You like to work in Dubai, but don’t know where to start? Let me tell you, you’re not alone! I get lots of Email from people who like to live and work in Dubai, but don’t know how or where to get a visa, or even how to find a job there. But it’s not rocket science and for every problem, of course there is a solution. Lately I have been asked what job somebody could do in Dubai, so I gonna answer this one first.

 

Where can I work in Dubai?

What job you can do in Dubai depends on your trainings and qualifications in the first place. Basically you can say, in Dubai you can do any job you can do on every other place on earth, except special jobs, which depend on a region or something like that. It doesn’t matter if you’re a nurse, a mechanic or an IT-specialist. There is a need for everything. Important is just, that you have good eligibility and moreover professional experience. This are two important things you need everywhere all over the world and Dubai is here no exemption. Because of the flood of people trying to get a job here, it might be even more difficult to prick out of that crowd. They pay what they get and not what you wish for.

 

Where to find a job in Dubai?

You can buy a ticket and just take the very next flight to Dubai to look for a job on spot. This could be a really interesting adventure, but you could end up having stress. Because you don’t know which company is actually looking for new employees and you wont have the time to check every company in the U.A.E. So better inform yourself before you take a trip to Dubai. For that there are lots of job-finder in the internet. Web pages like dubizzle.com, headhunter-dubai.com, jobsindubai.com, stepstone.com or bayt.com are just some of them. Also the career page LinkedIn can be a great help. If you still can’t find anything suitable you can look on Facebook for Dubai-groups. Some people, who are based in Dubai, post jobs there at times as well. Another option are the various career pages of the companies themselves. Companies are always looking for well-trained people ready to work abroad.

 

How to get to Dubai?

If you have found a company to work for in Dubai, call yourself lucky. This is the easiest way to get there, because the company will get a labor-visa for you. For that you just have to send them some documents. To get a visa on your own is not possible. You always need a sponsor. That way they screen the immigration. So it is really difficult to find any part-time jobs. To do business as a freelancer you will need a trade license. With this license you will also get a residence visa. It takes around two weeks to get this visa. For the reason that visa guidelines are changing really fast, it is better to inform yourself before going to Dubai. The best way will be to find a company to get the full support.

This has another advantage. Depending on your job and position you will get a company accommodation and transportation to and from work. If not there is an allowance included in your salary, but makes things for you more complicated. Especially in the first couple of weeks, when everything is strange.

The labor contracts are up to international standards. Working hours, job specification, reward as well as the allowances are regulated therein. The period of notice and related conditions are regulated as well. The notice period lies between one to three months. An indemnity will be paid in most cases, of cause depending on your contract, mostly to the amount of a one-month salary. But as I said, this depends on your job and position. Before breaking down your household and everything, check your contract for a condition, which regulates that you are only employed, if all your documents are clear. In this case, just be sure everything goes the right way BEFORE leaving. Also check your labor contract precisely for the possibility to change the employer. Some companies don’t like taking all the difficulties of getting new staff from abroad to shortly lose them to a competitor. So it could be a condition that you have to leave the country for a while, before you can start working for another employer. I just want you to be aware of this. It is still not that easy. To change the company you need a so-called “letter of no objection” from the first employer.

If you found a company, got a visa and arrived in Dubai, you have to undergo a medical test. The blood will be tested and the lungs x-rayed. If a HIV test is positive, the country must be left.

How much could I earn?

This depends, of course, on your job, position and so on. Basically I would say that the payment is fair, so that you can live well in the U.A.E.

But don’t be driven by any illusion about working hours and conditions. Especially in the service sector, 50 hours a week are normal and. In a 6-days-week maybe even more! Vacation is mostly 30 days, means 4 weeks! Just be aware of that.

If your accommodation is not in Dubai, you might calculate some travel time. If you are living in Sharjah, it could take you 1 to 2 hours for one track! But this really depends on the location of your flat. Some accommodations, build in the desert behind Dubai, you can reach in 15 to 20 minutes.

Also be aware that any trouble with the law can affect your labor contract. All companies are owned by locals, so better think twice before taking any action against a company or a local. There is a labor law, but it is not at the same level like for example in most western countries.

That sounds like a lot of struggle. But sitting on the beach or going to the clubs on weekends can be a good reward to make it worth living and working there. My opinion!

 

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