When a UAE company is first set up, its structure reflects what the business needs at that moment. Years later the company may have more employees, new investors and a different strategy. On 15 October 2025, amendments to the UAE Commercial Companies Law came into effect under Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2025, which amends […]
Once your Corporate Tax return is submitted, the next compliance deadline is often closer than you think. For many established UAE businesses with a 31 December year-end, 30 September 2026 marked the second annual Corporate Tax filing deadline, covering the 2025 financial year. The weeks after filing are the right time to review what needs […]
An Employer of Record (EOR) lets you employ people in the UAE through someone else’s local entity, while company formation gives you your own licensed business. The right choice depends on what you want to achieve beyond hiring your first employee. If your plans include customers, local revenue and a permanent team, forming a company […]
To hire your first employee in the UAE you need a licensed company, an establishment card with a visa quota, an approved job offer, a work permit and a signed employment contract. After that you set up payroll through the Wages Protection System, arrange health insurance and register the employee for unemployment insurance. This guide […]
A free zone company must have audited financial statements if it wants the 0% Corporate Tax rate. The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) says a qualifying free zone person has to prepare and maintain audited statements whatever its revenue. A free zone company that is not a qualifying free zone person follows the general rule instead, […]
You file a UAE Corporate Tax return online through the Federal Tax Authority’s EmaraTax portal, and you pay any tax due by the same deadline. The return is a self-assessment, so the figures and the declaration are yours. This guide walks through each step, from the documents to gather to the acknowledgment you keep afterwards. […]
A company owner in the UAE can get residency through the company itself, through a long-term programme such as the Green Visa or the Golden Visa, or on an employment visa. The right route depends on your share of the company, the capital behind it and how long you want to stay. Key takeaways Most […]
A UAE company has a short list of recurring obligations: licence and visa renewals, Corporate Tax, VAT, accounting records and, for some companies, an audit. Most penalties come from missed dates, not from complicated rules, so a calendar does most of the work. Key takeaways Corporate Tax returns and payment are due within nine months […]
You can add or change activities on a UAE trade licence through an amendment request to the licensing authority. On the Dubai mainland that authority is Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET), and in a free zone it is the zone itself. The steps, fees and approvals depend on what you change and where the company […]
The best free zone for a trading company depends on what you trade and where you sell. JAFZA suits goods and warehousing, DMCC suits commodities, and RAKEZ offers the lowest starting package. If most of your buyers are in the UAE, a mainland licence may fit better than any free zone. Key takeaways EZONE starting […]
