Setting Up a Business in the UAE

An in-depth guide for foreign entrepreneurs and companies looking to enter the UAE market — a federation of seven distinct emirates, each with its own economic regulator, free zones, and administrative practices, sitting alongside a common federal framework.
This guide covers the choice between mainland, free zone, and offshore structures, federal corporate taxation, company formation, the cost of labor, and immigration routes for executives, investors, and entrepreneurs, including 100% foreign ownership, now the norm since 2020. Includes a dedicated, fiche-by-fiche directory covering all seven emirates — Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras al Khaimah, Fujairah, and Umm al Quwain — a summary comparison table across all seven, an operational checklist, and useful contacts.
Available in English and French.