# Setting up a recruitment consultancy or agency



## ginamove (Apr 29, 2013)

Hi everyone,

This is a great forum and has answered so many questions for my potential move to Dubai. I've got a question that I can't seem to find an answer to on here or on the web as a whole. I hope someone can help.

I am part of a recruitment agency in England and I'm researching potentially expanding to the UAE. We met with a local sponsor to discuss having a local licence but have decided that it's probably best in the Freezone.

Since coming back I've read a lot about the need to put down a fee of Dh 1m to set up an agency, plus the annual licence of Dh300k. In addition new recruitment agencies must be owned by UAE nationals. 

However, I've also heard that if you are an existing agency abroad then you can set yourself up as a *consultancy* and that (possibly) these costs don't apply. Annoyingly I can't find where I heard this now and I've not been able to find anything out about it since. 
Does anyone know of this or can advise a good place to look or place to talk to?

We're still at the feasibility stage, so nothing is set in stone. Most importantly we want to make sure that we have all the right information for making the decision whether or not to go ahead in Dubai, after all there's a hell of a lot of agencies in Dubai and very few gaps in the market!

Any help would be gratefully received.

Gina


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## CMedia (Apr 14, 2014)

*UAE recruitment agency set-up*

Hi Gina, did you get any reply to this as I am trying to work out the same thing currently?
It would be great to find out what you decided to do....
Thanks
Christian


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## ginamove (Apr 29, 2013)

*Recruitment companies baaaaad*

Hi Christian,

No, I didn't get a response but later found out that recruiters aren't all that popular on here, so that made some sense.

However, we've just been on a trade mission with APSCo who I believe might be setting up out there to represent recruiters there as there isn't really a trade body. It was a really good trip and found out a lot. They may be doing another Mission. Are you an APSCo member? They'll be good to chat to.

Otherwise we've been getting help with UKTI for our specific needs - they help with funding so that you can do market research, trade visits and meetings with potential clients. They have been invaluable and really recommend them.
Go on the Passport to Export programme it's very good. The networks / contacts from that have been invaluable.

Good luck
Gina


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## CMedia (Apr 14, 2014)

*Reply*

Hi Gina, 
Thanks very much for coming back to me, we did use to be members of APSCO, I will follow-up with UKTI they have been helpful with the odd question in the past.
I know the perception with the Free Zones is very negative towards any more recruitment agencies coming in, which is frustrating.
I will follow-up with both.
Thanks again for the reply
Cheers and good-luck as well!


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## ginamove (Apr 29, 2013)

*Freezones and recruiters*

Hi,

There's a lot of things to get your head around with Freezones and Onshore and where to base yourself.
That all affects the licences you purchase (and how much it costs). Also a lot of it depends on what you call yourself (HR Consultancy rather than recruitment agency).

But good luck and both of those would be your best port of call!
gina


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## Elcools (Jul 10, 2014)

*Help*

Hi Gina / Christian,

I'm looking to set up a office in Dubai to expand our UK offering. We focus on the Digital/IT market.

I have just started the searches to put the business plan together. I'm really struggling to get the right information, costs etc.

Freezone seems the best option, but if you have any better ideas, would appreciate your help.

We would just be focusing of Perm business if that helps and first year would like to get 4 members of staff on, so would a managed service office be best or more cost effective to lease an office. 

Also any advice on location would be helpful to, we would like Internet city or media city but open to ideas. 

Look forward to hearing from you.


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## cautious_mover (Dec 9, 2009)

Elcools said:


> Hi Gina / Christian,
> 
> I'm looking to set up a office in Dubai to expand our UK offering. We focus on the Digital/IT market.
> 
> ...


Most of the Emirates have free zone possibilities. I have my own consulting firm in DMCC for the last few years, however you may like to consider the new Dubai World Central (DWC) free zone. Free Zone FAQ | DWC

Bear in mind that you will have to lease commercial property within the free zone you are registered in - that can be a flexi desk or a tower, depending on your budget.

Most of the initial info and registration can be done online, but you will need to come here to complete the formalities. You should allow 2 weeks of running around initially.

The flow is like this:

1. Register your company name
2. Get approval after security and DD checks with Interpol etc
3. Pay your dues, get initial approval letter from the FZ.
4. Open your bank account (known as a call account) with the letter.
5. Deposit the share capital
6. Receive confirmation of share capital from the bank
7. FZ receives this letter, issues trade licence after you show your office lease
8. Show trade licence to bank, call account converted to current account. Appoint chartered accountants (yes the audits here are stricter than in the EU, contrary to popular belief)
9. Start residence permit application (can be done after number 3 also)
10. Welcome to Dubai as a company owner !

Hope this helps - maybe I should set up a parallel forum for business people ? !!


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

The bottom line with *anything* in the UAE is that you're never going to get the same answer twice. You have to do minimum 5x as much groundwork and somewhere in the correlation of it all you'll get some answers. The rest is simply submitting to the chaos of the region.

And if you do get up and running, you will definitely need someone with local, working experience on the books.


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