Meridian · Freshness tracker

What's changed.

Dated updates to visa, tax, residency, citizenship, housing, and labour policy across every country tracked. Every entry cites its primary source and the date we last verified it.

Subscribe via RSS ↗ · 14 entries shown

Country All countriesAQAntarcticaAUAustraliaBRBrazilCACanadaCNChina (Mainland)EGEgyptFRFranceDEGermanyHKHong KongIEIrelandITItalyJPJapanMXMexicoMAMoroccoNLNetherlandsNZNew ZealandPTPortugalSGSingaporeZASouth AfricaKRSouth KoreaESSpainAEUnited Arab EmiratesGBUnited KingdomUSUnited States
Category All categoriesVisa & immigrationResidencyCitizenshipTaxationLabourHousingHealthcareOther
In force 1 Jan 2025
In force Healthcare

Federal mandatory health insurance for all private-sector employees and dependants

A federal mandate requires employers to provide health insurance to all private-sector employees and their dependants from 1 January 2025 — extending the mandatory-health-insurance regime that had previously applied federally only in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to all seven emirates. Materially strengthens employee health protection and adds a small administrative cost to employer compliance.

Who it affects: All private-sector employers nationwide and their employees / dependants.

Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation ↗ · UAE Government Portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Sept 2024
In force Residency

Two-month visa amnesty launched September 2024

The federal government launched a two-month visa amnesty (September–October 2024, later extended to end-December 2024) allowing visa-overstayers to either regularise their status or leave the UAE without penalty. The largest such amnesty since 2018; widely-used by long-term overstayers.

Who it affects: Non-UAE residents with overstays seeking to regularise or exit without penalty.

ICP — Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security ↗ · Emirates News Agency (WAM) ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Sept 2024
In force Residency

Family-visa sponsor income thresholds clarified federally

ICP issued clarifying guidance in mid-2024 on family-visa sponsor income thresholds across emirates: AED 4,000+/month for spouse/children with employer-provided accommodation (or AED 4,000 plus accommodation evidence if not), and AED 20,000+/month to sponsor parents. Reduces the historic emirate-by-emirate variation in interpretation.

Who it affects: UAE residents sponsoring family members.

ICP — Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security ↗ · GDRFA — General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (Dubai) ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Sept 2024
In force Residency

Blue Residency launched for environmental contributors

Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security launched the "Blue Residency" — a 10-year residency for individuals making exceptional contributions to environmental protection, sustainability, conservation, or related fields. Eligibility via direct nomination by entities or self-application with supporting evidence. Distinct from the Golden Visa's broader categories.

Who it affects: Environmental scientists, conservationists, and recognised environmental contributors.

ICP — Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security ↗ · Emirates News Agency (WAM) ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Sept 2024
In force Labour

Wages Protection System reformed — broader coverage and dispute remedies

The Wages Protection System (WPS) — mandatory salary-payment-routing through licensed banks/exchange houses — was reformed September 2024 to cover broader categories of private-sector employment, with strengthened employer-penalty regime for delayed payment and a dedicated MOHRE wage-dispute resolution stream.

Who it affects: Private-sector employers and employees subject to MOHRE oversight.

Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Jun 2024
In force Taxation

Qualifying Free Zone Person criteria clarified

The Ministry of Finance and Federal Tax Authority issued clarifying guidance in mid-2024 on the Qualifying Free Zone Person criteria — the conditions under which free-zone entities retain the 0% corporate-tax rate on qualifying income (versus the 9% mainland rate). Clarifications cover substance requirements, qualifying activity definitions, and de minimis non-qualifying income thresholds. Material for the practical tax position of free-zone-resident professionals.

Who it affects: Free-zone-based founders, consultants, and entities relying on the 0% qualifying-income regime.

UAE Ministry of Finance ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Mar 2024
In force Visa & immigration

Virtual Working programme harmonised at federal level

The Virtual Working programme — originally a Dubai-specific 2020 initiative — was harmonised under the federal ICP framework from March 2024, with consistent processing across all seven emirates. Income threshold (US$5,000/month) and 1-year duration unchanged.

Who it affects: Remote workers using the Virtual Working Programme.

ICP — Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security ↗ · GDRFA — General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (Dubai) ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Jan 2024
In force Other

100% foreign ownership for mainland companies — fully implemented

The 2021 reform allowing 100% foreign ownership of mainland companies (without an Emirati local sponsor) has been fully implemented across all seven emirates by 2024 for most commercial activities. A small list of strategic activities (defence, banking) remains restricted. A long-term structural reform that has materially changed the foreign-founder route alongside the visa-reform package.

Who it affects: Foreign founders considering mainland (non-free-zone) UAE incorporation.

UAE Government Portal ↗ · Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Jan 2024
In force Taxation

VAT remains at 5%; no changes for 2024–2025

Despite the corporate-tax reform, the UAE VAT regime — a flat 5% in force since January 2018 — remains unchanged through 2024–2025. The Ministry of Finance confirmed no plans to raise the VAT rate in the medium term, despite IMF and broader regional comparisons.

Who it affects: All UAE consumers and businesses subject to VAT.

UAE Ministry of Finance ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Jan 2024
In force Labour

Emiratisation quotas expanded to companies with 20–49 employees

Cabinet Decision 44/2023 expanded Emiratisation requirements (mandatory hiring of UAE nationals at 2%/year of skilled workforce) to private-sector companies with 20–49 employees in 14 designated activities (banking, insurance, healthcare, education, technology, etc.) from 2024. Non-compliance penalties: AED 96,000 per unfilled position annually. Indirectly affects skilled-foreign-worker hiring competition.

Who it affects: Mid-sized private-sector employers in 14 designated economic activities.

Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation ↗ · UAE Government Portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Jun 2023
In force Taxation

Federal Corporate Tax introduced at 9%

The UAE introduced a federal corporate income tax of 9% on taxable business profits exceeding AED 375,000, effective for financial years starting on or after 1 June 2023. Free-zone entities meeting "Qualifying Free Zone Person" criteria can retain 0% on qualifying income. Personal income tax remains zero. A material structural change for the cost calculus of UAE-based founders and consultants.

Who it affects: Mainland and free-zone businesses; founders, freelancers operating through UAE entities.

UAE Ministry of Finance ↗ · UAE Government Portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 1 Jan 2023
In force Labour

Mandatory unemployment insurance scheme launched

Federal Decree-Law 13 of 2022 introduced mandatory unemployment insurance from January 2023. Employees pay AED 5/month (Category 1, basic salary < AED 16,000) or AED 10/month (Category 2, ≥ AED 16,000) for 3-month income protection of up to 60% of basic salary upon involuntary unemployment. Penalty for non-enrolment AED 400 + AED 200/month.

Who it affects: All UAE residents employed in the private and federal sectors.

Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation ↗ · UAE Government Portal ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 3 Oct 2022
In force Residency

Green Visa launched for skilled workers and freelancers

The Green Visa — 5-year self-sponsored residency for skilled workers and freelancers — was launched October 2022 under the broader 2022 visa reform. Materially reduces the historic dependency on employer sponsorship. Eligibility refined through 2024 to include broader freelance categories and clearer income-evidence pathways.

Who it affects: Skilled workers and freelancers without UAE employer sponsorship.

UAE Government Portal ↗ · ICP — Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security ↗ · verified 2026-04-19

In force 3 Oct 2022
In force Residency

Golden Visa eligibility substantially expanded

Federal Decree-Law 21 of 2021 (in force October 2022) substantially expanded the Golden Visa scheme: lower thresholds for property-investor track (AED 2M from AED 5M), broader executive track (AED 30k+ monthly salary), expanded specialised-talent categories (PhD holders, top scientists, healthcare professionals), and inclusion of exceptional students and humanitarian workers. Continued operational refinements through 2023–2025.

Who it affects: Investors, executives, top-talent professionals, students, and humanitarian workers.

UAE Government Portal ↗ · ICP — Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security ↗ · verified 2026-04-19