UAE business essentials

The government systems every UAE company meets, explained plainly, with the official link for each. Checked 17 October 2026.

Hiring

ILOE unemployment insurance
The compulsory unemployment insurance for UAE employees: who is covered, what it costs and what it pays.
Official sources
Emiratisation and Nafis
Private sector Emiratisation targets and the contribution for unfilled positions, AED 10,000 a month from 1 July 2026.
Official sources

Paying people

Wage Protection System (WPS)
How UAE employers pay wages through WPS, what counts as late and what follows when wages are late.
Official sources

Tax

EmaraTax, VAT, corporate tax and e-invoicing
The Federal Tax Authority portal and the main VAT, corporate tax and e-invoicing figures and dates.
Official sources

Compliance

goAML reporting
The UAE FIU reporting platform: who registers, which reports exist and the AED 55,000 cash thresholds.
Official sources

Starting up

UAE startup programmes
A directory of 31 UAE startup programmes, from accelerators to regulatory sandboxes, each with its official page.
Official sources

How these guides work

Official sources only
Every fact links to an official government page, a law or a programme's own page, and the date we last checked it.
Plain English
What each rule says and who it applies to, without the legal drafting.
No partners or referrals
No sponsored links, no commissions and no rankings. Only the official source.

A plain guide to the rules, not legal or tax advice. Checked 17 October 2026.

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