Investing in Dubai
Dubai encourages foreign direct investment and has a healthy investment climate. While the Federal Commercial Companies Law No 8, enacted in 1984 and fully enforced in 1993, regulates that businesses in the UAE should have 51 per cent national equity, businesses in the free zones can be fully owned by foreigners. To incorporate a business outside the free zone, a UAE national sponsor and a trade licence is essential. Foreign companies are also required to register with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA), established in 1985, is built around the Jebel Ali Port , and provides companies with all assistance needed to set up businesses easily. The first free zone in the world to hold an ISO 9001:2000 certification, JAFZA today has 5,500 businesses from over 110 countries, including over 100 Fortune Global 500 companies.

The Dubai Airport Free Zone, located near the Dubai International Airport, is another free zone area that offers investors easy business incorporation facilities. The Dubai Internet City , Dubai Media City and Knowledge Village too offer tax-free, total ownership business incorporation for foreigners.

Tax benefits
No personal income tax is deducted from the wages and salaries paid to employees or on the income earned.

Dubai 's taxation treaties are aimed at making the city a more attractive territory for foreign corporations to set up business. There are taxation agreements with Algeria, Jordan , Sudan, Syria, Kuwait , Yemen, Egypt, Finland , France, India, Malta , Pakistan, Poland, China , Germany, India, Indonesia , Italy, Malaysia, Poland , Romania, Singapore, South Korea , Sudan, Algeria and Turkey .

Goods imported into the free trade zones are exempted from import duties.