10 Things You Can Do to Make Money as an Immigrant in Dubai

What are the top things you can do as an immigrant to make money in Dubai legitimately?

Dubai’s booming economy is rich in terms of trade, infrastructure, geographical connectivity, multicultural setting, peaceful co-existence, social welfare, and expat-friendly laws.

People from all over the world including the United States are migrating to Dubai to explore various profitable business opportunities and make money in the glamorous city. 

Over 50,000 people have migrated from the United States to make the United Arab Emirates (UAE) their home. Dubai is not the only Emirate in the UAE, yet as new immigrants arrive in the country, they pick Dubai as their preferred place to live and work. Americans in the country have more of them living in Dubai while a lesser population resides in Abu Dhabi and elsewhere.

Dubai is the ultimate choice for Americans as well as other nationals because of the wealth and opulence the city offers. More importantly, green business opportunities can easily help immigrants to start making money living in the city.

How easy is it to make money in Dubai as an immigrant from the United States? Immigrants in Dubai can make money as much as they want. Of course, they must work and commit time to venture and explore the opportunities of the luxury city. 

Although the cost of living is high, it is nothing to Americans who have witnessed a higher cost of living in US cities like New York or Honolulu. To keep up with the luxury and maintain a healthy social status and recognition, US immigrants can take advantage of Dubai’s friendly business atmosphere to register a reputable company right there in Dubai. 

Top 10 Successful Small Business Ideas for People Moving to Dubai, UAE

In this article, you will find 10 things an immigrant can do to make money in Dubai. The following are things foreigners from North America can do to make money in Dubai.  

1. E-commerce

Operating an e-commerce business is one way to make money as an immigrant in Dubai. The e-commerce business has witnessed exponential growth in the UAE since after the Covid pandemic.

Setting up an e-commerce business doesn’t require huge investment capital. To be successful at it, you must identify a model for the business. Whether to establish a B2B e-commerce type, B2C, or the less popular C2B model.

There are high internet facilities for this kind of business. The mixed population can easily access the internet to make their purchase.

2. Tourism Services

Dubai is a soft spot for tourist attractions. The environment offers a rich blend of culture, beautiful architecture, and climate. Immigrants who are willing to put in the effort will make good money by operating a travel and tourism agency business.

Setting up a tourism business in Dubai follows a simple process of understanding the sector, acquiring the necessary licenses, and completing the needful paperwork. Thereafter, you can sell tourism packages (offline and online), provide accommodation services, issue travel insurance, sell flights and bus tickets, and provide car rental services. 

3. Business Consulting Services

Small and medium-sized businesses are constantly on the rise in the United Arab Emirates. Many of these startups need business consultancy services. Experienced immigrants should have a flair for business growth and productivity to make money with their own consulting business in Dubai. Immigrants with experience can help new settlers launch their businesses and likewise make a decent income doing it. 

4. Start a Restaurant Business

Food is a basic need everywhere in the world. Immigrants with culinary expertise can operate a restaurant and make a living doing it.

The restaurant business in Dubai is all about class and style. People pick interest in foods that meet their unique tastes. Therefore, you must identify the category to set up your restaurant business. Can you easily set up a fast-food outlet, a full dining restaurant, or an online food mart?

Moreso, you can decide to operate a restaurant to fit a particular community: Western delicacies, Africana foods, or strictly Arabian cuisine. Whichever one you pick, you will generate massive sales if you meet your customers’ tastes and demands.

5. Retail Outlets

Starting a grocery store is another unique way to make money. Retail outlets that are open in the morning to late at night are good business opportunities for expats who have the time.

These retail outlets can provide daily house commodities, canned foods, liquor, and other consumer goods in high demand. You could also set up the online aspect of the retail business if you intend to meet offline and online markets in Dubai. 

6. Real Estate Agency Business

Another profitable business you can start in Dubai is real estate marketing. As new people relocate to Dubai, they tend to need estate services. Experienced immigrants with knowledge of Dubai leasing and property laws can consider launching a startup that provides real estate services in residential, commercial, or industrial fields.

7. Start a Beauty and Spa Center

Entrepreneurs with beauty and spa ideas can launch small business startups in this line. Many busy tourists, expats, and other residents look forward to the weekends to take care of themselves. Since beauty never goes out of trend, anyone can explore the trend to start services that include full body massage, pedicures, manicures, facials, and other supporting services.

8. Start a Jewelry Business

If there is something an immigrant with a love for precious stones, ornaments and pieces of jewelry generally can do to make money in Dubai, is to set up their own jewelry business.

The jewelry sector is lucrative in Dubai, especially, because tourists and expats prefer to buy their gold here. Dubai is popularly known as the City of Gold and Jewelry traders come from far and near to exchange money for gold and diamond in the city. Setting up a gold and diamond jewelry store or supply will help you to harness the opulence and wealth Dubai offers.

9. IT Services

There is a high demand for IT companies because of the growing need for digitization in different industries. Businesses and institutions also need to update their digital solutions from time to time. As an IT geek, you can provide these services to other companies. 

The Dubai Internet City (DIC) and Dubai Media City (DMC) facilitate the work of IT personnel to innovate and provide better IT services and solutions. An immigrant who is IT-savvy gets this as a plus to launch their business in providing technological solutions and services.

Information and Communication Technologies have grown beyond providing web and mobile-based solutions. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies are gaining ground in Dubai and across nations. There are numerous applications of artificial intelligence that are in high demand in Dubai. 

10. Courier/Logistics Services

Courier service options are a great startup idea for anyone intending to launch into the logistics sector in the long run. While couriers are paid to deliver goods or materials, logistics constitutes the entire process. 

The ease of import and export trade is supported by local laws and improves the whole process of logistic services. An immigrant can start a logistics business by offering courier services first. And as you gain ground with a good customer base, you can venture into a full-blown logistics company.