The Rise of the Citizenship by Merit Model: A New Norm in Investment Migration

Citizenship by Investment (also known as investment migration) has, for decades, revolved around a straightforward exchange. An applicant makes a qualifying financial contribution, typically through real estate, bonds, or government development funds, and in return they gain citizenship. 

In recent years, a more selective approach has risen, and it’s called Citizenship by Merit. This model emphasizes value beyond or even over capital by incentivizing individuals who have exceptional talent, capacity for innovation, or can provide an economic contribution that will ultimately shape a nation’s long-term prosperity. 

Although it is still interlinked with traditional investment migration pathways, Citizenship by Merit represents a more visionary shift. Rather than simply attracting investors, countries like Malta, Grenada, and the UAE are positioning themselves to attract people who are so-called nation-builders. These are entrepreneurs, researchers, innovators, cultural influencers, and impact investors, people who could potentially contribute to social, economic, or strategic advancement. 

The Citizenship by Merit model is not entirely new. It has existed in the background for several years but is only now gaining traction as countries are reimagining the role that talent, innovation, and purpose-driven investment can play in uplifting a nation. 

Unlike traditional Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programs, which emphasize transactional financial thresholds, the merit model assesses broader value by asking: 

• Does the applicant bring innovation or intellectual capital? 
• Will they contribute to national competitiveness? In other words, will they help the country generate wealth, productivity, and economic growth by delivering goods and services to international markets? 
• Do they have the potential to foster job creation, knowledge transfer, or international partnerships? 

This shift aligns with a global move toward purpose-driven citizenship, where migrations are increasingly strategic incentives for both the state and the individual. This model focuses on exceptional individuals whose contributions make a lasting different to the country’s prosperity. 

Let’s look at some relevant examples of this model: 

Malta is one of the most compelling case studies for the Citizenship by Merit approach. The country is redefining its citizenship model by prioritizing merit, expertise, and national contribution over fixed investment thresholds.

In line with Malta Vision 2050, the program aims to attract individuals who can support innovation, education, and high-value economic sectors. Applicants may even qualify for reduced contributions if they share their skills locally, such as teaching or providing specialized training.

The process involves an 8–12 month residency phase, updated eligibility rules (including no inclusion of parents/grandparents and dependents capped at age 29), and a proposal outlining how the applicant’s background aligns with Malta’s long-term goals.

By shifting focus to leadership potential and impact, Malta is positioning its Citizenship by Merit Program as a pathway for founders, innovators, and strategic contributors to help shape a future-focused, talent-driven nation.

Grenada is pioneering a subtle yet strategic adaptation of the Citizenship by Merit model, especially in the way that the Grenada Citizenship by Investment program is tied to national development, innovation, and global diplomacy. Rather than focusing purely on transactional investments, Grenada emphasizes contributions that directly support the country’s growth and capacity-building efforts. 

A core component is the National Transformation Fund (NTF), a government fund to which applicants can make a non-refundable donation of $235,000 in exchange for citizenship. 

More than just a financial threshold, this mechanism is designed to channel investment into high-impact sectors such as infrastructure, tourism, education, and healthcare, directly supporting Grenada’s national development strategy. In this sense, the NTF functions much like a Citizenship by Merit model, which rewards individuals who are willing to contribute toward long-term national transformation rather than merely meeting a minimum financial requirement. 

In recent program reforms, Grenada has also begun favoring applicants engaged in high-impact sectors such as crypto innovation, medical research, hospitality development, and transnational entrepreneurship, further reinforcing its shift toward knowledge-based, innovation-driven migration. 

Grenada’s unique E2 Visa Treaty with the United States also makes its citizenship particularly attractive for entrepreneurs seeking to expand businesses, access international markets, and establish innovation networks across borders. This reflects a broader trend: the new wave of investment migration is becoming entrepreneurial, globally mobile, and strategically interconnected, not just financially transactional. 

The UAE’s Golden Visa offer long-term residency to investors, founders, scientists, artists, and global influencers. Its merit-based citizenship pathway goes even further. Rather than relying solely on financial criteria, it grants citizenship to individuals who make exceptional cultural, economic, scientific, or strategic contributions to the nation. 

This approach is part of a broader nation-branding strategy. The UAE aims to position itself not just as a financial hub, but as a global talent accelerator, a place where innovators, thought leaders, and world visionaries can build, create, and contribute to shaping the country’s future. 

Unlike classic CBI programs, the UAE’s citizenship process is individually reviewed and based on demonstrable financial contribution and merit, be it through patents, entrepreneurship, educational leadership, artistic excellence, or strategic economic benefit. 

Their merit-based approach is both an immigration policy and a national branding strategy to support the UAE’s goal of establishing itself as a global talent accelerator, innovation hub, and home to world visionaries. 

The Citizenship by Merit model is merely the natural evolution of investment migration. It brings with it a more intelligent and strategic layer, measuring not just how much applicants are willing to invest, but also how deeply they can participate in shaping a nation’s future. 

It aligns with shifting government priorities that favor: 

• Innovation over fixed capital. 
• Strategic, active participation in the country’s economy over passive residency. 
• Building a national vision over mere transactional citizenship. 

Forward-looking nations like Malta, Grenada, and the UAE recognize that global mobility and investment are no longer just financial exchanges, they are part of global competition for ideas, influence, talent, and positioning. 

Numerous studies show that there is a clear correlation between innovation, human capital, and national prosperity. According to the World Bank, up to 70% of a nation’s wealth is derived from human capital – its people, skills, and innovation capacity. 

Similarly, OECD data shows that even a 1% rise in high-skilled migration can increase innovation output (including patents and startup creation) by as much as 9%. This is why many forward-looking nations are shifting from citizenship based purely on investment to citizenship rooted in talent, innovation, entrepreneurship, and impact. 

Citizenship by Merit is not simply a policy concept. It reflects how countries now view mobility, citizenship, and economic advancement. It aligns with global trends toward purposeful migration, talent diplomacy, and strategic nation-branding. 

The traditional Citizenship by Investment model is not disappearing but simply evolving. And in that evolution, merit-based citizenship is emerging as the most forward-looking and transformative branch of investment migration. 

Citizenship, in this new era, is no longer just bought. It is earned and co-created through innovation, impact, and vision.