What UAE’s Company Formation Boom Means for Talent

By Catherine Farley, Founder & CEO, Talent Higher

It’s an exciting time to be in the UAE – not just as a business owner, but as someone deeply embedded in the talent space. Over the past 12 months, we’ve witnessed a sharp rise in entrepreneurs landing in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the northern emirates, eager to launch ventures across tech, finance, wellness, consulting, and everything in between. Much of that activity has flowed directly into the business setup and company formation industry, and as a recruitment agency, we’ve been right in the thick of it.

When company registrations go up, so does hiring. And right now, business formation consultancies are scaling fast – but the reality of finding the right people to support that growth is more complex than it might seem.

Let me explain.

The Ripple Effect of New Business Licences

The UAE has made global headlines with its investor-friendly reforms. From 100% foreign ownership in mainland companies to long-term visas for entrepreneurs, the message is clear: the UAE is open for business.

And it’s working. Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism reported a record-breaking number of new business licences in 2024 – a 25% jump from the year before. That surge isn’t just a stat. It’s a tangible shift we’re seeing daily across the recruitment briefs we receive.

Company formation firms – the consultancies that help entrepreneurs secure trade licences, register in free zones, manage PRO work, and navigate legal frameworks – are stretched. Many are doubling down on hiring: setup consultants, PROs, legal advisors, document controllers, even in-house marketing teams to differentiate in an increasingly competitive space.

The Roles Driving This Industry

From a hiring perspective, the business setup industry is deceptively nuanced. At the surface, it may seem transactional – get a licence, get a visa, move on. But scratch beneath that, and what you find is a services ecosystem that depends heavily on people who can interpret laws, manage high volumes of documentation, and build real trust with clients.

There are a few roles we’re consistently asked to help with:

• Business Setup Consultants who aren’t just salespeople – they’re advisors. They need to understand jurisdictional differences, licensing nuances, and how to communicate all that clearly to non-expert clients.
  
  
• PROs (Public Relations Officers) who can navigate ministries, keep up with shifting policies, and get things done fast. Good PROs are gold dust – and the shortage is real.
  
  
• Legal Advisors with UAE-specific experience who can explain ownership structures, handle shareholder agreements, and guide clients on how to stay compliant with the new corporate tax framework.
  
  
• Administrative and Customer Service Teams to support growing client volumes, ensure smooth documentation flow, and keep every step of the setup journey tightly managed.
  

In addition to setup consultants, PROs, and legal advisors, we’re also seeing rising demand for roles across legal and compliance, tax and accounting, HR, marketing, operations, client experience, IT, and digital transformation. As company formation firms scale, they’re building out full-service teams to support clients not just at the start, but across their business lifecycle.

These aren’t roles you can fill with just a CV search and a phone screen. They require experience, emotional intelligence, and, in many cases, Arabic fluency or deep regulatory knowledge. That’s where the challenge comes in.

And while much of the demand is for mid- to senior-level talent, we work across the full hiring spectrum, from entry-level graduates through to C-level leadership. This allows us to support companies at every stage of their growth journey.

Quality Talent Is Scarce – And Everyone’s Hiring

While we’re seeing an influx of professionals relocating to the UAE (especially with the rise of Golden Visas and freelance permits), the reality is that experienced, locally knowledgeable talent is still hard to find.

Every recruitment agency knows the pain of a market where demand outpaces supply. For us, this sector is the perfect case study. Companies are chasing the same talent pool – the seasoned PRO who has contacts in the labour department, the consultant who’s hit their sales targets five quarters in a row, the legal advisor who can confidently interpret corporate law post-reform.

The result? Employers are having to rethink what they offer.

Some are building internal training academies, taking on juniors and investing in upskilling. Others are offering commission-heavy structures to attract hungry, high-performing consultants. And more and more are tapping into freelance support models – contracting external PROs or working with independent business consultants to manage overflow.

The Emiratisation Shift

Speaking of local hiring – one major force reshaping recruitment in this space is Emiratisation. From 2024, firms with 20–49 employees in key sectors (like admin and business services) must start hiring UAE nationals.

This isn’t a tick-box exercise. It’s a real opportunity. Emiratis bring unique strengths to the business setup space – fluency in Arabic, familiarity with government systems, and often, strong relationship-building skills. But they’re in high demand.

The best-performing company formation firms we work with are building meaningful career paths for Emirati talent – not just hiring for quotas, but developing roles in government liaison, customer service, even consultancy. It’s early days, but we’re seeing the potential for long-term retention when the role is positioned well and progression is mapped clearly.

The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters

At a macro level, this entire industry plays a key role in the UAE’s economic strategy. When you make it easier to start and scale a business, you create jobs. You attract innovation. You fuel growth.

But none of that happens without the right people in place to support it.

As recruiters, our role isn’t just to fill jobs – it’s to help build ecosystems. And right now, the ecosystem around UAE business setup is moving fast. It needs talent that can adapt, advise, deliver, and represent. It needs people who understand that this isn’t just paperwork – it’s the foundation of the UAE’s business landscape.

Final Thoughts

If you’re running or hiring for a company formation business in the UAE, this is your window. The demand is here, the momentum is real, and the competition is heating up. Invest in your people, build talent pipelines, and stay close to the market.

And if you’re a candidate looking to enter this space – whether you’re a seasoned PRO or a graduate eager to learn – there’s opportunity here. But the bar is high, and expectations are rising. Bring your A-game.

At Talent Higher we’re proud to play a role in building the teams behind the businesses that are shaping the future of the UAE. If you’re hiring or looking, we’d love to talk.