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-   -   Applying for an IT Job in Dubai (https://britishexpats.com/forum/middle-east-60/applying-job-dubai-879365/)

mancster Jun 24th 2016 8:06 am

Applying for an IT Job in Dubai
 
Hi all, newbie here.

I am in the process of applying to some jobs in Dubai/UAE. One in particular is asking for Salary Requirements on the form, and is quite explicit stating the amount should be the full package to include housing etc. I haven't even submitted the application and they are asking for this information!

I have been trying to do some research upfront in terms of salaries available in order to give an accurate and reasonable figure up front without hurting myself later.

My current role in the UK is as an IT Consultant with a global tech company, future role is similar but an internal Business Analyst so not within a Consultancy. Moving out there would be me and my wife, although she is currently pregnant so we would soon have a baby too. Although she would like to be able to work once the child is of school age. Is a 30K AED base salary for this totally unreasonable? Or should I try higher/lower?

Nowadays which of the following allowances should I expect realistically? For the housing allowance, what amount is considered the reasonable?
I have looked on dubizzle, and it seems about 140K AED a year for a 2 bed apartment in some of the expat areas? Have seen some 1 bed apartments around 100K too.

- Housing
- School Fees
- Flight(s) Home
- Transportation
- Medical Insurance
- Car

Any other potential allowances I should consider?


I want to make sure I give a realistic figure inclsive of everything so I don't undersell myself just in case my application is successful.

If anyone has any other useful info to add/things I should consider, it will all be appreciated.

PS I have used the calculator to do some basic calculations and will feed in any inputs from this thread, so thanks in advance.

Fossildog Jun 25th 2016 10:41 am

Re: Applying for an IT Job in Dubai
 

Originally Posted by mancster (Post 11982476)
Hi all, newbie here.

I am in the process of applying to some jobs in Dubai/UAE. One in particular is asking for Salary Requirements on the form, and is quite explicit stating the amount should be the full package to include housing etc. I haven't even submitted the application and they are asking for this information!

I have been trying to do some research upfront in terms of salaries available in order to give an accurate and reasonable figure up front without hurting myself later.

My current role in the UK is as an IT Consultant with a global tech company, future role is similar but an internal Business Analyst so not within a Consultancy. Moving out there would be me and my wife, although she is currently pregnant so we would soon have a baby too. Although she would like to be able to work once the child is of school age. Is a 30K AED base salary for this totally unreasonable? Or should I try higher/lower?

Nowadays which of the following allowances should I expect realistically? For the housing allowance, what amount is considered the reasonable?
I have looked on dubizzle, and it seems about 140K AED a year for a 2 bed apartment in some of the expat areas? Have seen some 1 bed apartments around 100K too.

- Housing
- School Fees
- Flight(s) Home
- Transportation
- Medical Insurance
- Car

Any other potential allowances I should consider?


I want to make sure I give a realistic figure inclsive of everything so I don't undersell myself just in case my application is successful.

If anyone has any other useful info to add/things I should consider, it will all be appreciated.

PS I have used the calculator to do some basic calculations and will feed in any inputs from this thread, so thanks in advance.

In Dubai the vast majority of IT departments are staffed by Asians who are generally very well educated and are willing to work long hours. Wage wise these will be paid around 12-15k a month all in for a business analyst role. Going in at 30k, unless you do very specialised work, would make you very expensive.

scrubbedexpat141 Jun 25th 2016 6:32 pm

Re: Applying for an IT Job in Dubai
 
What do you earn in the UK?

norsk Jun 28th 2016 7:59 pm

Re: Applying for an IT Job in Dubai
 
A good generalist Senior IT Business Analyst in the UAE will earn between 25 and 35K per month all inclusive. And like someone else said you will have plenty of competition.

I've hired a few over the years and there is simply no way I would pay more unless I was looking for someone with niche skills and experience.

norsk Jun 28th 2016 8:01 pm

Re: Applying for an IT Job in Dubai
 

Originally Posted by Fossildog (Post 11984023)
In Dubai the vast majority of IT departments are staffed by Asians who are generally very well educated and are willing to work long hours. Wage wise these will be paid around 12-15k a month all in for a business analyst role. Going in at 30k, unless you do very specialised work, would make you very expensive.

Those figures are not representative of multinational (read: proper) companies although I am aware of some that do pay that badly. The BA who gets paid 12-15k is not going to be anywhere near what we would call a BA in the UK though. Think more like secretaries...

mancster Jun 28th 2016 8:06 pm

Re: Applying for an IT Job in Dubai
 
Cheers for the info guys, my background is a specialism in Business Intelligence and Analytics, with technical experience in specific technology.

@Scamp In the UK my salary is a shade under £50k (somewhat underpaid within my company but hey ho) with benefits such as private healthcare, generous pension and good company car scheme.

scrubbedexpat141 Jun 29th 2016 4:33 am

Re: Applying for an IT Job in Dubai
 

Originally Posted by mancster (Post 11988119)
Cheers for the info guys, my background is a specialism in Business Intelligence and Analytics, with technical experience in specific technology.

@Scamp In the UK my salary is a shade under £50k (somewhat underpaid within my company but hey ho) with benefits such as private healthcare, generous pension and good company car scheme.

OK. Just to play devil's advocate and give you some perspective;

50,000 UK. = £3,000 a month Nett.


30k AED = £6,000 at the moment.


Nowadays which of the following allowances should I expect realistically? For the housing allowance, what amount is considered the reasonable?
I have looked on dubizzle, and it seems about 140K AED a year for a 2 bed apartment in some of the expat areas? Have seen some 1 bed apartments around 100K too.

- Housing
- School Fees
- Flight(s) Home
- Transportation
- Medical Insurance
- Car
140k is about right for a 2 bed. Can certainly find a lot cheaper and some more. Depends entirely on where you're going to work.

140k / 12 = 11,666

School Fees - you don't have a kid, never heard of nursery fees being paid, semi irrelevant. BUt just to be safe, let's say 40,000 a year.

40k = 3,333 per month.

Flights home, 2 per year = 1,500 per month
Transport, 2 cars = 5,000 per month, roughly.
Medical (covered by company).
Car - covered in transportation.

So, for you to get all that stuff that you've mentioned would be;

30k + 21,500
= AED 51,500
= £10,500 nett, per month / £126,000 nett annually

To earn that in the UK you would need a gross salary of £218,000.

Now, just let all of that sink in.

The costs in the second part won't necessarily change much, maybe you find a cheaper apartment (very easily done), maybe you get one car instead of two, maybe you get cheaper cars.

But I think the starting point with the basic salary is way way too high.

Have they given you any indications on packages?

We recently hired a Regional IT Manager type and he got considerably less than my sums add up to.

Hope this helps. Just try to get an indication from the company if you can...then you can work backwards from there.

muzamm00 Jun 30th 2016 1:52 am

Re: Applying for an IT Job in Dubai
 
Hi Scamp.. Many thanks for the very informative post.. I am in somewhat similar situation.. Currently interviewing with Etihad AD..

I likewise know and have come across many Asians, intelligent hardworking and who are very reasonable (if I am polite) in their wages.. So the question is what value would a British expat would add in a technical or consulting role when an org could potentially get Asians to do the job... Really keen to know how companies in UAE think about this!

I am also in IT.. As an associate architect for public sector.. Within interoperability space..drawing around 50k annual..
What could be a decent Base pay to ask for Etihad in a similar role.. (obviously haven't reached that stage yet but hoping to..)

Thanks

scrubbedexpat141 Jun 30th 2016 4:51 am

Re: Applying for an IT Job in Dubai
 

Originally Posted by muzamm00 (Post 11989561)
Hi Scamp.. Many thanks for the very informative post.. I am in somewhat similar situation.. Currently interviewing with Etihad AD..

I likewise know and have come across many Asians, intelligent hardworking and who are very reasonable (if I am polite) in their wages.. So the question is what value would a British expat would add in a technical or consulting role when an org could potentially get Asians to do the job... Really keen to know how companies in UAE think about this!

I am also in IT.. As an associate architect for public sector.. Within interoperability space..drawing around 50k annual..
What could be a decent Base pay to ask for Etihad in a similar role.. (obviously haven't reached that stage yet but hoping to..)

Thanks

Genuinely and wholeheartedly no idea I'm afraid. Would not want to give you wrong information either. I don't work in the IT field and just don't know.

The way I think people should look at it is;

UK salary - tax = X,000
- rent / mortgage
- car costs
= Y,000

"In the UK, you earn Y,000 + House + Car"

Convert Y,000 to AED

AED A,000
+ Housing cost
+ Car cost
+ Schooling?
+ Flights (if not given extra)
= A,000 + Total of extras = B,000

B,000 is now equivalent to what you get in the UK but relative to the UAE. EG: Same salary (nett) and same living set up (maybe think twice before demanding a 3 bed villa if you live in a 1 bed flat in UK. Try to go like for like but also be sensible and coming a step down is wise...eg: i was in 2 bed house, now in 1 bed apartment)).

So then it's what do you want extra.
£1,000 a month? £2000? £500?

B,000 + AED equivalent of extras for savings.

= Grand total
= Desired package.

mission Jun 30th 2016 9:46 am

Re: Applying for an IT Job in Dubai
 
dayummm SCAMPY, you have a lot of time on your hands:p

scrubbedexpat141 Jun 30th 2016 10:45 am

Re: Applying for an IT Job in Dubai
 

Originally Posted by mission (Post 11989839)
dayummm SCAMPY, you have a lot of time on your hands:p

I've moved a lot of people from the UK to the Middle East and elsewhere.

You'll be amazed at how grateful people are to have a sensible discussion and end up with a figure that they can confidently discuss as what the need and want to make the move.

NorthernLad Jun 30th 2016 1:31 pm

Re: Applying for an IT Job in Dubai
 

Originally Posted by muzamm00 (Post 11989561)
Hi Scamp.. Many thanks for the very informative post.. I am in somewhat similar situation.. Currently interviewing with Etihad AD..

I likewise know and have come across many Asians, intelligent hardworking and who are very reasonable (if I am polite) in their wages.. So the question is what value would a British expat would add in a technical or consulting role when an org could potentially get Asians to do the job... Really keen to know how companies in UAE think about this!

I am also in IT.. As an associate architect for public sector.. Within interoperability space..drawing around 50k annual..
What could be a decent Base pay to ask for Etihad in a similar role.. (obviously haven't reached that stage yet but hoping to..)

Thanks

You need a niche skill, strong experience and a network of people out here.

I don't know what Etihad pay like, but the best option is to look into a multi-national. Companies seem to be hiring out here, IBM, MS, Redhat, Dell, EMC all have open positions.

Millhouse Jul 1st 2016 7:28 am

Re: Applying for an IT Job in Dubai
 

Originally Posted by Scamp (Post 11989913)
I've moved a lot of people from the UK to the Middle East and elsewhere.

You'll be amazed at how grateful people are to have a sensible discussion and end up with a figure that they can confidently discuss as what the need and want to make the move.

... and screwed a lot too :lol:

norsk Jul 1st 2016 9:10 am

Re: Applying for an IT Job in Dubai
 
As a general comment re IT roles in UAE they do not pay particularly well. Especially if you have a family. What people fail to take into consideration even when using Scamp's very scientific formula for working out a like for like is how much easier it is to blow your spare cash in this place.

I am in a senior IT Management position and could still earn the same money in the UK by taking a step down on the career ladder and contract. I ask myself regularly why I bother, but end of the day it's about convenience, quality of life and getting experience I would not when contracting in the UK.

However I have realised some time ago that the balance is in the process of shifting for me.

scrubbedexpat141 Jul 3rd 2016 5:31 am

Re: Applying for an IT Job in Dubai
 

Originally Posted by Millhouse (Post 11990788)
... and screwed a lot too :lol:

Never. Maybe bullied a few into agreeing that it's enough but telling porkies is naughty.


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