In the modern world, anyone can choose where to live and work. Changing countries and continents is now easier than ever: governments are interested in attracting new residents who will engage in productive work or create jobs. That is why many governments create attractive conditions for relocators, and the UAE is one of the leading countries in this regard.
Why is relocation to the UAE in 2025 one of the best decisions if you are thinking of changing your country of residence?
When moving to the UAE, you will feel less of a stranger than anywhere else in the world: about 9 out of 10 residents are expatriates. The Emirates is a country of foreigners, where they can work and start businesses, get an education, buy property, and invest. At the same time, the UAE boasts a high standard of living, and the analytical portal Numbeo recognized the Emirates as the safest country in the world in 2025. Therefore, the UAE is a good choice for relocation. But is it difficult to move here?
It should be noted that foreigners in the UAE make up 90% of the population, which means obtaining a residence visa here is absolutely realistic. There are many visas: work visas, investor visas, visas for business owners, visas for the whole family, long-term “golden” visas with the right to reside for 5-10 years. We will talk about visas in detail in a separate article.
Taxes in the UAE
The tax system is one of the advantages of the Emirates. Until recently, this was practically a tax-free jurisdiction: the 5% VAT was introduced only in 2018, and the 9% corporate tax (which must be paid when the annual income reaches 375 thousand dirhams) in the summer of 2023. But there is still no personal income tax here.
By introducing a moderate tax burden, the UAE government managed to balance the fiscal system so that the pressure on business was not too high, but at the same time the country would not be considered a “tax haven” and would not fall into the black and grey lists of the EU, FATF, OECD. This significantly facilitates foreign economic activity.
What about work in the UAE?
For those who do not have a job in the UAE, there is a special type of visa – a job seeker visa, which allows you to come to the country for 90 days and find a job. For the employed, there is the Employment Visa (“work visa”), which allows you to stay in the country for 2-3 years.
If you plan to start a business in the UAE – then you can also apply for a “golden visa”, the validity of which can be extended to the whole family. It allows you to live in the country for up to 10 years, is processed quickly, but may require significant financial resources.
Is it difficult to start a business here?
For business in the UAE, you will need a company. The registration process itself is not particularly complicated, many services in the Emirates are available online, bureaucracy is minimal, so there should be no difficulties. But the cost of a company is quite high and, frankly speaking, the UAE is not a jurisdiction for everyone. But if you have a strong business model and certain financial reserves – then it can become a very good investment. In addition, the jurisdiction offers a good choice of different types of companies for any type of activity, for work inside the country and in external markets. One of the features of the UAE is the abundance of Free Economic Zones (Free-Zones), which are tailored to specific activities and provide residents with special working conditions, up to zero tax rates.
Is it possible to transfer an existing business to the UAE?
In the Emirates, there are official mechanisms that allow transferring a legal entity to the UAE – this is company redomiciliation. The essence of redomiciliation is that a company registered in another country changes its jurisdiction to the UAE but continues to exist as the same legal entity, retaining its brand, contacts, bank accounts (some points need to be adapted to UAE legislation). At the same time, there is no need to liquidate the company in the country of initial registration (unless required by that country’s law).
Many free economic zones accept relocating companies, such as Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ), Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA), as well as mainland jurisdictions in some emirates.
What is needed to move a business:
- Provide relocation permission from the regulatory authority of the country where the company is registered;
- The company must have no unresolved legal disputes or debts;
- The company must provide an economic justification for the relocation, financial statements (as confirmation of the financial condition of the company), a relocation plan, and any other information requested during the relocation process.
Documents required for relocation:
- Shareholders’ decision to move the company
- Articles of incorporation
- Certificate of Good Standing
- Financial statements
- Licenses and permits
In some cases, approval from UAE regulatory authorities may be required (for companies in finance, medicine, telecommunications).
Is it comfortable to live in the UAE?
Everyone has their own criteria for comfort, but judge for yourself:
- The UAE has ultra-modern infrastructure: ports, airports, a good transport network, and all modern services are available here;
- The UAE has a high standard of living and is one of the safest countries in the world;
- The UAE has a high level of digitalization of services, which means you can get everything you need quickly and without unnecessary bureaucracy;
- The UAE offers unique conditions for doing business, with a wide choice of companies for different needs, a moderate level of corporate taxes, and no direct personal taxes – everything you earn is yours;
Therefore, if you plan to move to the UAE or transfer your business here – our specialists will be happy to help you. We are also planning a series of events dedicated to the issue of relocation to the United Arab Emirates, so follow the announcements and see you soon!
