Working from home has been on the increase for many years – be it remote working for an employer or freelancers and microbusinesses going it alone.
Recent developments have now seen all entrepreneurs across the UAE, and much of the world, forced to work from home. While this may be a challenging time, there are few better places to be than right here.
The UAE is home to a wide array of home businesses in fields as diverse as education, real estate and technology.
This is a country set up to help business start up and grow. When working with a company setup expert, forming a business from your own home is both fast and straightforward. And there are numerous opportunities available, with many requiring little startup capital.
If you’re looking to start your business during this unprecedented period, here are a few work from home ideas worth your consideration.
5 simple work from home ideas
- Freelancing: One of the easiest ways to start a business from home is to work freelance in your current field – be it marketing, project management or anything else than can be carried out remotely.
Here in the UAE, you’ll require a freelance permit to work in this way. The licensing process is similar to setting up a full UAE business and is best carried out with the assistance of a company setup expert.
- Dropshipping: Dropshipping involves selling products directly from supplier to customer without purchasing any stock upfront.
You will be responsible for setting up the website and e-commerce platform, marketing the business and attracting customers. When customers place an order, it is fulfilled and dispatched by the dropshipping company.
- Social media influencing: Are you a social media expert? Do you already have a standing or following within your industry? If so, you could see success as a social media influencer.
The rewards can be plentiful, with some UAE influencers reported to earn an average of USD 1,000 to USD 5,000 for a single post.
The market has grown at such a pace out here that the UAE National Media Council (NMC) recently introduced a specific influencer license.
- Business support: With most businesses having to adjust the way they work, many now require a range of remote support.
There are numerous ways to put your skills to use – admin, copywriting, accounting and much more. Set Hub can advise on the license most suited to the activity you wish to undertake.
- Consulting: If you have vast experience in your field, it is easy to become a consultant in the UAE. Work can be carried out remotely and there are no formal qualifications required.
As with many small business ideas from home, there is minimal startup capital required. All you need is a solid internet connection, an internet-connected device and a comprehensive knowledge of your field of interest.
How to start a business from home
Starting a small business from home is simple when you work with a respected company formation expert.
You can either apply for a freelance permit, if it is permitted in your chosen industry, or set up a full UAE business. The process is similar in both cases.
First, you’ll need to decide on your business activity. The important thing here is that your chosen activities are in line with those on the official Department of Economic Development (DED) list. Chances are, they will be – the list covers every industry imaginable, from potato trading to consultancy.
Next, you should choose your company name. Be aware that you must abide by a strict set of naming conventions here in the UAE.
In short, you should avoid any offensive or blasphemous language. Avoid names of well-known organisations and avoid abbreviations if naming your company after yourself – so use ‘Dave Mann Consulting’, rather than ‘D Mann Consulting’. You must also check that your chosen name is available to register.
Now for the most important step – deciding whether to set up in the mainland or in a free zone.
In most cases, free zone company formation is the most cost-effective and advantageous approach.
The UAE is home to many free zones offering affordable license packages and fast company setup options.
Free zones such as Fujairah Creative City, for example, offer benefits including a quick and easy incorporation process, ongoing business support and financial incentives such as tax exemptions and zero currency restrictions.
With these key decisions made, you can apply for your trade license or freelance permit. In either case, you’ll be required to provide a few details and some basic documentation, including:
- Completed application form
- Passport copy of the proposed owner or owners
- Two colour passport size photos
Finally, unless you already have a valid UAE residency visa, you’ll need to apply for one.
Just like applying for your business license, with the right guidance, the visa application process can be incredibly straightforward.
As the holder of a UAE business license, you can also sponsor others for their visas. This could be a spouse, parent or child, or a domestic worker such as a housekeeper.
Are you ready to start a new business in Dubai?
If you’re intrigued by our suggested startup ideas from home – or have a business idea of your own, it’s easy to get started.
However, forming a business in the UAE does require a level of prior knowledge of the process. What’s more, the process is only straightforward if your license application is complete at the time of submission and free from errors.
To help you to ensure that this is the case, it’s a good idea to work with a company formation specialist such as Set Hub when establishing a new company in the UAE.
We are a team of company registration professionals who are passionate about bringing the dreams of aspiring entrepreneurs and SMEs to life.
As well as handling your license application, Set Hub can also assist with the opening of corporate bank accounts and advise on the most appropriate financial institution to suit your specific needs.
We also offer visa and immigration services and can handle all government formalities, permissions, work permits and visas applications that are required to trade in the UAE.
In short, our experts can establish your company on your behalf, make your license and visa applications, and take care of all the necessary admin – leaving you free to get on with running your business.
