Five Steps on How to Start a Business in Dubai

There are many ways on how to start a business in Dubai. Of course, you have the traditional way of setting up a business through a company set up in Dubai - that is, getting a sponsor who is a UAE national. But there is another alternative: Setting up your own company from scratch.

Yes, a foreign businessman can even start a business in Dubai too, and quite a number do so. The emirate has an exceptionally high literacy rate, making it a wise place for any international businessman to set up his shop. At the same time, the local population is well over 80% foreign, with most of them owning their own companies. Dubai actively encourages foreign investors and entrepreneurs from across the world.

So, when it comes to how to start a business in Dubai for foreigners, both domestic and foreign investors have a number of good options. They can either get a company formation done through the Dubai government or they can look out for a local sponsor. Both options have their pros and cons, but in case of company formation, it is better to get the help of a UAE national. Sponsors will not be as generous, but they too are ready to help out with their expertise in terms of providing the required manpower, office space, equipment and all other resources.

On the other hand, starting a business from scratch is a lot simpler than it sounds. In order to get a free consultation with a representative from a UAE national or an offshore company formation company, all you need to do is visit one of the five branches of the Dubai Free Zone. The Free Zone is not like any other part of the country. It is the only part of the city that has its own legal system, its own currency, its own banking system and all other services that come along with a proper functioning government. Thus, it is quite different from other parts of the country. Even those businessmen who want to set up their companies in Dubai can still get a free consultation with a representative of a company formation company in order to decide whether their business will be permitted in the free zone.

Most business owners in Dubai are originally from the United Arab Emirates (the UAE), and most of them have long been resident residents of Dubai. Many of them have run their businesses in Dubai for many years and have managed to settle there without having to make any major changes. But this is not necessary, as almost all of the business owners in Dubai can get a free consult with a representative of a UAE national or any offshore company formation company.

Company setup in Dubai can also look forward to cheaper real estate fees as compared to other foreign investors. The cost of setting up a business in Dubai is less than half as compared to other places in the Middle East. For instance, a property located in Abu Dhabi will set the business owner back nearly six hundred thousand dollars while the cost of setting up a similar business in Dubai is only a fraction of that amount. This is mainly because Dubai's property market is very competitive, so there is no need for companies to invest in properties just to be able to save money on property charges.

Since foreign investors are largely prohibited from setting up a business in Dubai due to the presence of a military regime, the business owners have to be especially careful when looking for investors. In order to be eligible for the free zones, companies have to employ a certain percentage of local workers from the various nationalities in the UAE. In addition, companies have to submit their plans for revenue generation to the emirate's ruler before being granted permission to set up a business. The emirate does not allow foreign ownership of real estate, so companies have to go through a long process when applying for a freezone.

The fifth and final step on how to start a business in Dubai is getting a trade license from the Dubai Commission for Companies (DCIC). If the business owner intends to open a restaurant or a hotel, he/she has to acquire a trading license from the emirate's government first. After obtaining a trading license, the business owner can then apply for a visa and passport from the embassy of the UAE.