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.
Emiratisation is the UAE federal policy requiring private companies to employ a rising share of Emirati nationals in skilled roles. This 2026 guide covers the quotas, the AED 9,000 monthly penalty per unfilled position, the twice-yearly deadlines, and how Nafis subsidies offset the cost.
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.
Dubai’s DIFC and Abu Dhabi’s ADGM each run a fintech sandbox that lets startups test a regulated product with real customers before committing to a full licence. Here is how the DIFC ITL and ADGM RegLab compare on duration, regulator, cost, and fit.
Moving money abroad is a recurring cost that traditional bank wires handle slowly. A new generation of regional payment rails is changing that for UAE businesses, and the right route can cut both fees and settlement time on GCC and international corridors.
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.
A clear 2026 guide to Dubai’s VARA framework for crypto and virtual assets — who needs a licence, the seven regulated activity categories, capital and compliance requirements, and how VARA compares with ADGM and DIFC.
