How Silberson Supports GCC Market Entry
Why the GCC, and why now?
Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain are not the same markets they were five years ago. Vision 2030 has pushed Saudi Arabia to open sectors previously closed to foreign operators, streamline business licensing, and aggressively court outside investment. That creates real opportunity. It also creates a compliance environment that moves fast and punishes companies that treat it as an afterthought.
Saudization quotas, Iqama requirements, GOSI registration, employment contracts under Saudi Labour Law — the detail compounds quickly. Meanwhile, demand for skilled talent across all three countries consistently outpaces local supply. Companies entering the region often need people on the ground before they have a legal entity in place. That gap is exactly where an Employer of Record arrangement earns its cost.
Regulatory complexity is the common thread. Bahrain’s LMRA requirements, Saudi Arabia’s Nitaqat system, UAE free zone versus mainland distinctions — none of these have clean one-size-fits-all answers. The companies that struggle in the GCC usually found that out after the fact.
Our Markets: Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain.
We have offices in Bahrain, Riyadh and Dubai. Each market has its own regulatory logic, its own labour law, and its own pace. Saudi Arabia is our oldest market — we have been doing corporate immigration and Saudization compliance there since the company started. Bahrain followed, where we built out our EOR capability and Bahrainization support. The UAE practice covers business setup, HR services and mobility for companies using Dubai as a regional hub.
Working across all three markets from the same team means our clients do not have to brief three different providers when they expand.