TEHRAN (Iran News) – The cabinet of ministers has approved granting residence permits to non-Iranian experts and entrepreneurs for a period of five years.

Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, by implementing the “Cooperation Program with International Experts and Entrepreneurs”, seeks to connect the capabilities and expertise of these people to the ecosystem of technology and innovation and benefit from their expertise.

Under this program, more than 450 non-Iranian specialists in the country have been identified and nearly 300 applicants have received the mentioned support.

In this program, “research and motivational support for non-Iranian experts”, “facilitating processes for granting citizenship services”, “creating motivation in public sector managers to ease business obstacles for foreigners”, and “obtaining a license for office establishment” are also defined.

Considering that Iran has been hosting a large population of immigrants from different countries for many years; can with the help of these programs; use their knowledge and expertise for the scientific and technological development of the country.

Moreover, foreign experts interested in starting technological businesses in Iran, in addition to residency support, benefit from the support of knowledge-based companies.

Iranian science and technology visas will be granted to idea owners and technologists who can enter Iran for three to six months, and then on the basis of the existing accommodation system for foreign specialists and non-Iranian experts, residence permits will be obtained.

About 500 Iranian researchers have returned home over the past four years to transfer their knowledge and expertise to the country’s universities.

The knowledge-based ecosystem is a newly-emerged ecosystem but has so far been able to solve many of the country’s problems.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei designated the Iranian New Year (1401) as “The Year of Production: Knowledge-Based and Job-Creating”.

Strengthening knowledge-based companies is on the agenda, raising hope for reducing obstacles on the path to development.

The Leader has called on all Iranians, including citizens and government officials, to work hard to boost knowledge-based production and create new jobs.

Iranian experts return

Iran has also implemented a plan to return experts from the top 100 universities in the world. Through a national model, the facilities are provided for their return by creating technology parks, innovation centers, and factories.

The plan was able to bring back 2,510 Iranian specialists and graduates from 720 prestigious and top universities in the world.

About 500 Iranian researchers have returned home over the past four years to transfer their knowledge and expertise to the country’s universities, according to the vice presidency for science and technology.

With the support of the National Elites Foundation and Science and Technology Vice Presidency, universities, knowledge enterprises, technology parks, and incubators launched a plan titled ‘cooperation with Iranian expatriate entrepreneurs and experts’ in 2015.

The plan aims to attract Iranians abroad to share knowledge in different forms including postdoctoral research, research opportunity, and visiting fellows, in addition to being faculty members.