MrBAH

So I'm currently working for a Big 4 firm in the UK. I'm being flown out for a "discussion" about an internal transfer out to Dubai, working in a specialist area of the firm (not accountancy).

I've already had a chat with HR and I'm faily aure they stated I'd get my UK salary plus housing and schooling allowance for my two kids.

Anyone have any idea of my expectations before I go out there to have my "chat"....? I'm at Director level, so why should I expect?? Am I expecting too much by assuming I'll get:

- UK Salary tax free;
- Housing allowance - 15 to 20k ?
- Schooling allowance - 25k max per child ?
- Car allowance - 6k ?
- Miscellaneous (relocation, health) - 5k ?

Any thoughts on the above would be greatly appreciated!!

NorthernLad

Is that quoted in sterling? Is so, schooling is good, housing is low. Very low.

Millhouse

I think it will be a stretch to have the big 4 give all of these things as separate allowances like this but I would love to be wrong. I think it will be an all-in number (or maybe a salary + a lump of cash called allowances)

So, I'm going to guess they will offer you an all in deal that will be roughly your salary tax free but you should aim for at least salary +30%.

If we talk Dirhams, you should aim for

housing - 180-200k/year
schools - 40k/kid/year
car - you'd be lucky
Health - you just want that included. Full cover, for you and the kids... ask for global (prob ex. US) with dental.
Moving - maybe 30k as a one off.

PS> The big 4 here suck, a director here is more like a senior manager/ AD in the UK so check the role carefully. Good luck.

MrBAH

Thanks ever so much!

MrBAH

Housing per month!

MrBAH

I'm running the numbers and UK salary plus 40% still doesn't work! The kids and housing just deplete the overall package massively, plus the various household bills, etc which could be huge.

Are the Big 4 open to negotiation? What I do is quite specialist, in a small team, so I'm guessing this gives me a good tool for negotiation?

Millhouse

This is very true.

Everything here is negotiable Also note, my experience is more based on what I saw when I was at EY (I did not work at EY here but observed a few move over and they all left quickly).

DT may well be different. I guess at director level you are expected to really boost the fee income so the question will be 'are the fees that you'll be bringing in sufficient to cover a 50% payrise'. Do let us know how you get on.

scrubbedexpat141

Have they offered you any figures yet?

Cant' compare until you have them...

MrBAH

No not yet, but Im flying out on Sunday to have that exact discussion. I'm just trying to pre-empt any paltry first offers with something realistic. I've used the "Cost of Living" spreadsheet on here, hence why I state that UK salary + 40% doesn't work. I'd also still have my UK house and although I intend to rent it out, I have to work on the basis that I won't in the short term.

Will let you know how I get on. If you have any figures I could use as a negotiating tool that would be helpful, but only if you have them.

scrubbedexpat141

Get the figures off them. What's your current salary?

britexpat76

And don't forget you will be taxed.............

MrBAH

£85k plus benefits, pension, discretionary bonus... But to be honest, that's quite low so I need to engineer more, plus the additional expense of living in Dubai.

MrBAH

Taxed on what???

Millhouse

85k == c.40AED/month
+30%
get 55k AED/month and It'll work out I reckon.

55k - 15k for the house - 8k for the two schools gives you 32k AED /month for the grub. If you can't make that work there is something seriously ****ing wrong in this world.

Millhouse

Are you a director or an assistant director/Senior manager? Are you based in London? I ask these questions as our ADs got 90k when I left in 2008.