为了摆脱严重的“石油依赖症”，沙特决定向外籍人士敞开大门，开启了永久居住权申请计划。当然，天下没有免费的午餐，申请者需要支付高额的费用。不过，沙特政府贴心地设置了两种价位，申请者可根据自身经济实力做出选择。

Al Faisaliyah Centre and Kingdom Centre at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. [Photo/VCG]

Saudi Arabia has opened applications for a permanent residency program designed to attract foreign investment to the kingdom, but it will cost a hefty 800,000 riyals.

沙特阿拉伯开放了旨在吸引外国投资的永久居住权申请计划，但申请者需支付高达80万里亚尔（约合146.8万元人民币）的费用。

hefty ['heftɪ]：adj.异常大的

There’s also a cheaper option, with a one-year renewable residency costing 100,000 riyals.

还有一种费用更低的选择，一年的可续签居住权需花费10万里亚尔。

The so-called premium residencies will allow foreigners to buy property and do business without a Saudi sponsor, switch jobs and exit the kingdom easily and sponsor visas for family members, according to the website for registrations.

据登记申请网站称，这种所谓的高级居住权将允许外国人在购买房产，无需沙特人担保就可以做生意，换工作，轻松离开沙特，并为家庭成员提供签证担保。

As well as paying the high fee, applicants must be at least 21 years old, prove financial solvency and have a clean criminal record and bill of health.

除了支付高额费用外，申请人还必须年满21岁，有偿付能力，无犯罪记录并有健康证明。

The program approved in May is the latest sign of how the quest for non-oil revenue is prompting Gulf nations to rethink the role of foreigners in their societies.

今年5月批准的这项计划表明，寻求非石油收入正促使海湾国家重新思考外国人在其社会中所扮演的角色。

It’s a landmark move in a region where many overseas workers are subject to some of the world’s most restrictive residency rules.

这一举措具有里程碑意义，因为在该地区，许多海外员工都要遵守一些全球最严格的居留规定。

Currently over 10 million expats work and live in Saudi Arabia under a system that requires them to be sponsored by a Saudi employer and be issued an exit and re-entry visa whenever they want to leave the country.

目前，在沙特阿拉伯工作和生活的外国人超过1000万，该国的签证制度要求他们必须得到沙特雇主的担保，并在他们想要离境时获得出境和再入境签证。

The United Arab Emirates approved a plan to allow wealthy foreigners to apply for a 10-year stay, while Qatar passed a law that’ll grant some permanent residencies.

此前，阿拉伯联合酋长国批准了一项允许富有的外国人申请居留10年的计划，而卡塔尔则通过了一项法律，允许一部分人获得永久居留权。

The idea for a long-term Saudi residency program was first floated in 2016 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as a part of his plan to reduce the economy’s reliance on oil and boost foreign direct investment.

沙特王储穆罕默德•本•萨勒曼于2016年首次提出了长期居留计划的想法，这是其减少经济对石油的依赖、促进外国直接投资计划的一部分。

At the time, he estimated the program would generate about $10 billion in annual revenue by 2020.

据他当时估计，到2020年，该计划带来的年收入将达到大约100亿美元（约合688亿元人民币）。

While Saudi Arabia is seeking to encourage the affluent to stay, monthly fees imposed on foreign workers and their families, along with sluggish economic growth, have prompted hundreds of thousands of expatriates to leave.

尽管沙特阿拉伯正试图鼓励富人留下来，但由于该国对外籍员工及其家人每月征收一定费用，且经济增长缓慢，已有数十万外籍人士离开。

affluent ['æflʊənt]：n.富人

expatriate [ɪks'pætrɪət]：n.移居国外者

The new permanent residency system could prove controversial among Saudis at a time when unemployment is at 12.5%, nationalism is surging and xenophobia is not uncommon.

在失业率高达12.5%、民族主义情绪高涨、仇外情绪普遍存在之际，新的永久居住权制度可能会在沙特人当中引发争议。

xenophobia [zenə'fəʊbɪə]：n.仇外；对外国人的畏惧和憎恨

实习编辑：陈佳慧

来源：中国日报网英语点津