| Many job hunters still believe that the streets of | | | | wealth of options and information available. Some |
| Dubai are paved with gold. This may be true to some | | | | excellent resources include employment sites such as |
| extent. Even so, securing employment is not always | | | | Bayt.com, directories such as GulfJobSites.com, as |
| easy. For those hoping to find jobs in Dubai, there | | | | well as free online UAE and Dubai job classifieds sites |
| are various avenues to take. | | | | such as Emirates-Ads. |
| Many job hunters still believe that the streets of | | | | Once a job seeker has secured a position, a contract |
| Dubai are paved with gold. This may be true to some | | | | will be signed and the employer will act as the |
| extent - the economy is booming (particularly the | | | | sponsor. The contract should include basic salary, job |
| construction industry) and Dubai is a tax free haven | | | | title and description, length of the contract, and |
| where net income is typically much higher than in | | | | termination conditions among other things. It is vital |
| other parts of the world. Even so, securing | | | | to negotiate a good "package" including salary, |
| employment is not always easy. Approximately 80% | | | | housing, and school fees if the employee has children. |
| of the population in Dubai consists of foreigners and | | | | Other allowances may include coverage for medical, |
| competition for desired employment positions can be | | | | transportation, utilities, and / or annual vacation with |
| fierce. It is best to have an offer in hand from a | | | | an airplane ticket to one's home country. (The law |
| company before traveling to Dubai. Of course this | | | | stipulates that companies must provide a vacation / |
| may not always be possible and there are certain | | | | airplane ticket at least every two years). Each |
| advantages to entering Dubai on a visit visa in hopes | | | | company is different and packages will vary. The |
| of finding a job as opposed to searching from one's | | | | work week also varies from company to company |
| home country. For example, many employers will give | | | | with some working straight shift and some working |
| preference to hiring someone actually in Dubai (and | | | | split shift (with a few hours break in the middle of |
| thus available for an interview), rather than having to | | | | the day). |
| endure the extra hassle and risk of hiring someone | | | | The sponsor should handle all paperwork required by |
| sight unseen. However, there is no guarantee of | | | | the government for foreign workers, including getting |
| landing a job before expiration of a visit visa, making | | | | the employee an employment visa, health card, and |
| a bit of luck and local contacts invaluable in the | | | | labor card. A company's PRO (Public Relations Officer) |
| process. | | | | will typically handle the logistics, ensuring all paperwork |
| For those hoping to find jobs in Dubai, there are | | | | arrives at the necessary government offices for |
| various avenues to take. There are several | | | | approval. First an employee's application is approved |
| recruitment agencies with good reputations available | | | | by the Ministry of Labor, then the employee |
| to assist job hunters in their quest for employment, | | | | undergoes a health screening, and finally all relevant |
| including long-standing companies such as Claredon | | | | documents are transferred to the Ministry of Interior |
| Parker and Kershaw Leonard. As there are many | | | | who stamp the residence visa in the employee's |
| recruitment agencies in operation, it is always | | | | passport. Employment visas are valid for a maximum |
| advisable to do some research into their reputation | | | | of three years although they are renewable. In |
| and methods before using their services. | | | | general, expatriate workers are not granted UAE |
| Unfortunately it is not an uncommon occurrence for | | | | citizenship or permanent residency. The Dubai |
| job seekers from poorer nations to drain their entire | | | | government has taken steps to drive Emiratization of |
| life savings and go into debt through payment to | | | | the workforce (stipulating that a fixed percentage of |
| unscrupulous agents from their home countries who | | | | workers in certain industries must be UAE nationals |
| falsely promise visas and jobs. Fortunately, | | | | and that all companies having 100 or more employees |
| recruitment agencies in the UAE are regulated and | | | | must hire UAE nationals as their PRO and/or Human |
| must be licensed, so the potential for scams in the | | | | Relations Manager). However, it is still believed that |
| UAE itself is greatly reduced. | | | | expatriate employees will make up a major part of |
| For those who choose to search online there is also a | | | | the workforce in the UAE for years to come. |