Benefits of setting up a mainland company in the United Arab Emirates
Work Anywhere In The Emirate
Businesses intending to supply goods and services across an entire Emirate, rather than within the restrictive geographical boundaries of a free zone, need a mainland trade license. Issued by the economic department, it's the most flexible license, permitting the company to operate anywhere within the emirate in which the license was issued.
100% Foreign Ownership
The UAE's Foreign Direct Investment Law permits up to 100% foreign ownership of mainland businesses with certain business activities. The activities permitting full foreign ownership are decided by each individual Emirate and are therefore not consistent across the country.
Corporate Local Sponsor
Some business activities still have limits on foreign ownership. For such activities, a local partner (local sponsor) is needed. Gateway Group provides a nominee corporate local sponsor service to fulfil this requirement and remove the associated risks for foreign companies.
Work with the UAE Government
Businesses supplying goods or services directly to the government or quasi-government entities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai need a mainland license issued in the respective Emirate. They also need to register as a supplier with each of the entities they wish to do business with - this registration process varies by entity and can take some time, several months in some instances, so be sure to start the process as soon as possible.
Easily Expand throughout the UAE
Businesses planning to expand across multiple Emirates can do so in a variety of ways, depending upon their legal structure. Foreign Branches need to set up a separate foreign branch in each Emirate where they want to do business. However, Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) can step into an additional Emirate by setting up a local branch of the main LLC, which is a much cheaper option.
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