United Arab Emirates

Saudi Arabia has committed over SAR 100 billion to education and training as part of Vision 2030. A key focus is bringing in more private sector expertise across technical, vocational and corporate learning. There’s steady demand across Saudi Arabia for language instruction, practical skills courses, and training in areas like finance, digital tools and business management. For experienced providers, it’s a market with room to grow. This guide walks through the key steps to setting up an education or training company in Saudi Arabia, including what licences you may need and how the process works in practice. Choose your model and focus Start by deciding what kind of training you want to offer. This might be a private learning centre, tailored corporate programmes, a digital learning platform or a niche subject such as coding or soft skills. Language and tech-based programmes are in demand, along with vocational and job-readiness training. Some activities fall under regulation, others don’t. If your courses involve certified instructors or lead to a recognised qualification, you’ll likely need approval from the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC). For short, non-accredited sessions or company workshops, a standard commercial licence may be enough. Sorting this out early helps avoid delays later. Get MISA approval for foreign ownership If you plan to own the business outright, you’ll need a foreign investment licence from the Ministry of Investment (MISA). This is the entry point for international companies and individuals setting up in Saudi Arabia. The application requires a business plan, details of your intended activity and proof of capital. Once approved, MISA will issue an investment licence that lets you proceed with commercial registration. Timing varies, but most approvals come through within a few weeks. Without MISA approval, you’ll need a Saudi partner who holds at least 25% of the business under current rules. Apply for a commercial registration (CR) Once MISA approval is granted, you’ll register the business with the Ministry of Commerce. This includes choosing a company name and applying for a Commercial Registration (CR), which confirms your legal status. Most foreign-owned training firms set up as limited liability companies (LLCs), although other formats exist. You’ll need to select the right activity code from the ISIC list based on your service offering. A local office address is also required and must match the registration details. Obtain TVTC licensing if required If your business offers vocational training or regulated instruction, you’ll need a licence from the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC). This applies to in-person centres and many e-learning platforms, especially those offering certificates or structured programmes. The application process includes submitting course outlines, trainer CVs and a full plan of the facility. TVTC reviews the content, checks trainer qualifications, and may carry out a site visit before approval. Instructors must meet certain standards, including relevant degrees or proven work experience in the field. Online platforms may need to show how content is delivered, how learners are assessed and how records are kept. Licensing timeframes can vary, so it helps to keep your documents well organised and ready to submit when required. Final setup tasks before operations begin With the main approvals in place, a few final steps remain. Apply for a municipality licence to legally operate your site and register with the local Chamber of Commerce. If you expect to cross the VAT threshold, you’ll also need to register with ZATCA. Other essentials include getting company documents stamped, opening a corporate bank account and completing any required translations or attestations. Most of this runs in parallel during the final setup phase. Hiring, Saudisation, and visas Staffing a training business in Saudi comes with some fixed rules. Nitaqat quotas apply once you go beyond five employees, and certain jobs like reception and admin are often reserved for Saudi nationals. For trainers, you’ll need to show credentials upfront, usually a degree and some experience in the subject area. If you’re bringing in foreign staff, make sure their qualifications match both visa criteria and any licensing checks. TVTC approval may also be needed on a case-by-case basis. Most centres start small, with five to ten employees, depending on how many courses or training rooms are in use. Outlook and demand areas There’s strong momentum around upskilling across Saudi Arabia, driven by both government schemes and business demand. Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam are seeing the highest activity, especially in fields like tech, finance, logistics and service delivery. Companies are investing more in training, often in partnership with local or national programmes. Remote learning is now widely accepted, particularly for adult learners and corporate teams. Edtech providers and course operators offering flexible formats are well placed to meet this shift. There’s also room to plug into public initiatives, either through direct contracts or as an approved private partner. With demand growing and entry points expanding, now is a great time to enter this market and build a presence in one of the Kingdom’s fastest growing sectors. How can The Knightsbridge Group help? With more than ten years of experience supporting international companies across the Gulf, we help clients set up and run their operations in Saudi Arabia with clarity and confidence. We manage the full process, from MISA licensing and commercial registration to TVTC approvals, Saudisation planning, office setup and visa support. Our team also advises education and training firms on how to structure their operations clearly, meet local rules, and stay practical about compliance. To speak with us about launching a training or education business in Saudi Arabia, or to get help with any part of the setup, email us at [email protected].

Introduction: A nation's reputation is crucial, and the UAE has implemented strong legislation to address these issues under the Federal Law No. (34) of 2021 (cybercrimes law). These laws specifically target online activities concerning rumors. What are the most serious online crimes in the UAE? The most significant online crimes in the UAE are hacking government websites, damaging government computer networks, infringing on government data, fabricating emails, websites, and digital accounts, and illegally monitoring and disseminating data. Cyberattacks on government institutions Article 3 of the cybercrimes law stipulates that anyone who hacks a government website, electronic information system, information network, or technology method that belongs to the government may be sentenced to imprisonment and to pay a fine of not less than AED 200,000 and not more than AED 500,000. Additionally, the same article says that if the hacking causes harm, destruction, or disruption to a website, electronic information system, information network, or technology method, or if it involves removing, deleting, damaging, changing, publishing, or violating the privacy of any data or information, or if the crime happens because of a cyberattack, the punishment will be at least five years in prison and a fine of at least AED 250,000 and up to AED 1,500,000. Article 5 stipulates that anyone who intentionally damages, destroys, suspends, or disrupts a state institution or critical facility website, electronic information system, information network, or information technology method may face imprisonment and a fine of at least AED 500,000 and no more than AED 3,000,000. A cyberattack will be considered an aggravating circumstance if it leads to the crime. Article 7 of the cybercrimes law outlines penalties for breaching government data and information. Those who obtain, acquire, modify, damage, disclose, leak, cancel, delete, copy, publish, or republish confidential government data without authorization may face a seven-year imprisonment and a fine of AED 500,000 to AED 3,000,000. If these actions harm the state or compromise the confidentiality of electronic systems and software in military and security facilities, then they may face a ten-year sentence. According to Article 25 of the cybercrime law, anyone who publishes information, news, data, visual images, visual materials, or rumors on a website or any information network or technological means to ridicule or harm the reputation, prestige, or status of the country, its authorities or institutions, or founding leaders, flag or currency, national anthem, slogan, or hymn, or any national figure shall be sentenced to five years in prison and a fine not exceeding Dh500,000. Conclusion: Under the UAE's cybercrimes law, actions that affect the safety and security of people or institutions can result in legal consequences such as jail time and substantial penalties. Author: Dr. Hassan Elhais

In a precedent-setting decision, BSA LAW’s Criminal Department obtained a full acquittal for its clients in one of the most prominent virtual asset cases in the UAE. The case began before the Court of First Instance, where the clients were convicted of conducting virtual asset activities without a license, in addition to charges of money laundering. The court imposed both financial and criminal penalties. However, the judgment lacked conclusive evidence to establish the elements of the money laundering offence. BSA LAW appealed the decision, arguing that trading or investing in virtual assets without a license does not constitute money laundering unless the funds involved originate from an illicit source. Despite presenting strong legal arguments, the Court of Appeal upheld the original verdict. The firm then escalated the matter to the Court of Cassation, highlighting both a misapplication of the law and a deficiency in the court’s reasoning. As a result, the Court of Cassation overturned the judgment and referred the case back to the Court of Appeal for reconsideration. During the retrial (Case No. 1000/2024), BSA LAW presented comprehensive legal defences and reassessed the facts from a focused legal perspective. The team relied on the provisions of Federal Law No. 20 of 2018 on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism, along with the regulations governing virtual assets. On 15 May 2025, the Dubai Criminal Court of Appeal overturned the initial ruling and acquitted the clients of all charges. The decision now stands as an important legal precedent in the field. The court based its ruling on the principle that while trading in virtual assets without a license may constitute a regulatory breach, it does not amount to money laundering unless it is proven that the funds were derived from or used to conceal an unlawful source. This ruling represents a significant legal milestone and contributes to the evolving legal framework for virtual assets in the UAE. It reflects the judiciary’s effort to balance financial innovation with the protection of the financial system. The outcome highlights BSA LAW’s capabilities in handling complex legal challenges related to virtual assets and anti-money laundering. It also reinforces the firm's commitment to protecting client rights and contributing to a progressive legal environment aligned with the UAE’s digital and financial development goals. BSA LAW continues to deliver strategic and effective legal solutions that support the UAE’s vision for innovation and regulatory excellence.

Private wealth is moving away from traditional formats. As assets shift off paper and into digital form, investors are rethinking how they store and transfer value across borders. Over the past two years, tokenisation has gained ground as a practical way to represent ownership of real assets in units that are easier to divide, safeguard and pass on. Since 2022, the UAE has started rolling out clear regulatory frameworks to support this change. Both DIFC and ADGM now license custody providers for tokenised securities and alternative assets under financial services law, and ADGM’s latest updates have expanded the scope of what custodians can hold and manage under regulated conditions. This article looks at how these developments are shaping long-term wealth planning, and why custody is becoming central to that shift. DIFC and ADGM: Building regulated infrastructure Since 2022, the UAE has started to formalise how digital assets are held and safeguarded. Both DIFC and ADGM now license custodians to hold tokenised equity, structured products and alternative assets like real estate funds and private shares. This has created a clearer path for private wealth to be held securely, passed on and accessed under controlled conditions. Custody tools can be linked to external systems, allowing for transfers, permissions and oversight without losing control. Together, these steps are laying the groundwork for digitised capital markets and a more structured way to manage long-term value. From crypto to capital: Real use cases emerging Tokenisation is starting to show its value in areas well beyond crypto trading. Family offices are using it to bring flexibility to holdings that were once difficult to divide or transfer. That includes income-producing property, closed-end funds and hard assets such as art or collectibles. A tokenised stake in a leased commercial building, for instance, can be sold in smaller units, giving family members access to cash flow without needing to liquidate the full asset. High-value art or vintage cars can be held in digital form, shared among heirs, or sold in portions when needed. Private equity interests, which often tie up capital for years, can now be structured more transparently, with access permissions and tracking built in. This shift makes it easier to involve more people in ownership, manage shared holdings across generations and plan transitions with fewer complications. Tokenised assets that once sat outside formal systems can now be brought under regulated custody with clearer controls over access and transfer. Wealth planning and succession: New tools for control Tokenised assets are adding new flexibility to long-term wealth planning. Ownership can now be placed in private vehicles like SPVs or Foundations, with embedded rules on how those holdings are managed or transferred. These structures help preserve intent, provide continuity and reduce the need for probate. Custody providers can link permissions directly to these vehicles, supporting family agreements, shared access and conditional transfers triggered by events such as death or incapacity. The result is more control with fewer complications, especially for families with multi-jurisdiction estates. Tokenisation doesn’t replace familiar estate tools. It adds clarity and portability to established structures while keeping their legal foundations intact. Practical adoption: How families are starting to use it Some families are already applying these tools in real structures. Instead of maintaining separate setups in each country, they’re using a unified custody framework paired with SPVs, Foundations or DIFC Wills to organise rights and define access. Tokenised assets are being arranged to reflect tax and legal rules across jurisdictions, without needing to rework the structure every time. This simplifies estate planning for families with heirs in multiple countries or where holdings span legal systems. When rules on access are already built in, transitions become quicker, clearer and less dependent on local processes. What once took months of paperwork can now be handled within an agreed framework that works across borders. Banks and custody tech: integration in motion Banks in the UAE are beginning to work more closely with custody tech firms, connecting their systems to platforms built to safeguard tokenised assets. This lets banks offer the same level of security for tokenised property or private securities as they already do for cash or gold. The result is a growing number of bank-backed custody solutions that feel familiar to clients but are powered by third-party tech in the background. Some are using white-label models to get to market faster, while keeping the client experience under their own brand. It is a shift that makes tokenisation feel less like an experiment and more like a service built into the financial system. For investors, it means trusted institutions can now store digital assets to institutional standards, without new processes or platforms to learn. Why this matters to investors These are still early moves, but they’re shaping how private wealth is now being managed in practice. Institutional systems are starting to absorb it, giving tokenised wealth a clearer role in long-term planning. For investors, that means more flexibility in how ownership is recorded, shared or passed on. Structures can reflect family intent, function across borders and stay in place through generational shifts. It’s not a change in what is being owned, but rather how ownership is being organised, and as the tools improve, they’re making long-term control, portability and cross-border access simpler to build into the structure from the start.