ICAI Member: Institute of Chartered Accountants of India
ISO 27001: Information Security Management Certified
250+ Companies: Clients served across UAE
15+ Years: Gulf and international market experience
VJM Global has helped 250+ companies establish, structure, and scale operations across the UAE — from mainland entities to free zone incorporations and ongoing compliance management.
The UAE has built one of the world world most business-friendly environments over the past two decades. A 0% personal income tax rate, 50+ free zones offering 100% foreign ownership, and a 9% mainland corporate tax rate that sits well below OECD averages combine with the country world position as a trade corridor between Asia, Africa, and Europe. The We the UAE 2031 Vision targets AED 3 trillion GDP and AED 4 trillion in total foreign trade. The Dubai D33 agenda separately targets AED 25.6 trillion in 10-year foreign trade. Both programmes carry concrete infrastructure investment and the policy framework to deliver them.
Residents and employees in the UAE pay no personal income tax. For expatriate professionals and business owners relocating from the UK (45% top rate), the US (37%), or Germany (45%), the financial difference is material — not marginal. This applies to salaries, bonuses, dividends received personally, and capital gains on personal investments.
Qualifying income earned within UAE free zones remains exempt from the 9% corporate tax introduced under Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022. With 50+ free zones offering 100% foreign ownership, dedicated sector infrastructure, and simplified incorporation — companies can structure operations to maximise qualifying income while retaining the benefits of a UAE legal presence.
The UAE mainland corporate tax rate of 9% applies to taxable income above AED 375,000. Below that threshold, the effective rate is 0%. At 9%, this rate sits well below the OECD average of approximately 23% and compares with 25% in India, 19–25% in the UK, and 21% in the US — positioning the UAE as one of the most competitive rates among developed economies.
The UAE has signed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements with 20+ countries, including India, the UK, Israel, Turkey, Indonesia, and Georgia. These agreements provide preferential tariff treatment, simplified rules of origin, and regulatory alignment — reducing friction for businesses trading between the UAE and signatory markets and strengthening the UAE's position as a global trade corridor.
The federal We the UAE 2031 Vision targets AED 3 trillion GDP, AED 4 trillion in total foreign trade, and AED 800 billion in non-oil exports. The Dubai D33 agenda separately targets top-three global city status and AED 25.6 trillion in 10-year foreign trade. Both programmes carry concrete infrastructure investment, institutional reform, and regulatory commitment — providing a stable, predictable medium-term operating environment for businesses planning 5–10 year horizons.
Choose Your UAE Business Structure
VJM Global delivers end-to-end UAE business services under one roof — from entity setup and VAT registration to annual audit, transfer pricing, and regulatory compliance.
Each sector in the UAE operates under different regulatory frameworks. Financial services entities fall under DFSA or FSRA jurisdiction depending on whether they sit in DIFC or ADGM. Manufacturing entities benefit from MOIAT oversight and free zone incentives. Real estate companies work within RERA and DLD frameworks. We serve businesses across all major UAE sectors with teams that understand sector-specific compliance at a working level.
The UAE is home to DIFC and ADGM — two of the world's most recognised financial centres, operating under independent common law regulators (DFSA and FSRA). Financial services here grew 9.0% in the first nine months of 2025. Fintech companies benefit from regulatory sandboxes in both centres, with expedited licensing pathways for payment, lending, and investment platforms.
Trade is the backbone of the UAE economy — accounting for 16.1% of non-oil GDP and expanding 6.5% in 2025. The UAE's 20+ CEPA agreements provide preferential access to markets covering over 2 billion consumers. With Jebel Ali as one of the world's top container ports and a re-export model built over 50 years, the UAE functions as the primary trade corridor between Asia, Africa, and Europe.
Real estate grew 7.9% and construction 8.7% in the nine months to September 2025. The Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan targets a 134% increase in hotel and tourism land, while residential demand remains driven by population growth to 10.8 million and sustained investor interest across all price segments. RERA and DLD maintain transparent regulatory frameworks that international developers and investors operate within comfortably.
The Dubai D33 agenda positions Dubai among the world's top three cities by 2033, with technology and digital services a central pillar. Hub71 in Abu Dhabi and DIFC Innovation Hub in Dubai both offer grant funding, co-working infrastructure, and accelerated licensing for qualifying technology companies. Free zones including Dubai Internet City, Dubai Silicon Oasis, and Abu Dhabi's Masdar City provide 0% corporate tax on qualifying income with full foreign ownership.
UAE manufacturing expanded 6.9% in 2025, underpinned by the Make it in the Emirates initiative and free zone clusters with direct port access. KIZAD (Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi) and JAFZA (Jebel Ali Free Zone) offer purpose-built industrial land, duty-free import of raw materials, and full repatriation of profits. The UAE's position on global shipping routes reduces logistics costs for manufacturers serving Asia, Europe, and Africa simultaneously.
The UAE is a natural base for professional services firms serving the GCC and broader MENA region. Law firms, consulting firms, management consultancies, and accounting practices operate from DIFC and ADGM under international regulatory frameworks, or from mainland Dubai under DED licensing. Low corporate tax, zero personal income tax, and strong infrastructure make talent acquisition and retention considerably easier than in most competing jurisdictions.
VJM Global serves international businesses at every stage of their UAE journey — from initial structure selection and entity setup through to ongoing compliance, audit, and advisory. Whether you are entering for the first time, restructuring an existing entity, or managing a multi-entity GCC presence, the work we do is the same: accurate, senior-level, and commercially aware.
VJM Global's UAE team has worked across mainland, DIFC, ADGM, and every major free zone. We understand how the 2023 corporate tax law applies in practice — which income qualifies, which transactions create taxable presence, and how the FTA interprets specific scenarios. That working knowledge comes from 250+ UAE client engagements, not from reading the legislation.
Most UAE service providers specialise in one thing — company formation, or accounting, or tax. VJM Global covers 18 service categories under one roof. Your entity setup team knows your corporate structure. Your tax team knows your intercompany arrangements. Your audit team knows your books. One engagement, one relationship manager, no gaps between vendors.
250 companies have trusted VJM Global for their UAE operations. 95% renew year after year. Most engagements that start with entity setup grow into full-service relationships within 12 months — accounting, tax, audit, payroll, and advisory. That progression happens because the work is done correctly from the beginning.
VJM Global is ISO 27001 certified for information security. Every client engagement runs on secure, cloud-based infrastructure with role-based access controls. Real-time dashboards give clients visibility into compliance status, financial reporting, and payroll — without having to ask. For UAE businesses with cross-border operations, we also manage India, UK, and US compliance through the same platform.
250+ companies have trusted VJM Global for their UAE operations. The retention rate reflects what clients experience in practice: senior-level attention, technically accurate advice, and commercial awareness of how the UAE regulatory environment actually functions — not how textbooks describe it.
Companies that partner with VJM Global launch faster, stay compliant, and scale with confidence across the UAE and the wider GCC.
VJM Global provides end-to-end business services across 18 categories in the UAE. These include entity setup (free zone, mainland, DIFC, ADGM), VAT registration and compliance, corporate tax registration and advisory, statutory and internal audit under IFRS, payroll and WPS compliance, legal and corporate secretarial services, transfer pricing documentation, virtual CFO advisory, ERP implementation, GCC setup and management, ESG reporting, and family office structuring. One firm covers everything your UAE business needs.
The choice depends on your business model and client base. Free zone entities offer 100% foreign ownership, 0% corporate tax on qualifying income, and faster setup — but are restricted in their ability to trade directly with UAE mainland customers. Mainland entities (licensed by DED) have full UAE market access including government contracts, but standard activities are subject to 9% corporate tax on income above AED 375,000. DIFC and ADGM offer common law frameworks ideal for financial services and family offices. VJM Global assesses your specific business model, revenue structure, and long-term plans before recommending the right structure.
The UAE introduced a federal corporate tax of 9% under Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022, effective for financial years starting on or after 1 June 2023. Taxable income up to AED 375,000 is taxed at 0%. Free zone entities earning qualifying income remain exempt at 0%, provided they meet substance requirements and do not earn excluded income. Small business relief is available for businesses with revenue under AED 3 million. Multinational groups subject to OECD Pillar Two rules face a 15% minimum rate. VJM Global handles corporate tax registration, return preparation, and FTA compliance for UAE entities.
UAE VAT at 5% applies to most goods and services under Federal Decree-Law No. 8 of 2017. Mandatory registration is required once taxable turnover exceeds AED 375,000 in any 12-month period. Voluntary registration is available from AED 187,500. Certain supplies are zero-rated (exports, international services, first residential property sale) and some are exempt (bare land, local passenger transport, financial services). Free zone designated zones have specific VAT treatment depending on the nature of supply. VJM Global handles VAT registration, return filing, input tax recovery advisory, and FTA audit support.
UAE businesses face compliance requirements across multiple authorities — FTA (VAT and corporate tax), MoHRE (labour and WPS), MOHAP or DED (licensing), free zone authorities (annual license renewal), and DIFC or ADGM regulators where applicable. VJM Global maintains a centralised compliance calendar tracking every deadline across all relevant regulators for each client. Automated reminders, a dedicated relationship manager, and real-time dashboards ensure nothing is missed. This eliminates the coordination failures that occur when different vendors manage different compliance streams.
Yes, through VJM Global's Employer of Record (EOR) service. VJM Global becomes the legal employer in the UAE, handling payroll processing, WPS compliance, visa and work permit processing, and all UAE labour law requirements. You maintain full operational control over your team. This is particularly useful for testing the UAE market quickly or hiring talent while entity registration is in progress. Employees can be transferred to your own entity once it is established.
VJM Global combines the depth of a multi-disciplinary CA firm with the responsiveness of a dedicated practice. You get direct access to senior professionals — CAs and CPAs with hands-on UAE regulatory experience — without being passed to junior staff. Unlike firms that specialise in one area, VJM Global covers 18 service categories under one engagement, eliminating coordination gaps between multiple vendors. 250+ UAE clients and a 95% retention rate reflect what clients experience in practice: technically accurate advice, commercial awareness, and consistent delivery across every service line.
VJM Global has deep sector experience across financial services and fintech (40+ UAE clients including DIFC and ADGM entities), technology and SaaS (45+ clients), trade and logistics (35+ clients), manufacturing (25+ clients), real estate and construction (20+ clients), and professional services (30+ clients). Each sector in the UAE operates under different regulatory frameworks — DFSA for DIFC financial services, FSRA for ADGM, RERA for real estate, MoIAT for industrial licences. Our teams understand sector-specific compliance at a working level, not from textbooks.
Many UAE clients also operate across India, the UK, and the USA. VJM Global covers all three markets with the same end-to-end service model, which means one relationship, consistent standards, and no gaps between jurisdictions.
For 15+ years, VJM Global has been a trusted operations and compliance partner for businesses across the UAE. 250+ clients. 95% retention. 18 service categories under one roof.
Free 30-minute consultation with a senior VJM Global UAE specialist. We assess your structure, identify compliance gaps, and outline a clear path forward.
A practical guide covering UAE entity types, free zone vs. mainland comparison, the 2023 corporate tax framework, VAT registration requirements, and ongoing compliance obligations.
ICAI Member: Institute of Chartered Accountants of India
ISO 27001: Information Security Management Certified
250+ Companies: Clients served across UAE
15+ Years: Gulf and international market experience
UAE Enquiries: info@vjmglobal.com
WhatsApp: Available on request
Response Time: Within 1 business day
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