Jobs in Dubai – Finding Employment in the UAE
Many job hunters still believe that the streets of Dubai are paved with gold. This may be true to some extent – Dubai is a tax free haven where net income is typically much higher than in other parts of the world. Even so, securing employment is not always easy. Approximately 80% of the population in Dubai consists of foreigners and competition for desired employment positions can be fierce. It is best to have an offer in hand from a company before traveling to Dubai. Of course this may not always be possible and there are certain advantages to traveling Dubai in hopes of finding a job as opposed to searching from one’s home country. For example, many employers will give preference to hiring someone actually in Dubai (and thus available for an interview), rather than having to endure the extra hassle and risk of hiring someone sight unseen. However, there is no guarantee of landing a job before expiration of one’s visa, making a bit of luck and local contacts invaluable in the process.
Once a job seeker has secured a position, a contract will be signed and the employer will act as the sponsor. The contract should include basic salary, job title and description, length of the contract, and termination conditions among other things. It is vital to negotiate a good package including salary, housing, and school fees if the employee has children. Other allowances may include coverage for medical, transportation, utilities, and / or annual vacation with an airplane ticket to one’s home country. (The law stipulates that companies must provide a vacation / airplane ticket at least every two years). Each company is different and packages will vary. The work week also varies from company to company with some working straight shift and some working split shift (with a few hours break in the middle of the day).