Planning to move out of your job and start your own consultancy? Abu Dhabi's Department of Economic Development has just made it easier for skilled professionals in certain categories to apply for a work permit without the need for a company’s sponsorship.

The Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting economic slowdown have had a major impact on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) globally. SMEs are the backbone of the UAE economy, contributing about 52 per cent of the country’s non-oil gross domestic product, according to an estimate by the Ministry of Economy in December 2019.