SAN SALVADOR – The authorities in El Salvador have announced to offer 5,000 “free passports” to highly skilled workers from abroad.
President Nayib Bukele announced the move on Saturday in his fresh attempt to spur the country’s economy with foreign investment.
In a statement posted to social media, the president said that scientists, engineers, doctors, artists, and philosophers will be granted “full citizen status” including voting rights.
It has also been announced that El Salvador will help relocate skilled workers by eliminating taxes and tariffs on “moving families and assets” such as equipment, software, and intellectual property.
The president said that the skilled workers’ contributions would have a huge impact on the future of the country, adding that the current offer represents less than 0.1 percent of the country’s population and granting them full citizen status, including voting rights, poses no issue; the worth of the initiative is $5 billion.
It is to be highlighted that the Central American country has introduced sweeping reforms to the surprise of many in the recent past.
For instance, El Salvador adopted Bitcoin as a legal tender alongside the US dollar in 2021 though the International Monetary Fund has discouraged such a move. Back in 2023, the lawmakers approved a migration law aimed at expediting citizenship to foreigners who support social and economic development programs by donating Bitcoin.
For the information of readers, it is to be highlighted that the passport of El Salvador stood at the 38th spot on the Henley Passport Index rankings announced in January this year. The passport offers its holders visa-free access to 136 destinations across the world.
