WEBINAR REPLAY – recorded on April 29th, 2026
Expats and business owners in the UAE: your legal rights during crisis
A free recorded session to understand your legal rights, risks and options as an expat or business owner in the UAE during the current crisis. Sign up to receive the replay link by email.
WHAT THE REPLAY COVERS
60 minutes.
Seven critical topics.
A structured Q&A, few slides, no lectures. Just Romain Astruc answering the questions that matter most, guided by the host.
Agenda
1. Tax residency at risk
The 183-day rule and what it means if you have left the UAE. Force majeure exceptions under discussion at the Federal Tax Authority – what has been confirmed and what has not. How to avoid accidentally triggering tax residency in your home country. Permanent Establishment risk if you are running a UAE business remotely from abroad. What to document and what to do now to protect your status.
2. Employment law: salary cuts, unpaid leave and your rights
Can your employer reduce your salary without your consent? What does UAE law say about unpaid leave, forced leave, and reduced working hours? What employers must do to stay compliant — including written consent, MOHRE registration, and fair application across the workforce. Guidance for both employees and employers navigating the current downturn.
3. Termination: end-of-service rights and protections
Wrongful dismissal protections under UAE labour law. Notice periods, end-of-service gratuity calculations, and the two-year window to file labour claims. What constitutes lawful vs. unlawful termination. The new penalties for employers — fines of up to AED 1 million. What to do if you have been terminated and what steps to take immediately.
4. Employees stranded abroad
Your rights if you cannot return to the UAE due to flight disruptions or security concerns. Salary continuation obligations, justified absence, and the employer’s duty of good faith. Remote work from abroad — is it a valid substitute, and what are the legal and tax implications? How to protect your position while you are away.
5. Commercial contracts and force majeure
When the current situation qualifies as force majeure under UAE law — the three legal tests that must be met. Your options when clients cancel, suppliers default, or partners walk away. How to renegotiate or exit contracts legally. Sector-specific risks for hospitality, events, logistics and trade. What clauses to include in future contracts to protect yourself.
6. Real estate: Off-plan, leases and investments
Payment obligations on off-plan purchases — can you pause, reschedule, or withdraw? Tenant rights to break a lease and the 90-day notice process. Managing property and investments from abroad. The current market correction and what it means for your portfolio. Escrow protections and cancellation frameworks.
7. Visas, wills and powers of attorney
Immigration status versus tax residency — two different things with different rules. Golden Visa grace periods and recent updates. Why every expat in the UAE needs a registered will — and what happens without one. Setting up a power of attorney to manage your UAE affairs remotely: types, requirements, notarisation, and consular authentication. Banking access and fund repatriation from abroad.
WHY THIS SESSION MATTERS
The crisis changed the rules. Do you know where you stand?
Whether you stayed in the UAE, left temporarily, or are managing your affairs from abroad, the legal and financial consequences are unfolding over the next 12 to 18 months. Getting clarity now is not optional.
1.
Your Tax Status May Be at Risk
If you have left the UAE, every day abroad reduces your chance of meeting the 183-day residency threshold. UAE authorities are considering flexibility — but nothing is confirmed. Learn what to do now to protect your position.
2.
Your Employment Rights Are Clear
Salary cuts without your written consent are illegal under UAE law. Employers cannot place you on unpaid leave without agreement. Know exactly what the law says — whether you are an employee or an employer navigating this downturn.
3.
Your Contracts and Property Need Attention
Force majeure claims, lease terminations, off-plan obligations, supplier defaults — the legal landscape has shifted. Get practical guidance on how to protect your commercial and real estate interests.
YOUR SPEAKER
A senior lawyer who understands both sides of the story.
A structured Q&A, no slides, no lectures. Just Romain Astruc answering the questions that matter most.
Romain founded Astruc & Co to offer what large firms often cannot: direct, senior-level legal guidance with real business understanding. He advises international entrepreneurs, expat families and corporate clients across the UAE on structuring, tax, employment, real estate and dispute resolution — always with one foot in the legal framework and one in the business reality.
With deep expertise in both French and UAE legal systems, Romain brings a unique cross-border perspective that is especially valuable in the current environment. He does not delegate to junior staff. When you work with Astruc & Co, you work with him.
Get the replay
Understand your legal rights, risks and options as an expat or business owner in the UAE during the current crisis.
WHO WE ARE
Who is ASTRUC & Co
A personal, senior-level approach to legal counsel — for individuals and families who need clarity, discretion, and results.
1.
Your lawyer, not a junior
Your case is handled by a senior lawyer who knows your file inside out — no hand-offs, no call centres. You speak directly with the person doing the work.
2.
Solutions, not just opinions
We don’t just explain the law — we tell you what to do. Practical, actionable guidance built around your personal situation, your timeline, and what’s really at stake.
3.
At home between cultures
French law, UAE law, international frameworks — we navigate the intersections that matter for expatriates, mixed-nationality families, and cross-border investors.
More Than Legal Counsel
With You, All The Way
Life in the UAE brings extraordinary opportunities — and equally complex legal realities. Whether you’re relocating your family, navigating a divorce across jurisdictions, or structuring an inheritance that spans continents, you deserve a legal partner who understands both the technicalities and the human side of what you’re going through. At ASTRUC & Co, we treat every client’s situation as if it were our own.
From our offices in Dubai to our network spanning Riyadh, Paris, and Luxembourg, we bring senior-level attention to every matter — personal or financial. We believe the best legal advice is honest, clear, and delivered by someone who genuinely cares about the outcome. That’s why our clients stay with us, and why they come back when life presents its next chapter.
Trusted by international companies
Supporting businesses from start-ups to multinationals.
The consequences last months. Your preparation starts now.
Get the replay link to watch this free recorded session and understand your legal rights, risks and options as an expat or business owner in the UAE during the current crisis.
