MOCI has increased the number of home-based businesses from 15 to 63 in a bid to encourage more Qataris

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) of Qatar has expanded the number of permitted firms from 15 to 63 to encourage more Qataris to start home-based enterprises.

First to tweet about the MOCI's decision on his social media account was Ramzan Al Naimi, the creative director of Innovation Café, a unique innovation and design firm situated in Qatar.

“An announcement from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry increasing the number of activities related to home license (for Qataris) from 15 activities to more than 60 commercial activities,” he posted on X.

He provided the list of companies that have been granted licences along with the price of doing so. You may view the entire list here (in Arabic). It is anticipated that in the future, locals and foreigners will also be able to access the list of home-based enterprises, even if it is presently solely applicable to Qataris. 

The list states that 21 activities will only require an initial QAR200 licence cost. Although QAR500 may be used to secure a licence for 27 home-based enterprises, QAR1,000 is required for 15 firms.