Setting Up a Company

Types of Companies and Capital (Max/Min)	Number of Partners/Shareholders and Liability
Sole Proprietorship is an individual company. No minimum capital.	1 person. The individual entrepreneur is responsible for assets of the company over his personal goods.
Public Joint-stock Company Minimum AED 10 million	Shares freely transferable but 51%must be held by UAE nationals. Their responsibility is limited to the amount of contributions.
Private Joint-stock Company Minimum AED 2 million	Minimum 3 partners. Their responsibility is limited to the amount of contributions.
Limited Liability Company Minimum: AED 150,000 - 300,000	Minimum 2 partners. maximum 50 partners. Their responsibility is limited to the amount of contributions.
General Partnership None	Minimum: 2. All the partners have to be UAE nationals. Unlimited
Limited Partnership None	At least, 1 general partner (only UAE nationals) and 1 limited partner. At least one partner must have unlimited liability. Responsibility of other partners is limited to the amount contributed.

The Competent Organization: The UAE Chamber of Commerce for establishment and the competent ministry.

Source: Doing Business.

Business Setup Procedures: Consult Doing Business Website, to know about procedures to start a Business in United Arab Emirates.
Trade Register

Working Conditions

Legal Weekly Duration: 8 hours per day, 9 hours for employees of hotels and restaurant. During Ramadan month, the daily work duration is reduced by two hours for Muslim employees.
Retirement Age: 60 years, 55 years for women working in public sector and 65 years for judges.
Working Contracts: The work contract is framed by the law and if desired by individual negotiation.
The formalism of the labour contract is extremely rigid. The prcedures for hiring and dismissals are easy.The contract duration should not exceed 4 years. It is renewable by mutual consent.

Minimum Wage: There is no legal minimum salary.
Average Wage: The average annual salary is USD 25,000.
Social contributions: Social Security Contributions Paid By Employers: There is no social security system for non-national employees. The only obligation of the employer is to provide a health card to his employees, costing 300 AED. Since 2005, the Abu Dhabi Emirate has formulated the "Health Insurance Law" which imposes the obligation on companies based in this Emirate to subscribe to a social insurance for all its foreign employees and their families (spouses and minors).
The nationals belonging to them have a free access to healthcare.
Social Security Contributions Paid By Employees: Foreign employees are recommended to subscribe to an additional insurance.

Social Dialogue and Involvement of Social Partners: Employees' Unions are banned in the UAE.
Unions: Ministry of Labour
Labor Regulation Bodies: Ministry of Labour

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