Where Expats
Go to Grow
Why a wave of talented individuals and entrepreneurs are choosing Abu Dhabi to build new lives and new businesses.
Nastassia Matsulevich is an entrepreneur and life coach who founded the Abu Dhabi-based marketing agency Evolve Digital Services when she moved to the city from Belarus in 2017.
She is typical of a wave of globe-trotters moving to the emirate, especially since the introduction of Golden Visas in 2019, which have smoothed the path to residency for talented individuals.
Hundreds of thousands of visas have been issued since their inception, making skilled expatriates a significant proportion of a ten-million-strong population.
Matsulevich is a comparatively long-term resident, having been in the emirate for seven years. But that makes her perfectly placed to shed light on why so many expats are choosing Abu Dhabi as their new home.
“Life here is always improving.”
Abu Dhabi bustles with languages and cultures, hosting more than 200 nationalities. This expansive multiculturalism is itself part of the attraction, but it also testifies to the emirate’s broad appeal.
There’s a sense of arriving in a city that’s always moving forward. “Every time I travel out of Abu Dhabi, I come back to find the city changed,” says Matsulevich. “Life here is always improving.”
Heavy investment underpins a high quality of life in the emirate. And public spending is continuing at pace. $18 billion has been earmarked for housing and public facilities by 2030, alongside $10 billion for tourism and hospitality.
This investment has helped place Abu Dhabi 5th overall in the InterNations Expat City Ranking 2023, and 3rd in the Expat Essentials Index due to the ease of getting a visa, opening a bank account, and conducting administration online.
These advantages are tangible. “I feel like Abu Dhabi is the best place in the world,” says Matsulevich. “It’s super safe and a lot of opportunities are here.”
And she speaks from experience, having started her business in the city.
CEO and Co-Founder of Evolve Digital Services
CEO and Co-Founder of Evolve Digital Services
“Abu Dhabi encourages entrepreneurialism on all levels.”
“I didn’t plan on starting Evolve Digital Services,” says Matsulevich. “My work evolved from being a freelancer to meeting my business partner through Instagram, to doing content shoots and having a social media agency with a team.”
Evolve Digital Services grew from a foodie blog. While covering local restaurants, Matsulevich and her partner quickly discovered that with so many new places opening in the city, there was a palpable demand for help with promotion.
Starting the company was straightforward. “The regulations for opening your own business become easier and easier each year,” she says. “You don’t have to go through huge bureaucracies, it’s all done through an app.”
And when you need advice, “there is always someone to help you, guide you, and to explain.”
CEO and Co-Founder of Evolve Digital Services
CEO and Co-Founder of Evolve Digital Services
For example, the Creative Media Authority supports those in digital content, film and TV with navigating licensing and regulation, talent development, and financing.
Meanwhile, dedicated ecosystems like twofour54 provide everything from office space and media facilities to networking opportunities and accelerator programs. As Matsulevich puts it: “Abu Dhabi encourages entrepreneurialism on all levels.”
But the emirate isn’t all about work. It also offers a unique lifestyle.
“A perfect lifestyle.”
Abu Dhabi is renowned for luxury shopping. Cafes and restaurants are constantly opening. It also hosts world-class cultural institutions such as the Louvre Abu Dhabi and NYUAD Art Gallery, alongside the more localized Manarat Al Saadiyat and the striking Art Warehouse 421.
But there is also nature. Aside from the city’s famous beaches, there are parks that Matsulevich describes as “forests of palms,” where you can “do yoga or have a small picnic.”
And residents often venture into the desert for overnight barbecues and camping in the winter. “The desert is a marvelous place,” says Matsulevich. “It’s so quiet, so beautiful, so vast. The sky is full of stars and you don’t hear a thing.”
That arguably encapsulates Abu Dhabi’s appeal more than anything. A city full of opportunity, with as much cultural bustle as you could want – but with room to slow down when you need.
“It’s a perfect lifestyle,” Matsulevich concludes.
Visas for living and working in Abu Dhabi
There are two main types of visas for people looking to live and work in Abu Dhabi: the Golden Visa and Green Visa.
Golden Visas offer up to ten-years residency for talented entrepreneurs, investors, artists, specialists, and students.
Green Visas offer up to five-years residency for self-sponsoring skilled employees, freelancers, and investors or business partners.
Short-term visas are available for remote workers, retirees, and property owners.
Find out more at the Abu Dhabi Residents Office.
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