In an eye-catching policy shift, the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism said it will "promote granting of UAE citizenship" to companies incorporated in the Emirates. The statement, released on 6 January 2026, comes after a record 250,000 new businesses were licensed in 2025, pushing the corporate registry past 1.4 million active entities—a 118 per cent jump in just four years.
Details are still sparse, but officials indicated that qualifying firms would be able to adopt the UAE nationality in their legal identity, enabling them to brand themselves as “Emirati companies” in global tenders and trade agreements. The ministry framed the initiative as a way to consolidate national identity, enhance the country’s economic reputation and give locally based multinationals preferential access to the UAE’s fast-growing network of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs).
![UAE signals path to corporate citizenship as part of new competitiveness drive]()
Practically, analysts expect the scheme to mirror the 2021 reforms that allowed certain foreign entrepreneurs and investors to obtain Emirati passports in their personal capacity. Legal experts say a “corporate citizenship” model could grant companies streamlined access to government procurement, simplified cross-border paperwork and, potentially, visa incentives for key staff.
For mobility managers, the announcement could translate into smoother work-permit quotas and easier regional expansion for entities that secure the status. Recruitment specialists also foresee a branding boost: being recognised as an Emirati company is likely to appeal to skilled migrants comparing offers across the Gulf.
The ministry said implementing regulations will be published later this quarter. Companies interested in the programme should begin auditing ownership structures and compliance track records; authorities hinted that only firms with impeccable labour-law histories and audited financials will make the cut.
Details are still sparse, but officials indicated that qualifying firms would be able to adopt the UAE nationality in their legal identity, enabling them to brand themselves as “Emirati companies” in global tenders and trade agreements. The ministry framed the initiative as a way to consolidate national identity, enhance the country’s economic reputation and give locally based multinationals preferential access to the UAE’s fast-growing network of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs).
Practically, analysts expect the scheme to mirror the 2021 reforms that allowed certain foreign entrepreneurs and investors to obtain Emirati passports in their personal capacity. Legal experts say a “corporate citizenship” model could grant companies streamlined access to government procurement, simplified cross-border paperwork and, potentially, visa incentives for key staff.
For mobility managers, the announcement could translate into smoother work-permit quotas and easier regional expansion for entities that secure the status. Recruitment specialists also foresee a branding boost: being recognised as an Emirati company is likely to appeal to skilled migrants comparing offers across the Gulf.
The ministry said implementing regulations will be published later this quarter. Companies interested in the programme should begin auditing ownership structures and compliance track records; authorities hinted that only firms with impeccable labour-law histories and audited financials will make the cut.
Source: Khaleej Times
