Saudi Arabia has granted citizenship to a new group of distinguished global talents under a royal decree, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Friday. The recipients include scientists, medical doctors, researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs recognised for exceptional contributions in their fields.
Royal Decree Targets Exceptional Global Talent
Royal Decree 1439/M directs that Saudi citizenship be awarded to outstanding individuals irrespective of their religious, medical, academic, cultural, sports, and technological backgrounds. The announcement follows an earlier royal decree issued in September 2021, when the Kingdom granted citizenship to its first batch of distinguished foreign talent.
SPA said the decree aims to grant Saudi citizenship to qualified experts and exceptional global talents who possess unique competencies across religious, medical, scientific, cultural, sports, and technological fields — contributions that will help develop all sectors of the Kingdom.
Vision 2030 and the Push to Attract Top Talent
The citizenship awards are a direct expression of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 strategy, which seeks to diversify the economy beyond oil. Key growth sectors — including information technology, biotechnology, and tourism — depend heavily on world-class human capital.
By offering citizenship to global specialists, the Kingdom is working to create an environment that attracts, employs, and retains exceptional creative minds, while reinforcing Saudi Arabia's position as a hub for innovation and advanced industries.
Notable Recipients
Among the recipients is Dr. Mehmood Khan, CEO of the Hevolution Foundation — a non-profit focused on accelerating treatments for age-related diseases and extending healthy human lifespans. Dr. Khan, a Pakistani-American scientist, is the first Pakistani to receive Saudi citizenship under this program.
Also granted citizenship is Jackie Yi-Ru Ying, an American scientist of Singaporean origin who founded the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology in Singapore and currently leads the NanoBio Lab. Her work in nanotechnology and bioengineering has earned her international recognition.
Fields Covered by the Decree
The decree covers talent in the following domains:
- Religious studies — scholars and jurists of international standing - Medicine and health sciences — researchers, clinicians, and innovators - Science and technology — engineers, biotechnologists, and IT specialists - Culture and arts — figures who advance Saudi cultural standing globally - Sports — athletes and coaches who bring international recognition - Entrepreneurship and innovation — founders and inventors driving economic growth
Building a Knowledge Economy
Saudi Arabia's Economic Vision 2030 is explicitly designed to expand the non-oil sector. Granting citizenship to high-impact global talent is one of the most direct tools available to accelerate that transition — bringing expertise into the Kingdom permanently rather than relying solely on temporary work visas.
The 2024 decree builds on the momentum established by the 2021 batch and signals that talent-based citizenship will remain a recurring instrument of Saudi national strategy.
