The three-strong flotilla had been due to sail on Friday from ports in Turkey with more than 5,000 tonnes of aid on board
Exceptional students in the country will be eligible for a 10-year visa, other students can apply for a five-year visa and dependents can also get an extension, so they have time to find jobs after graduating.
A Nigerian university student in Dubai, Honour Chakote, said she is looking forward to applying for her visa extension once the law has been implemented.
"For me, I always dread September and October because that's the time when I came to Dubai - in 2014 - and that's the time of the year that I have to renew my visa. So, an opportunity like this is simply amazing," she said. "Some students, after their education, want to stay back in Dubai and work but due to some visa issues they may not have enough time to find a job."
An engineering student at Amity University, Yogeshwaran Svasubramanium, said the move opens up many avenues for students that deal with the pressure of finding a stable job right after graduation.
"This encourages talented individuals and gives them more time to spend on research projects, business ideas and industry collaborations allowing them to explore their options and apply their learning in real life. Personally, this is an exciting announcement as it gives me a choice to keep learning new technologies and eventually launch my own venture," he said.
A recent university graduate, Muhammad Sameh Zafar, said the 10-year visa for exceptional students will encourage students to work harder in their studies.
He said students who are currently living here, as well as international ones, will benefit equally from this move.
"This will not only motivate them to work hard as possible to get an excellent grade but will also give them a sense of motivation that their hard work to achieve a top grade is not gone in to vain. Students that complete their education with a distinction and are on hunt for a job, not only face the challenge of getting a job but also face the challenge to extend their visa so they can eventually work whenever they get the opportunity, and, however, long it takes for them to avail the opportunity. The parents of these students will be put at ease when they know that their children's efforts will be rewarded in a long-term residency," Zafar said.
Another engineering student, Bilal Shabandari, said the visa extension will allow students to build careers and businesses without having the fear of having to leave if they leave.
Meanwhile, Kamal Gupta, the CEO of the Global Indian International School, said that the new visa scheme will reduce parent visa dependency and will help their stay become more stable.
"Despite the smooth visa process that is followed here, it is nevertheless a process. After graduating, a student is placed at a crossroad where the visa becomes a point of deliberation. The visa extension will negate all this to provide a smooth transition to the students after they graduate. Merit students can stay here without worry - and contribute to progress and development of society and country in UAE without migrating. They will be able to choose further course of action independent of any procedural hassle. This will help us retain the bright minds that have been nurtured here. I also believe that a period as long as ten years gives them the flexibility to design their career as they wish," he said.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com
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