An extended winter break for UAE college students, new visa-on-arrival guidelines in Kuwait, and record-breaking Dubai property gross sales made headlines within the Center East this week.
From landmark resort launches to transformative transport tasks there have been additionally main modifications in training, journey, actual property, and infrastructure throughout the UAE and GCC
Atone for the most important information tales this week, as chosen by Arabian Enterprise editors.
UAE college calendar for 2025-2026: Longer winter break and new mid-term holidays revealed
The UAE has introduced the tutorial calendar for private and non-private sector colleges within the 2025-2026 tutorial yr, introducing unified time period dates, longer breaks, and new mid-term holidays.
The UAE Ministry of Training (MoE) unveiled the brand new college calendar, which was permitted by the Training, Human Improvement and Neighborhood Improvement Council. The up to date schedule will take impact from August 25, 2025, aligning with the nation’s “12 months of Neighborhood” targets to strengthen household cohesion and create a balanced studying atmosphere.
See key dates for UAE college yr 2025-2026 right here.
Kuwait proclaims new visa for expats in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman
Kuwait has introduced new visa on arrival guidelines for expat residents residing within the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.
The brand new visa was introduced by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Inside Sheikh Fahad Al Yousef Al Sabah.
The vacationer go to visa is obtainable to residents of GCC nations and is designed to spice up tourism from neighbouring nations.
The place Dubai rents rose and fell in first half of 2025
Dubai’s rental market delivered combined efficiency throughout the first half of 2025, with luxurious waterfront communities posting steep will increase while budget-friendly neighbourhoods skilled vital declines, in accordance with business specialists and market information.
The most important winners have been prime areas like Enterprise Bay and Dubai Marina, the place rental charges surged pushed by younger professionals searching for proximity to Dubai’s monetary districts. In the meantime, areas like Worldwide Metropolis and Discovery Gardens noticed rents tumble as regulatory crackdowns and elevated competitors took their toll.
“Enterprise Bay noticed rental charges improve in H1, pushed by excessive demand from younger professionals and its proximity to Downtown Dubai and DIFC,” stated Ronan Arthur, Director and Head of Residential Valuation at Cavendish Maxwell.
UAE actual property: Etihad Rail to spice up property market and create new commerce and funding corridors
Etihad Rail will rework actual property, funding and commerce throughout the UAE, in accordance with a property CEO within the nation.
A UAE property professional says the advantages delivered by Etihad Rail will lengthen far past actual property, creating new corridors for residing, commerce, and funding throughout the Emirates.
Firas Al Msaddi, CEO of fäm Properties, believes the Etihad Rail community will rework the UAE’s financial panorama by boosting connectivity, lowering journey instances, and driving real demand in rising markets.
UAE proclaims main new passport rule
UAE residents will now be capable of renew their passports as much as one yr earlier than the expiry date, following a brand new resolution by the Federal Authority for Id, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Safety (ICP).
Beforehand, the renewal interval was restricted to 6 months earlier than expiry. The up to date rule — introduced by ICP Chairman Ali Mohammed Al Shamsi — comes into impact Monday, August 18, 2025, and might be accessible by way of the Authority’s sensible providers platform.
Al Shamsi stated the transfer will enhance residents’ high quality of life by permitting them to plan worldwide journey additional prematurely, full official transactions with out delays, and improve the usage of safe digital paperwork.
Dubai Sensible Rental Index bears fruit as landlords recalibrate pricing methods
Tenants are efficiently utilizing Dubai’s Sensible Rental Index to problem unjustified lease hikes, resulting in fairer rental agreements and decreased conflicts with landlords, because the regulatory instrument delivers on its promise to reasonable excessive rental will increase seven months after its introduction.
The Index, launched by the Dubai Land Division (DLD) in January 2025, has shifted bargaining energy in the direction of tenants and created what brokers describe as a extra balanced rental market, with information from the primary half of 2025 revealing divergent developments throughout completely different value segments and neighbourhoods.
Landlords are recalibrating their pricing methods in response to the bogus intelligence-powered instrument, which makes use of a number of information factors together with rental contract values, space averages, and constructing classifications to find out truthful rental changes while requiring landlords to supply 90 days’ discover for will increase.
Dubai property gross sales hit $14bn in July as off-plan demand and rents surge, prime builders revealed
Dubai’s residential actual property market continued its upward trajectory in July 2025, with Betterhomes reporting robust development in each gross sales and leasing, pushed by strong off-plan demand and an inflow of latest tenants.
Drawing on information from Property Monitor and its personal transactions, the agency highlighted vital month-on-month beneficial properties in volumes, values, and rental exercise.
- Common value per sq. foot: AED1,893 ($516), up 3.3 per cent from June
- Complete transactions: 18,816, up 20.5 per cent month-on-month
- Complete gross sales worth: AED51.3bn ($13.96bn), a ten.6 per cent improve
- Off-plan gross sales: 65 per cent of transactions, up from 62 per cent in June
Mandarin Oriental to open Dubai resort and branded residences in Wasl Tower by October 2025
Mandarin Oriental is increasing its footprint in Dubai with the launch of its second property, Mandarin Oriental Downtown, Dubai, set to open in October 2025.
Situated inside Wasl Tower, a placing new addition to the Sheikh Zayed Street skyline, the resort will function 259 rooms and suites and 224 non-public residences. A rooftop helipad will present seamless VIP arrivals.
The tower itself is ready to turn into a design landmark, boasting the area’s tallest ceramic façade and a particular twisting type.
Dubai actual property insights 2025: What are GCC property buyers prioritising in H2?
Dubai actual property buyers are on the lookout for off-plan properties, excessive rental yields, and long-term life-style investments, in accordance with evaluation by brokerage and improvement agency Asico.
Asico has recognized key developments shaping GCC purchaser preferences for the second half of 2025 based mostly on detailed market evaluation and direct shopper suggestions.
Wail Abualhamail, Director of Actual Property at Asico, stated: “We’ve seen a major improve in enquiries from GCC purchasers, particularly these searching for a mix of capital appreciation and life-style worth. Our purchasers are usually not simply on the lookout for property, they’re making long-term selections tied to household life, earnings technology, and future stability within the UAE.”
Abu Dhabi to scrap highway toll caps from September 1 beneath new guidelines
Abu Dhabi’s Built-in Transport Centre has introduced main modifications to the emirate’s Street Toll Government Rules (DARB), aimed toward enhancing visitors movement and easing congestion on predominant roads throughout peak hours.
Efficient Monday, September 1, 2025, the night toll interval might be introduced ahead to run from 3pm to 7pm, whereas the morning interval stays unchanged at 7am to 9am, Monday to Saturday.
Tolls will proceed to be free on Sundays and public holidays.
