builders who recognise the opportunities created by our future focused economy. The launch of these Residency Visas represents a significant step in attracting global talent and enabling them to thrive in Qatar, contributing to the development of high impact ventures, while strengthening Qatar’s position as a leading, attractive, and highly competitive global destination closely connected to international business hubs, in line with the Third National Development Strategy,” Sheikh Ali bin Alwaleed Al Thani, CEO of Invest Qatar said in a statement.
“The introduction of the new Residency Visas marks an important milestone in strengthening Qatar’s entrepreneurial and private sector landscape. It paves the way toward achieving the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030 to build a knowledge-based economy. This new residency also enables entrepreneurs to establish and expand their businesses in Qatar, which offers high quality of life, world-class infrastructure and a supportive business environment,” Abdulrahman bin Hesham Al‑Sowaidi, CEO of Qatar Development Bank further explained.
“At Qatar Development Bank, we are committed to supporting the attraction of global talent by providing access to funding, capital, capability development, and market opportunities that enable entrepreneurs and executives to innovate, grow, and contribute to diversifying the national economy and enhancing its competitiveness,” he added.
Qatar residency visas offer five-year period for business leaders and innovators
The introduction of the visas strengthens Qatar’s ambition to expand its innovation, technology and private sector capabilities. By attracting executives and entrepreneurs, the programme accelerates economic diversification and reinforces the country’s position as a hub for entrepreneurship and talent.
Holders of the visas can access a range of benefits, including a self-sponsored residency for a five-year period with option to renew and priority access to business support programmes and innovation networks.
The benefits include pathways to facilitate onboarding, licensing and work permits, as well as engagement with Qatar’s ecosystem of incubators, accelerators and partners.
