M&A, corporate strategy and major deals in the region
A free zone visa quota is the maximum number of residence visas a company may sponsor under its current licence and workspace. It is set by the free zone authority at licensing, printed on the establishment card, and enforced by UAE immigration when
For any company hiring inside Dubai International Financial Centre or Abu Dhabi Global Market, the mainland Federal Decree-Law 33/2021 does not apply. Payroll, end-of-service benefits, leave, and dispute resolution all follow the free zone’s own rule
Non-compete clauses sit at the intersection of employer protection and employee mobility, and getting them wrong leaves a restriction that a UAE court will simply refuse to enforce. This guide explains what the law permits, when a clause is void, and
The Wage Protection System (WPS) is the MOHRE regime that guarantees private-sector employees are paid in full and on time. This 2026 guide covers the new first-of-month deadline, the SIF file, the 85% compliance threshold, and the escalating penalties for late payment.
End-of-service gratuity is a statutory lump sum every eligible UAE private-sector employee receives when their job ends. Here is exactly how it is calculated in 2026 under Federal Decree-Law 33 of 2021, with a worked example.
Card processing fees can quietly consume three percent of an online store’s turnover. Here is how UAE e-commerce card processing is priced, licensed and settled, so founders can choose a provider on facts rather than sales decks.
The UAE Golden Visa for real estate investors grants a 10-year renewable residence to property buyers who invest a minimum of AED 2 million in UAE real estate. Real estate is the most popular Golden Visa pathway — Dubai alone issued 100,286
Closing a UAE company requires four sequential processes: employee termination and visa cancellation, FTA tax deregistration, trade licence cancellation with the DED or free zone authority, and corporate bank account closure. The full process tak
Hiring your first employee in the UAE requires seven sequential steps: MOHRE registration, offer letter, labour contract, visa application, medical test, Emirates ID, and WPS payroll setup. The process takes 3 to 6 weeks from offer acceptance
The UAE’s 45+ free zones serve different business models, and choosing the wrong one costs AED 20,000 to AED 50,000 in re-incorporation fees and 2 to 3 months of lost operational time. The right free zone depends on four factors: what your busine
