mightysaints Posted 13 October, 2008 Share Posted 13 October, 2008 Hi All I may have an oppertunity to work in Dubai for a year. Can anyone offer advise about the pros and cons of working in Dubai. I am a Mechnical and Electrical QS and worked in Dubai 10 years ago for just a month but i know things have moved on a rapid rate over there. I would miss the family and will have to give up the season ticket but Tax free earnings of approx 70k + is very temping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Shearer Posted 13 October, 2008 Share Posted 13 October, 2008 Dubai Phil should be able to help you out. I'd seek him out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master Bates Posted 13 October, 2008 Share Posted 13 October, 2008 Dubai Phil will be with you soon. Also seek out Ericofarabia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted 13 October, 2008 Share Posted 13 October, 2008 Another QS! And an M&E one at that. I bet you're in demand big time. I haven't any first hand experience, but i was talking to my cousin a few weeks ago who is some bigshot lawyer and has been posted there for the last year. He says that accommodation is pretty thin on the ground (and expensive) at the mo, so try and get it as part of the package. Everything is very ex-pat inclined and it's a good standard of living. Most of the labour is asian and most of the management are europeans/yanks. Sorry i can't help out anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 13 October, 2008 Share Posted 13 October, 2008 Lots of questions need to be answered before you come down. Is it a local or a multi-national company What will your visa status be Will they pay housing allowance After that I can help out no problemo. 70k tax free sounds an awful lot when you are over there, but CURRENT 2 bed apartment rentals are around the 20k per year mark IF you can find one. It also depends on where you will actually work. Many "newbies" come down thinking a 30km commute to work is a piece of cake as they do that in the UK, then you find yourself spending 5 hours a day in the worst traffic outside of well anywhere. So in general advice to everyone who gets one of these. Get your employment contract FIRST, be VERY clear on the terms and conditions and whether THEY expect to keep your passport. be VERY clear on "who pays for temporary accomdoation" while you find an apartment and finally, work on the basis that local owned companies may not quite be the same standards of process and ethics and legislation that you are used to. IF everything is ok on this side, it is a great place, not as good as 10 years ago but still a crazy town if you have the right attitude. But you have to come with open eyes, it ain't blighty. And this may help understand the construction biz http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/oct/08/middleeast.construction pm for specifics, I charge one Bullfrog per hour consulting for paid up TSW members Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toofarnorth Posted 13 October, 2008 Share Posted 13 October, 2008 I've heard its getting smelly as the sewers cant cope with all the new buildings. There's an article on the bbc about it today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightysaints Posted 13 October, 2008 Author Share Posted 13 October, 2008 Lots of questions need to be answered before you come down. Is it a local or a multi-national company What will your visa status be Will they pay housing allowance After that I can help out no problemo. 70k tax free sounds an awful lot when you are over there, but CURRENT 2 bed apartment rentals are around the 20k per year mark IF you can find one. It also depends on where you will actually work. Many "newbies" come down thinking a 30km commute to work is a piece of cake as they do that in the UK, then you find yourself spending 5 hours a day in the worst traffic outside of well anywhere. So in general advice to everyone who gets one of these. Get your employment contract FIRST, be VERY clear on the terms and conditions and whether THEY expect to keep your passport. be VERY clear on "who pays for temporary accomdoation" while you find an apartment and finally, work on the basis that local owned companies may not quite be the same standards of process and ethics and legislation that you are used to. IF everything is ok on this side, it is a great place, not as good as 10 years ago but still a crazy town if you have the right attitude. But you have to come with open eyes, it ain't blighty. And this may help understand the construction biz http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/oct/08/middleeast.construction pm for specifics, I charge one Bullfrog per hour consulting for paid up TSW members My present company in the UK is looking for emplyees to go out there. We have many offices in the world but Dubai is the one area they are building up business in. I was out there working in the dry dock some years ago but can see how much it has change from the media and am wondering if it has been built up to far now and can carry on in this current economic climate. The package would inc housing and a car. Do you have to pay any local tax for the living accomodation etc. Thanks for the info you have put out already. As soon as i get everything in writing from my employer i will let you know what the deal is. With regards to the traffic i see nothing has rearly changed there then as it was very bad 10 years ago. Also is it true you still have to wash your car evey week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crouchie's Lawyer Posted 13 October, 2008 Share Posted 13 October, 2008 pm for specifics, I charge one Bullfrog per hour consulting for paid up TSW members Right, I have resisted long enough. What the hell is a bullfrog? And do you own shares in the manufacturing company? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pancake Posted 13 October, 2008 Share Posted 13 October, 2008 Right, I have resisted long enough. What the hell is a bullfrog? And do you own shares in the manufacturing company? White Rum, tequila, vodka, gin and Curacao, with a Red Bull mixer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crouchie's Lawyer Posted 13 October, 2008 Share Posted 13 October, 2008 Quite strong then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 13 October, 2008 Share Posted 13 October, 2008 Quite strong then! Nah not really. It's the Jaeger Bombs that kill you. Other questions Officially there is a "municipality housing fee" which is 5% of your annual rental charge and is added monthly to your electricity and water bill. Having said that, last time I paid it they elec co just gave me credit on my bill.... As for traffic no it is one he** of a lot worse. From my place to Deira (the opposite side of Dubai Creek where the Irish Village & Tennis Stadium/Airport is is 18km. If I leave between 5pm to 8:30pm it will take a MINIMUM of 1 hour and normally 1.5. They implemented a ZERO tolerance on ANY alcohol in your system if you drive so to go out you need a taxi. You will NOT find one between 5 & 8:30 either and it is normally a 45 minute wait Jebel Ali is now about 4 times the size it was 6 years ago, Internet City, media City etc are all built at the same end of town. The cheapest accomodation is in Deira & Sharjah which is 38 & 45kms away. So every day the entire population drive back and forwards (some with split shifts do it four times a day). They have put up toll gates which just puts huge traffic flows onto residential area roads as people try and avoid paying US$6 a day just to get to work. As for public transport hahahahahahahahahaha On infrastructure - Greed Greed Greed. They have carried out astomishing amounts of construction. So first they build the accomodation because they get paid for it. Then IF they have some money left they MAY build an access road to your tower block/villa. Possibly a couple of years down the line a park or a supermarket may open. But Main traffic arteries, new power plants, new sewage treatment plants.... The current issue is that not ALL the city is on mains sewerage. many places, especially the labour camps have cess-pits or simply sewage tanks. Three years ago one tanker driver could empty 6/10 tanks a day at the Al Awir sewage plant. today it is taking TEN HOURS of queueing to empty one tanker. As a result the lowly paid drivers are dumping the tankers into the storm drains. Everyone here goes - told you so, locals can't really do anything about it as it will be a year until the new treatment plant is built. That is typical though. This place has MANY faults. If you come here as a whingeing pom, nimby or concerned politically motivated person you will HATE it. BUT if you come here and accept that it IS different, respect the people and the traditions and ignore the muppets then it is fantastic and the faults are FAR less serious than the UK. Just remember the biggest culture shock.... You WILL become a racial minority Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithd Posted 13 October, 2008 Share Posted 13 October, 2008 You WILL become a racial minority in that case he can expect free housing, government handouts, have his colleagues live in fear of him exploding, etc etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hacienda Posted 13 October, 2008 Share Posted 13 October, 2008 You WILL become a racial minority A bit like working in Leicester then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridge too far Posted 13 October, 2008 Share Posted 13 October, 2008 A bit like working in Leicester then. I do a lot of work in Leicester. I like Leicester. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 13 October, 2008 Share Posted 13 October, 2008 An interesting piece of marketing b**s - don't believe ALL the hype even the local mortgage market has tightened up and some projects are being quietly cancelled but it is not far off the mark (and HOW spooky that it was published today eh!!??) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/main.jhtml?xml=/property/2008/10/11/pdubai111.xml&page=2 On the racial minority points - yes but you see you guys have one weird thing that we don't - it's called POLITICS..... We're just the slave labour so we get the short end of the rub, and DON'T get us ex-pats started on the benefits for immigrants line... The PC classes are SOOOO scared of everything when in reality they should simply have the SAME rules that other places like here have - you come in, you work, you enjoy. You don't like, you break the rules, you don't have a job then fook off back home. There endeth the lesson (Oh except for my favourite politics story. Worked for an American Multi-National, Having dinner with a yank in Rhode Island. "How can you live in a country with no rights for it's people and no vote?" My reply "Well you got George W Bush, Britain got Tony Blair (and Gordon Brown) We got Sheikh Mohammed, a REAL leader with a vision for his country, his people and his workers... why would I need a vote?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericofarabia Posted 14 October, 2008 Share Posted 14 October, 2008 Hi All I may have an oppertunity to work in Dubai for a year. Can anyone offer advise about the pros and cons of working in Dubai. I am a Mechnical and Electrical QS and worked in Dubai 10 years ago for just a month but i know things have moved on a rapid rate over there. I would miss the family and will have to give up the season ticket but Tax free earnings of approx 70k + is very temping. Not sure what it is like coming to Dubai as a Newbie, been here 10 years or so and only moved up from Abu Dhabi, so it wasn't a culture shock for me :cool:. Does your company have an office set up yet? If so get in touch with people who have recently arrived and find out how easily they settled in and what unexpected problems they come up against. Is there a "QS Forever" type forum board where you could get in touch with people from your line of work and check out what they have to say. Accomodation is probably the biggest obstacle for most new arrivals that I know. Our company gives what might seem a huge wad as an acoomodation allowance, but the local landlords / estate agents are blood sucking scum of the earth greedy gits (no different from the rest of the world I guess ) and that money doesn't get you much and most people end up paying out of their own pocket to make up the difference. Are you ready to be away from your family for a year ? (the up side is you won't have to go to SMS every other week ) There is a very lively (and expensive) social life to be had, and lots of temptations which have led to many a marriage breaking up ( absence may make the heart grow fonder, but it also makes the willy wander :cool: ) Would you be on a fixed salary based on a UK Pounds or UAE Dirham figure, as this can fluctuate your earnings considerably. For eg in August the rate was about 7.5 dhs to 1 pound and after this weeks chaos is now 6.32 dh / pound. So, if you were told your salary will be 525000 dhs which in Aug would have been 70000 quid, that same 525000 would now get you about 83000 quid........ but if you were told you'd be on the equivelent of 70000 in Aug you'd be on 525000 dhs still, but now that same 70000 quid would now only give you a salary of about 442400 to spend here. Also check out the ins and outs of paying tax in UK as I think you may be liable to some sort of payment if you are only out of the country for less than a whole tax year? Dubai is a great, exciting place to be, but can be totally frustrating and unbearable if you expect the same sort of standards in many areas of service and product after care, driving, communications, public transport, etc and if you have any moral issues with work standard and how labourers should be treated then don't go any where near any of the building sites or work camps slave labour and racial discrimination is alive and kicking here in Dubai but if you've been here before you are probably well aware of that. English is widely spoken and even more widely misunderstood . If you go anywhere by taxi, make sure you know how to get there, as the taxi driver won't . Don't panic when on approaching your destination, the driver asks if you want "Backside" .. this is not an offer of alternative payment, just a request if you want dropping off at the front or rear of the building Seeing as I still haven't got around to stumping up my 32 dhs membership fee you can't PM me, try Phil he is the fountain of knowledge into all things Dubai, especially the seedier side of it . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 14 October, 2008 Share Posted 14 October, 2008 try Phil he is the fountain of knowledge into all things Dubai, especially the seedier side of it . I have NO idea what you mean. There's no seedy side to Dubai There's a Dark Side allegedly, but certainly not a seedy one:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 14 October, 2008 Share Posted 14 October, 2008 This place has MANY faults. If you come here as a whingeing pom, nimby or concerned politically motivated person you will HATE it. BUT if you come here and accept that it IS different, respect the people and the traditions and ignore the muppets then it is fantastic Thought you were talking about this message board for a moment there.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 14 October, 2008 Share Posted 14 October, 2008 Thought you were talking about this message board for a moment there.... :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted 14 October, 2008 Share Posted 14 October, 2008 What are the drugs like? I heard they take your head off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericofarabia Posted 15 October, 2008 Share Posted 15 October, 2008 What are the drugs like? I heard they take your head off. Even just the tiniest amount of drugs will get you free haircuts, bed and breakfast and all the sex you can handle for at least 4 years :smt010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightysaints Posted 16 October, 2008 Author Share Posted 16 October, 2008 Hi All Thanks for all the advise. I will sit down with the boss next week and see what i can thrash out of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jillyanne Posted 16 October, 2008 Share Posted 16 October, 2008 Don't have the secks on a beach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponty Posted 16 October, 2008 Share Posted 16 October, 2008 Don't drink-drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Martini Posted 16 October, 2008 Share Posted 16 October, 2008 Don't have the secks on a beach. You watched the BBC report as well? How stupid are they? Funny how the other ex-pats are not very impressed with the two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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