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The Impact Of Tax Structure Of The United Arab Emirates

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Currently, the United Arab Emirates does not have a federal corporate income tax (CIT) regime; however, most of the Emirates introduced income tax decrees in the late 1960s, and taxation is therefore determined on an Emirate-by-Emirate basis.
Under the Emirate-based tax decrees, CIT may be imposed on all companies (including branches and permanent establishments [PEs]) at rates of up to 55%. However, in practice, CIT is currently only enforced in respect of corporate entities engaged in the production of oil and gas or extraction of other natural resources in the United Arab Emirates.
In addition, some of the Emirates have their own specific banking tax decrees, which impose CIT on branches of foreign banks at the rate of 20%
After the …show more content…

It is generally the tenants' obligation to pay the tax. In some cases, separate fees are payable by both tenants and property owners. For example, in the Emirate of Dubai, the municipality tax on property is currently imposed at 5% of the annual rental value for tenants or at 5% of the specified rental index for property owners.
Further, a registration fee may also be levied on transfer of ownership of land or property. For example, a land registration fee is levied in the Emirate of Dubai at a rate of 4% of the sale value of the property.
There is a social security regime in the United Arab Emirates that applies to UAE and GCC national employees only. In most of the Emirates, and for a UAE national employee, social security contributions are calculated at a rate of 17.5% of the employee's gross remuneration as stated in the employment contract. Out of the 17.5%, 5% is payable by the employee and the remaining 12.5% is payable by the employer. Dubai's enormous oil revenues mean that the government has no need to raise income through direct taxation. Accordingly, Dubai is a "no tax" emirate characterized by an almost complete absence of taxation. There are no withholding or capital taxes. Speaking in November 2005, the late Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, then Crown Prince of Dubai and the Defense Minister of the United Arab Emirates sought to quash speculation regarding the possible introduction

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