The US has taken in more Syrian refugees so far in this fiscal year than the past four combined, despite its focus on Ukraine as Washington sticks to a policy of increasing refugee admissions from around the world, the US embassy in Amman said.
Concern has been growing in Jordan that Ukraine's primacy among US and European donors would undermine help for 667,000 Syrian refugees in the kingdom. More than half of them are due next month to see sharp cuts to their food stipends.
The US has a main operation in Amman to process Syrian and other citizens seeking asylum in America.
The US embassy said Washington was “working to expand our capacity to identify, screen and admit qualified refugees", in line with an official goal set about a year ago to receive 125,000 refugees from around the world during this fiscal year.
“Russia's unjustified war against Ukraine has not altered this goal,” the embassy told The National.
The US fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30.
US President Joe Biden's administration has increased refugee admissions significantly compared with his predecessor Donald Trump, whose government set a cap on the annual number allowed to enter the US at 15,000 worldwide.
The embassy said the US Resettlement Support Centre in Amman "continues to expand its assistance to refugees" across the Middle East and referred to an even larger processing centre in Amman scheduled to open next year.
Washington is a major player in the geopolitical struggles Syria is undergoing, with about 900 US troops in the country.
They are stationed mainly in north-eastern areas controlled by Kurdish militia, a by-product of the fragmentation of Syria that followed the 2011 uprising against five decades of Assad family rule.
The US is also the largest contributor to the international humanitarian aid related to the Syrian conflict, donating $15 billion. A large proportion of those funds have helped Syrian refugees and countries hosting them.
The US has also received 23,364 Syrian refugees from fiscal year 2012 to fiscal year 2021, State Department data shows.
From October 2021 to July 2022 it received 3,795 Syrian refugees, compared with 1,246 for the whole of the 2021 fiscal year.
It is the highest number since fiscal year 2017, when the US took in 6,557 Syrian refugees, and more than the in past four years combined.
Most of the 6.8 million Syrian refugees worldwide are Arab Sunnis, who form the backbone of the opposition against President Bashar Al Assad.
The uprising started with peaceful demonstrations but was met by violent suppression by the regime.
One Syrian refugee in Amman, who has a wife and three children, said the US embassy contacted him this month to reactivate his family's dormant asylum file.
He had fled his home in the Damascus suburb of Douma to Jordan in 2013, before the town was gassed in August that year.
"The embassy scheduled another interview for October. It seems it is for further screening, although we were on the verge of being accepted to go to America four years ago," said the refugee.
After Turkey and Lebanon, Jordan has the most Syrian refugees. The World Food Programme last week said it would cut stipends to 353,000 refugees in the kingdom by one third to $21 or less, partly because of the needs to meet the effects of the Ukraine war.
The embassy said the US, which is by far the WFP's largest donor, would provide additional funding to the organisation to bolster its position in Jordan, which imports 80 per cent of its food.
"The unprovoked Russian war on Ukraine has driven significant increases in food commodity prices globally, severely straining food security in Jordan," the embassy said.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Letstango.com
Started: June 2013
Founder: Alex Tchablakian
Based: Dubai
Industry: e-commerce
Initial investment: Dh10 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month
