Uae

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) along with the Ministry of Labour (MoL) and the Ministry of Interior (MoI) have announced the launch of a provisional commercial licence in Qatar which will enable prospective business investors to proceed with administrative processes around company formation while waiting for a final commercial licence to be issued. The provisional licence reinforces Qatar’s ongoing effort to encourage Foreign Direct Investment and to support the private sector by easing the requirements of doing business in the country. This article is a guide to the requirements for obtaining the provisional commercial licence as well as other key considerations. Read more

A Mission Visa is a type of permit issued for professionals who would like to come to the UAE to work with a local company for a specific short-term project. An employee is considered as a probationary worker under these types of visas. In the past, a company providing a Mission Visa to a foreign worker had to submit a bank guarantee of AED 24,000 to the Ministry of Labour however, as of October 2018, this requirement was removed to allow for a more efficient process. Read more

The UAE’s real estate sector is the biggest and fastest growing in the Middle East region. The Dubai real estate market continues to increase month on month with the value of real estate sales transactions quickly positioning the UAE as the most attractive, and flexible real estate investment destination. Transactions surrounding real estate have historically been used to help facilitate money laundering (ML) and the financing of terrorism (FT) operations and recent studies suggest that in the UAE, through the use of cash and cheques, real estate has become one of the most popular ways to launder money. Read more

ADIPEC has grown to become one of the largest oil and gas exhibitions in the world, bringing together 150,000 global energy leaders, policymakers, innovators and industry professionals to create a unique event that not only showcases thousands of products, services and solutions across the entire energy value chain, but also offers a great opportunity for networking and knowledge sharing and an ideal platform from which to launch and promote an oil and gas company in the capital. With the return of ADIPEC to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, this article examines the requirements for setting up an oil and gas company in the capital and outlines the role of ADNOC and the Supreme Petroleum Council within the process. Read more

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is currently undergoing an economic transformation. Historically, much of the nation’s GDP (approximately 40%) and government revenues (about 75%) have come from the oil industry. In 2016, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveiled the Saudi Vision 2030 plan anticipated to revolutionise Saudi Arabia’s economy, reduce dependence on oil and bolster the private sector through foreign investment by the year 2030. Now is the perfect opportunity for foreign investors looking to take advantage of Saudi Arabia’s thriving economy, and geographic location central to the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. This article is a guide to six of the top sectors that offer the best business opportunities for foreign investors. Read more

Saudi Aramco, officially known as Saudi Arabian Oil Company is the largest oil producer and one of the largest integrated energy and chemicals companies in the world. It is the most profitable company in the world, with profits over the last 12 months hitting USD 279.4 billion, a figure equal to the combined total of global tech giants Apple, Alphabet and Microsoft. With such success, it is little wonder that demand to work with Aramco as a supplier is fiercely competitive and there are strict requirements to be met and rigorous standards to adhere to. This article looks at the process of becoming a supplier for Aramco, the requirements to be met and other key areas of consideration. Read more

The UAE is one of the fastest-growing markets for beauty and personal care products and services in the world. Consumers in the UAE are estimated to spend USD 247 per capita on personal care which represents the highest amount in the Middle East and 9th highest amount globally. Dubai, in particular has a predominantly young population, who are generally very image conscious and have plenty of disposable income and a strong desire to look and feel good. The demand for salons that can cater to these needs is therefore very high. If you’re considering setting up a salon in Dubai, there are several important issues to consider. This article offers practical advice and some of the key considerations. Read more

The UAE government have released new visas expanding the short and long-term residency options, making the UAE an even more attractive destination for expats from all parts of the world. The new visas are part of the most significant immigration and residency changes the UAE has ever implemented. See below the available visa options, their validity, and requirements. Read more

In just a few decades, Dubai has established itself as a centre for commerce, finance and tourism. Its modern infrastructure, business friendly policies and liberal tax regime have attracted investors from across the globe. Situated strategically at the crossroads between Asia and Africa, it has used this geographic advantage to grow and diversify its economy with foreign direct investment as the main driver. More recently, it has set its sights on the technology industry and is fast becoming a major player in this arena, challenging other established global hubs such as San Francisco, London, Hong Kong and Singapore. This article examines some of the unique advantages Dubai offers to tech businesses and some of the main considerations when setting up and running a successful tech business in the UAE. Read more

The UAE has long been an attractive investment destination for entrepreneurs, business startups and established companies looking to expand operations internationally. With a modern, digitally advanced infrastructure, favourable tax incentives and a strategic location offering easy access to the international markets of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, it’s not hard to see its appeal. Traditionally, the emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi have stolen the limelight, with the other 5 emirates often being overlooked by foreign investors. However, the other emirates have unique advantages and are worthy of consideration when looking at setting up a business in the UAE. This article examines the investment potential of the five smaller emirates: Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain, looking at the key industries and investment options in each, and studying how to approach business set up and company maintenance in these emirates. Read more