Uae

The Saudi Arabian IT market is one of the largest in the Middle East and North Africa region. It has ranked in the top 10 globally for their robust information technology framework. In line with the Vision 2030 goal to digitally transform the nation, the opportunities in this sector have the potential to explode in every direction as every business requires IT solutions. The Saudi ICT strategy 2023 is looking to create more than 25,000 jobs in the sector. As society evolves from traditional to more digital processes, there is a demand for IT in all sectors from governments, as well as public and private businesses. This article provides more information on the IT industry as well as the steps and requirements for setting up an IT company in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Read more

The United Arab Emirates has a long history of attracting top global talent to work in its thriving business community. According to UAE law, anyone who lives in the UAE must hold a residence permit or visa at all times. For expats considering retirement and wanting to stay in the UAE, this has always presented a challenge. To remedy this problem, the UAE cabinet introduced a new retirement visa in 2018 to create a pathway to allow workers to remain in the country into retirement age. This article provides more information on the retirement visa as well as other retirement options and incentives available for expat residents such as the Golden Visa and the Golden Pension. Read more

Established in 1985, the Jebel Ali Free Zone (often referred to as JAFZA) is the world’s largest freezone, occupying an area of 3.85 million square meters, and comprising a variety of facility types including warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and office spaces. Its globally central location and proximity to the Port of Jebel Ali provides direct access to a market of over 1.5 billion people across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. For this reason, JAFZA is a preferred location for over 400 businesses that operate within the UAE’s logistics and supply chain industry. This article looks at the benefits of operating a company in JAFZA, the types of business activities permitted and the business registration process. Read more

February 20th, 2023 sees the return of the Gulfood event to Dubai. The exhibition, which is the largest annual F&B sourcing event in the world, will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre between the 20th and 24th of February and will showcase over 500 major global brands from 125 countries. The event brings together many of the major figures in the F&B industry and is a unique opportunity for aspiring chefs, up and coming food and beverage businesses and established brands to demonstrate their skills, present their products and make valuable business connections. Read more

Consultancy is an activity that involves providing professional advice and expertise to other businesses within a particular area of specialisation. A consultant aims to improve the efficiency and profitability of a business by evaluating business processes and offering advice on how to adapt them or streamline them to achieve better business outcomes. Consultancy comes under the domain of professional services and consultants provide expertise in a number of different operational areas. These can include HR, finance, marketing, IT, logistics and management. Due to the rapid growth of the UAE economy and the country’s continued diversification beyond the oil and gas sector, skilled professionals who are able to lend their expertise in a wide range of business sectors are in high demand. This article looks at the process of setting up a consultancy in the UAE and the types of approvals and permits which are required. Read more

A large part of Qatar’s Vision 2030 plan is to deviate from an oil and gas reliant economy and diversify its economic strategy, which includes growing Qatar’s events industry. In recent years, we have seen Qatar being awarded major international sporting events, such as the 2006 Asian Games and most recently, the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The media coverage around such a widely followed and supported event has assisted in securing Qatar as a global hub for future international music, business, artistic and sporting events. This article looks at the opportunities Qatar’s events industry and the processes involved in setting up an events company. Read more

Expat business owners were previously unable to set up a 100% foreign owned company in the UAE. The foreign party was only able to own 49% while the remaining 51% belonged to a UAE National or a Local Sponsor/Partner. The Commercial Companies Federal Decree-Law no. (32) came into effect on 1st June 2021, to allow 100% foreign ownership of onshore companies in the UAE for the majority of business activities. By easing the restrictions and opening opportunities for foreign ownership, the UAE has been able to capitalize on the market for foreign investment, attracting business, start-ups, and talented working professionals to the Emirates to secure its economic future. This article looks at the UAE’s renewable energies industry, local partnerships, the activities which allow foreign ownership, the steps to achieve and/or convert to 100% foreign ownership. Read more

Like several Middle Eastern countries, the UAE has traditionally relied on its oil industry to sustain its economic growth and development. With increasing pressures to reduce global dependence on fossil fuels, protect the environment, and pursue climate-change friendly policies, the UAE has positioned itself to become an early adopter of renewable energy sources and technology. In recent years, the Emirati government has focused on the promotion and transition to renewable energy by creating opportunities for additional investment both from foreigners and Emirati nationals. These policies are expected to provide tremendous growth to the UAE and surrounding region. This article examines the projected growth of this industry and where investment opportunities are likely to be found. Read more

Qatar is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of GDP per capita, which can largely be attributed to its natural gas reserves and the infrastructure it has in place supporting the exportation of this global commodity. In addition to this, Qatar boasts an international demographic of inhabitants and consistently ranks highly as one of the most competitive and innovative economies in the world. The maritime logistics and marine technical services industry in Qatar, including shipping, freight forwarding, ships operations and management, trading in equipment, and engineering is therefore an opportunistic sector. This can be attributed a number of beneficial factors that Qatar has to offer businesses, such as its renowned infrastructure and its continuous exporting demands. The steps involved with registering a maritime logistics, transportation, and marine technical services company in Qatar, under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MOCI), differ depending on the business activity the company is registering for. This will also then affect the requirements for registering the company, as well as the fees that are associated with its registration. This article provides information, guidance and steps involved in how to establish a marine company in Qatar, relating to a few business activity options. Read more

This is a notification about the implementation of the Wage Protection System (WPS) in DMCC. Effective from 15th February 2023, registration must be completed for all employees with an active Employment Visa or Personal Identity Card (PIC). Read more