| Our ranking in order of preference | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Summary at a Glance | | | | | |
| Total year 1 engagement set up costs? | US$21,800 | US31,000 | US$32,595 | US$17,860 | US$48,665 |
| Total year 2 costs (incl. audit and tax)? | US$11,200 | US$5,070 | US$14,620 | US$11,100 | US$14,840 |
| Our Client must travel during the engagement? | No | No | No | No | No |
| Total engagement period? | 3 months | 3 months | 2 months | 3 months | 6 months |
| Corporation tax rate on net profits? (click link) | 0 | 0 | 20% | 17% | 0 |
| Average monthly skilled labor salary? (click link) | US$3,500 | US$4,000 | US$1,000 | US$600 | US$4,000 |
| Average monthly office rental per sq m? | US$65 | US$58 | US$25 | US$35 | US$35 |
| Average monthly warehouse rental per sq m? | US$30 | US$30 | US$7 | US$15 | US$10 |
| Must be a 51% shareholder for trading business | No | No | No | No | No |
| Must be a 51% shareholder for services business | No | No | No | No | No |
| English language proficiency % of population? | 0.78 | 0.6 | 0.45 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Incorporation requirements | | | | | |
| How long to secure company registration number? | 2 months | 1 month | 1 month | 1 month | 3 months |
| Minimum number of shareholders? | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Individual and corporate shareholders allowed? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum number of directors? | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Resident director required? | No | No | No | No | No |
| Minimum paid up share capital? | US$1 | US$1 | US$70,650 | US$3,500 | US$36,000 |
| Fast turnkey solution available? (click link) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Special permit or license required? | No | No | No | No | No |
| Corporate director(s) allowed? | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Public register of shareholders & directors? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tax and accounting considerations | | | | | |
| Corporate tax payable? | 0 | 0 | 0.14 | 0.15 | 0 |
| Withholding tax on dividends paid overseas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Annual financial statements required? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Statutory independent annual audit required? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Export taxes on goods and local GST or VAT? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Best holding company to extract dividends? | Marshall Islands | Singapore | Labuan | UAE-RAKEZ | Marshall Islands |
| Tax incentives for manufacturing start-ups? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Access to how many double tax treaties? | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Number of tax exempt free zones available? | 37 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| GCC member? (click link) | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Corporate bank account considerations | | | | | |
| Healy Consultants’ preferred bank? | Emirates NDB | HSBC | SCB | HSBC | KFH |
| How long to open corporate bank account? | 5 weeks | 3 weeks | 4 weeks | 4 weeks | 5 weeks |
| Do I travel to open the bank account? | No | No | No | No | No |
| Can open a US$ or £ or € bank account? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Good internet banking available? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Funds transfer currency controls | No | No | No | No | No |
| Bank rating by World Economic Forum? (click link) | 31 | 22 | 57 | 27 | 50 |
| Ease of getting credit by WEF? score (1-7) (click link) | 3 | 9 | 25 | 76 | 45 |
| Employment considerations | | | | | |
| Average skilled labour monthly salary? | US$3,100 | US$2,900 | US$1,500 | US$1,200 | US$4,000 |
| Average unskilled labour monthly salary? | US$1,000 | US$800 | US$500 | US$600 | US$1,500 |
| Average pension/insurance benefits % of salary? | 0.05 | 0.105 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Minimum national salary? | US$400 | US$600 | US$300 | US$450 | US$300 |
| Mandatory labor unions? | No | No | No | No | No |
| Minimum notice to dismiss employees? | 1 month | 3 months | 3 months | 3 months | 3 months |
| Minimum redundancy indemnity? | 1 month | 1 month | 1 month | 1 month | 3 months |
| How long to get work permit approved? | 4 weeks | 4 weeks | 5-7 weeks | 6-9 weeks | 6 weeks |
| Manufacturing considerations | | | | | |
| Cost per unit of electricity? US$ | 0.04 | 0.03 | 0.23 | 0.02 | 0.003 |
| Rank for getting electricity (click link) | 4 | 79 | 44 | 57 | 93 |
| Warehousing space rental (per sq. m.)? | US$20 | US$5 | US$7 | US$15 | US$10 |
| Ranking for transport infrastructure (click link) (1-7 best) | 6.6 | 4.7 | 3.6 | 3 | 3.7 |
| Ranking for customs procedures out of 10? (click link) | 6 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 3.5 |
| Average import duty % on raw materials? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Government incentives for startups? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Computer literacy % of population? | 0.9 | 0.85 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.85 |
| Internet connectivity rating? | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong |
| Global business efficiency index? (click link) | 23 | 33 | 54 | - | 43 |
| Preferred manufacturing city? | Ras Al Khaimah | Al Mazunah | Zarqa | Port of Beirut | Kuwait FTZ |
| Proximity of sea port in kilometers? | 8 | 11 | 360 | 0 | 0 |
| Proximity of airport in kilometers? | 97 | 200 | 83.4 | 19.1 | 16.9 |
| Literacy % of population | 0.9 | 0.814 | 0.934 | 0.939 | 0.94 |
| Local purchasing power (GDP per capita) | US$30,122 | US$29,813 | US$6,115 | US$14,845 | US$39,706 |
| Local market size (in millions of people) | 9 | 3.2 | 6.5 | 4.5 | 3.9 |
| Average annual inflation rate in 2014? | 0.011 | 0.013 | 0.055 | 0.032 | 0.027 |
| Average unemployment rate in 2014? | 0.038 | 0.08 | 0.126 | 0.066 | 0.031 |
| Ease of doing business index (click link) | 22 | 66 | 117 | 104 | 86 |
| Country rating (click link) | AA | A- | BB- | B- | AA |
| Logistics considerations | | | | | |
| Monthly warehouse rental (per sq. m.)? | US$20 | US$10 | US$25 | US$35 | US$15 |
| Manufacturing space rental (sq. m.)? | US$9 | US$5 | US$7 | US$15 | US$10 |
| Can rent office outside free zones? | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Can the entity hire local staff? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Average local monthly salary? | US$2,500 | US$2,900 | US$2,600 | US$2,200 | US$4,000 |
| Can the entity hire expatriate staff? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free zone work permit fee per person | US$3,950 | US$3,950 | US$3,950 | US$3,950 | US$3,950 |
| How long to get work permit approved? | 4 weeks | 2-3 weeks | 4-5 weeks | 3-5 weeks | 2-3 weeks |
