# Finding a job in the UAE (Dubai)



## Rahmani (Jun 14, 2006)

I grew up in Dubai and by the age of 12 we moved to The Netherlands. Next year I will have finished my Bachelor of Economics in Marketing and will start my Masters of Science in Consulting and Entrepreneurship.

The life that I have here is not bad, yet I do not see my future here and have been a bit homesick since the day I arrived. I see my future in Dubai, but am not sure where to start. I would like to move to Dubai asap, but I would need an income in Dubai to support my life.

After searching the internet, I was not able to find a lot of information about working in the UAE, finding jobs there and other information regarding salary, housing and so on.

Maybe this has been discussed before here, but I failed to find the search function.

Are there people here who can help me in my search? Share their experiences and knowledge?

Thank you


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## Krazy (Apr 27, 2004)

try www.bayt.com and www.jobsindubai.com


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## thedubailife (Nov 19, 2005)

^^ Heard bad things about jobs in dubai that they take your registraion money and don't find matches etc. Bayt is a good place to start and i think it's free.


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## Krazy (Apr 27, 2004)

dont they claim to provide you with a refund if you dont find a job within 6 months or something like that?


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## AltinD (Jul 15, 2004)

Dubai is a good place if a company offers you a job in Dubai, and is forced to provide you with a good packagge, otherwise just forget it.


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## Biakko (Sep 19, 2005)

Krazy said:


> dont they claim to provide you with a refund if you dont find a job within 6 months or something like that?


No. Jobsindubai is a scam, they never send back any money...


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## Krazy (Apr 27, 2004)

I wasnt aware of that... a friend of mine tried that site but now that I think about it.. he never found a job (he moved to Belgium instead) and I doubt he got his money back.


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## Rahmani (Jun 14, 2006)

Thank you.

After searching. I have found a lot of jobs.

My first impression is that companies want a lot, but are not offering a lot in return.
For example. A company is looking for a marketing director with 6 to 8 years of experience, fluent in English and Arabic with a Masters degree from an American University and UAE drivers licence. They are willing to pay 14.000 to 16.000 AED a month.

First of all, I find it totally underpaid. Because someone can make 2x to 4x that in the UK, US, Germany etc…

For a marketing job with my experience and degree, the average pay is 5.000 – 7.000 AED a month.

When you look further and look for a house. There are 2 options. Rent or Buy

Lets say you are looking for a 150m2 (1600 feet) apartment in an average area in Dubai.
Renting such a apartment would cost you around 3500-4000 AED a month. Leaving hardly any money to live on. Buying it would cost around 650.000 – 700.000 AED.
Both ways, its seems that the housing prices are too high or the wages are too low.
Or the job sites and real estate site are not showing the right prices. 


I was searching with my nephew who has his Ph.D in pharmacy. He was shocked at the wages that these sites put. For someone with his degree and experience, companies are willing to pay 8.000 to 12.000 AED according to some jobs website. Which is extremely low, considering he is now making the equivalent of 42.000 AED a month, and had a job offering in the US for the equivalent of 68.000 AED as month.

I think that if Dubai wants to grow as an important city, it needs to attract talented people. I may not be one, but I am positive that my nephew is a really talented person, who based on these wages and house prices will not move to Dubai.

So this makes me wonder… 
-	Is it worth it to work in Dubai? 
-	Are Dubai wages really this low?
-	Are the house prices getting to high?


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## Krazy (Apr 27, 2004)

Dubai has never been known for good jobs... especially if your skin color is against you. Dubai is a business hub. Most of the "upper class" people who live in Dubai have their own business running... and it's a great place to do your business because of the freezones, no taxes, location etc. But as far as working goes.... good luck. My advice, buy a holiday home in Dubai and work in europe.


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## Rahmani (Jun 14, 2006)

So who is the target audience for Dubai's thousands of houses beeing build?

If it is only business owners and people who are buying a second home, then I find it hard to see Dubai truely grow to be an international big city. As cities need a lot of perminent citizens.

A lot of europeans own a second home in south Spain and south Portugal, due to the climate. Yet if you go to these cities outside touriste time. They are ghost towns.


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## koukla (May 25, 2006)

Thing is, the numbers listed on those websites are actually higher than the reality.

Likesaid, if an international company sends you to Dubai while you are already on the job, they are certainly going to give you an appropriate package. But randomly finding a job in Dubai isn't particularly fun. Discrimination is all over the place (there are always exceptions). Jobs are highly underpaid. People normally aim to go to Europe to work rather than stay here.


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## Rahmani (Jun 14, 2006)

@koukla

What you are saying about going to Dubai, while you are already on the job is totally true. As you might know Dutch companies are playing a big role building the Islands and other projects.

A friend of mine was making 2.800 Euro a month (13.000 AED) and has been asked to move to Dubai for 2 years. The company is paying him 3.500 euro (16.000 AED), paying for his family to move to Dubai, paying the full rent of the house, schools for 2 years for his children and covering all healthcare cost.

This is not an exception, but common along Dutch companies sending people to Dubai. So the impression here is that people in Dubai (UAE) are getting much higher wages, than European countries.


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## Biakko (Sep 19, 2005)

Rahmani said:


> @koukla
> 
> What you are saying about going to Dubai, while you are already on the job is totally true. As you might know Dutch companies are playing a big role building the Islands and other projects.
> 
> ...


 :runaway: Which company is it ?


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## smussuw (Feb 1, 2004)

Rahmani, how many years of experience does ur friend have?


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## Rahmani (Jun 14, 2006)

He works for Van Oord, a Dutch Company. I don't know how much experiance he has.


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## Biakko (Sep 19, 2005)

Rahmani said:


> He works for Van Oord, a Dutch Company. I don't know how much experiance he has.


LOL !!! No wonder your friend seems to have an important job in Dubai, just check the first page -----> http://www.vanoord.com/


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## smussuw (Feb 1, 2004)

Considering that ur friend is western 16,000 and his package is way low to what I expected.


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## koukla (May 25, 2006)

Well 16k on its own might seem very little but along with rent and schools paid it means the dude gets to blow 16 grand per month just on himself and family treats.

But yes, even 2 different people with similar qualifications and experience can have quite a range in salary difference in UAE. Let's not forget that gender is also very important and I haven't really seen sexism like the one in Dubai.


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## Rahmani (Jun 14, 2006)

smussuw said:


> Considering that ur friend is western 16,000 and his package is way low to what I expected.


It is a lot more than he is making now, plus he will be able to keep more. Now that he is not paying taxes and most of his cost are beeing payed for.


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## Krazy (Apr 27, 2004)

16,000 with all those benefits (basically no expenses other than food) is a great package.. i dont know what you guys are complaining about. Can I have it please  ?


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## juiced (Aug 18, 2004)

smussuw said:


> Considering that ur friend is western 16,000 and his package is way low to what I expected.


yeah i thought it was a little low too


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## ben_burj6 (Jun 19, 2006)

juiced said:


> yeah i thought it was a little low too


well it depends on sector, i would say juiced that not every one is fortunate to find a job in the booming sex industry  :lol: :lol:


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