You must read a news piece reporting that Indians, especially those who are rich, are shifting to Dubai. In the past few years, India and the UAE have joined hands for a strategic partnership. Not only this, but India and Dubai have also now started sharing each other's culture. For instance, a report suggests that more than 2.5 million people from across religions, races, and regions have visited the BAPS Temple in Abu Dhabi in the past year. Recently, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently visited India and held talks with PM Modi.
It is well known that the influx of Indians going to Dubai has increased in the past few years. In fact, as per a report published in 2024, the Indian population in the UAE has reached nearly 4 million. On the other hand, Canada, which was once a dream destination for Indians, especially for people of Punjab, is now losing its luster. Now, the question arises Is Dubai becoming the new Canada for Indians?
For this, True Scoop talked to an immigration expert, Ashish Ahuja of ACS Immigration in Jalandhar, and asked why Indians are now preferring Dubai in place of Canada? Below is an excerpt from the interview-
Why are rich Indians migrating to Dubai?
Talking to True Scoop, Ashish Ahuja said, "The main reason is taxation. Taxes like income tax or any other taxes are quite limited there. Hence, affluent Indians prefer to go to Dubai. The second reason is security. Like here in India, you get ransom or threatening calls from gangsters, so affluent Indians don't feel safe. They think, why not prioritise safety and shift to Dubai? The third factor is Dubai's Economy, which is based on real estate. Its economy is on a boom. So, people are also going for investment purposes. So, these are a few reasons why Dubai has become very popular among Indians."
"The trend of moving to Dubai is not very old. It has been witnessed for the past two to three years. One who has money can easily open their company. People can get a Visa for Dubai easily. Even many from Punjab, including Jalandhar, have already moved to Dubai," added Ashish Ahuja.
Is Dubai becoming the new Canada?
Ashish Ahuja said, "It can be said that Dubai is becoming a new Canada. Even better than Canada. It is easier to reach Dubai than Canada. You can reach Dubai in four to five hours and return. There is convenience as well. You can go to Dubai on weekends and return as well. Canada now has security issues. Earlier, it was a dream destination. Canada has changed its policy as well, apart from its estranged relationship with India. Visa refusal has also become high there. The taxation system of India and Canada is almost the same."
"Now, multiple educational institutes of Dubai have started promoting in India. But, it is still in the starting phase, and it has not become a trend as of now. Generally, students have a dual purpose- to study as well as to get PR. But as of now, students are not giving Dubai that much importance in terms of PR. Western countries are favoured destination for them. It has picked up slowly," added Ashish Ashuja.