Table of Contents
How to Start an Other Accommodation Business in Dubai with Meydan Free Zone
ISIC class 5590 occupies a distinct position in the accommodation taxonomy. Where the 5510.xx codes cover short-stay visitor accommodation and 5520.xx covers outdoor and vehicle-based leisure accommodation, 5590 covers the accommodation of necessity: the student residence, the workers’ hostel, the boarding house, the school dormitory. These are not facilities for visitors seeking experiences, they are housing infrastructure for people who are in a place for a purpose: to study, to work, to live temporarily while earning. The global student accommodation market was valued at USD 11.44 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 17.81 billion by 2033 at a CAGR of 5.04%, according to Straits Research¹. The combined students and workers non-residential accommodation market, covering dormitories, off-campus establishments, and migrant workers’ accommodation, is projected to reach USD 29.16 billion by 2028 at a CAGR of 11.3%, according to The Business Research Company².
The UAE context for this class is particularly significant across two distinct sub-segments. The country is an established international education hub, with universities from the UK, US, and Australia operating campuses across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. Student accommodation in Dubai ranges from AED 1,500 to AED 3,500 per month for shared apartments and from AED 2,000 to AED 3,000 per month for on-campus housing in Abu Dhabi, with purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) growing rapidly at Dubai International Academic City and other education clusters. PBSA accounts for 43 to 45% of the global student accommodation market, making it the dominant sub-segment.
Worker accommodation operates under a comprehensive and actively enforced regulatory framework. Under UAE law, companies with 50 or more workers whose monthly salary is AED 1,500 or below are legally required to provide accommodation that meets Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) standards. The MOHRE launched its Labour Accommodation System in 2024 as the first national platform for registering worker accommodation facilities across the country. Ministerial Resolution No. 83 of 2020 sets the cornerstone standards including a minimum space requirement of 3.5 square metres per person, alongside ventilation, sanitation, dining, laundry, prayer, and medical care requirements. No Meydan Free Zone third-party pre-approval is required, though operators of worker accommodation must comply separately with MOHRE registration obligations.
Who is this for?
| Audience Segment | Profile |
|---|---|
| Student residence and dormitory operators | Operators of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), university-affiliated student residences, school dormitories, and educational boarding facilities providing single or shared room accommodation for students enrolled in higher education or secondary boarding institutions. |
| Workers’ hostel and labour accommodation operators | Operators of workers’ hostels, labour camps, and employer-provided accommodation facilities providing shared or single room accommodation for migrant workers, seasonal workers, and employees in construction, industrial, and service sectors, in compliance with UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation standards. |
| Rooming house and transitional accommodation operators | Operators of rooming houses, boarding houses, and transitional shared accommodation facilities providing single or shared room lodging for workers, seasonal employees, transient residents, and individuals requiring temporary accommodation beyond the short-stay hotel model. |
5590.00 - Other Accommodation
| Category | Scope |
|---|---|
| Student residences, PBSA and school dormitories | Student residence, purpose-built student accommodation and school dormitory operations Operation of student residences, purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), university-affiliated halls of residence, school dormitories, and educational boarding facilities providing furnished single or shared room accommodation for students enrolled at universities, colleges, schools, or other educational institutions. |
| Workers’ hostels and labour accommodation | Workers’ hostel and labour accommodation operations Operation of workers’ hostels, labour camps, and employer-provided or third-party worker accommodation facilities providing single or shared room or dormitory accommodation for migrant workers, seasonal workers, construction and industrial sector employees, and service sector workers. |
| Rooming houses and transitional accommodation | Rooming house and transitional shared accommodation operations Operation of rooming houses, boarding houses, and transitional shared accommodation providing single or shared rooms for seasonal workers, transient employees, individuals in temporary employment situations, and residents requiring a non-hotel shared living arrangement during periods of occupational or personal transition. |
Code 5590.00 covers accommodation for students, workers, and individuals requiring temporary or longer-term functional lodging. It does not cover short-stay visitor hotels and guesthouses (ISIC class 5510); camping grounds, RV parks, and outdoor accommodation (ISIC class 5520); or the provision of long-term permanent residential accommodation through lease or ownership (ISIC 6820). It also does not cover social housing or welfare accommodation provided by government or charitable entities (ISIC 8730–8790), or educational institution accommodation provided as an integral part of educational services (ISIC division 85). Operators of workers’ hostels and labour camps must additionally comply with MOHRE registration requirements under Ministerial Resolution No. 83 of 2020 and the Labour Accommodation System, separately from the Meydan Free Zone licence.
In short: if you provide accommodation for students, workers, or individuals in shared rooms or dormitories for functional rather than leisure purposes, no Meydan Free Zone pre-approval is required and you are in. If you operate a short-stay visitor hotel, a camping facility, or permanent residential housing, you are not under this code.
Third-Party Approval
Other Accommodation does not require pre-approval from any third-party regulatory authority as a condition of the Meydan Free Zone licence; however, operators of workers’ accommodation must separately comply with UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) registration requirements under the Labour Accommodation System and applicable ministerial resolutions.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
Other Accommodation is not classified as a Designated Non-Financial Business or Profession (DNFBP) under UAE anti-money laundering legislation, and businesses operating under this activity code are not subject to AML registration or reporting obligations specific to this licence category.
References
- ¹ Straits Research, Global Student Accommodation Market Size, Share and Forecast to 2033 - https://straitsresearch.com/press-release/global-student-accommodation-market-size
- ² The Business Research Company, Students and Workers Non-Residential Accommodation Global Market Report - https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/students-and-workers-non-residential-accommodation-global-market-report
- ³ Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, MoHRE Launches New Edition of Labour Accommodation System - https://mohre.gov.ae/en/media-center/news/27/2/2024/mohre-launches-new-edition-of-labour-accommodation-system-to-raise-awareness-about-regulated-accommo
- ⁴ University Living, Student Accommodation United Arab Emirates - https://www.universityliving.com/country/united-arab-emirates
- ⁵ Labour Accommodation UAE, UAE’s Labor Accommodation Rules 2024 - https://www.laboraccommodation.ae/uaes-labor-accommodation-rules-2024/
