tada

Hello.

I would love to get some help from you, experienced expats in Qatar.

My husband was approached with a job offer out in Doha.
We (the family) are planning on staying home, but not 100% sure yet.
He's been offered a package of about 83k a month all inc.

1. Should we all go (family of 5) or should he go on his own?
2. Is 80k a month enough for all of us, wife, children 7,5,2 years olds?
3. How much money can we realistically safe (with and without his family) on that salary in Doha?
4. How safe is the country in terms of its political climate?
5. Will the financial gain outweigh the emotional cost to us all?

All your thoughts will be kindly appreciated.

Looking forward to hear from you.
Thanks.

DXBtoDOH

Quite a few senior men keep families home and live the bachelor life in Qatar. I knew a few who shared a large apartment and whenever family visited they booked a hotel for the stay. And also flew back home every 2-3 months. Out of 83k, your husband can budget 13k for a place to live, everyday expenses and transportation. Send the rest of the 70k back to UK. Easily done.

If family comes out, costs go up substantially. Bigger accommodation, school fees, another car, blah blah blah. Qatar isn't endearing like the UAE although it's cheaper. If sensible you can probably save around 25k a month The potential to save more is also there (cheaper schools,cheaper villa, cheaper car, depends on priorities).

I'd suggest your husband comes out the first year on his own, and then decide whether to bring the family over. He may not like Qatar. You and the kids may not like Qatar. Plenty don't while others love it. And the job may go belly up. It happens too often.

scot47

For children, the ME experience is not always positive. I speak from personal experience.

Johnnyboy11

Stay at home with the kids. Visit him in Qatar during the schol hols., and he can visit you in the UK using his annual leave and at the two Eid hols. You'll get a surprising amount of time together as a family and there is Skype for in-between times. Read up on and get proper advice on UK Residency status for tax purposes, he'll need to work full-time overseas until 6th April 2021 before being confirmed UK Non-Resident, but status is backdated to the day he left the UK. Otherwise full tax liability on his worldwide earnings, ouch! See HMRC RDR3 Guidance, third Automatic Overseas Test (working full-time overseas). Use his tax-free earnings to send the kids to private school in the UK, and set aside enough funds for their University education, the best investment you can possibly make. You'll still be entitled to Child Benefit as his overseas earnings don't count. You'll get Council Tax discount(s) as you are the only adult at home. You can both pay £2,880 per year into a UK private pension and get £720 per year tax rebate. Keep both of your State Pension entitlements going, read up on this, but it is possible for nominal cost. You'll be mortgage free in no time, free of debt, and potentially could retire very, very early. Also speaking from personal experience.

tada

Thank you so much Johnnyboy11 for your reply.
Our main priority is saving money, so shared apartment is something we were thinking about. I think you are so right suggesting my husband comes out the first year on his own, and then decide whether to bring the family over.

tada

Why did you fund it difficult scot47? Thanks

tada

Thank you very much Johnnyboy11 for your time. A lot of information to look into. I actually failed to mention, we live in Ireland not the UK, the rules will be obviously different. I suppose if my hubby decides to go ahead with role we need to talk to the tax specialist.
To be free of debt, and retire early is our dream! So good to hear it can be done, thanks again.

scot47

I did not find it difficult. My older daughter found it difficult to adjust to life back home after leaving the luxuries of a sheltered life in a Jeddah compound.

tada

Oh, I see I hope she is ok now

Standanista

Qatar's like Marmite - some like it, some won't touch it - as DXBtoDOH says. As a shortish-term place for a couple of years, I don't mind it. It's fairly small and limited, but it's a place to earn well and bank decent cash, as 83k a month attests. Politically and crime-wise, as a Western expat, it's super safe. The wider region has its political issues but that involves the whole Gulf, not Qatar alone. The blockade on Qatar is a pain in the backside in terms of being able to fly off for the weekend, that said, but otherwise as an expat you're not that day-to-day affected. (Fewer insha'allah Saudis on the roads is a bonus.) Financial versus emotional cost is a tough one.

gottheTshirt

Was my dream when we first went overseas in 1975 - I eventually retired last year at the age of 67 - but we have been debt/mortgage free for most of our working life - We have enjoyed the expat life. The comments above are all good. My wife really enjoyed life in Qatar and would have loved to say, but we had to move on to Oman which she did not like. Everything depends on the job, the friends you make and the issues you have in finding schools and accommodation and the friends your children make. Some people have a great time and some have a lousy time there is no Rhyme or Reason. Over the years I have had 3 jobs in Qatar 1 was good, 1 was great and the other was lousy. I strongly recommend that Hubby makes the move and that you visit delaying any decision for at least 6 months. Some jobs in Qatar don't last 6 months !!

fth

tada

Thanks Standanista.
Qatar is definitely the place to bank decent cash. I'm still not sure giving up a very good and secure job at home is wise, as if it doesn't work out in Qatar he will have to come back to nothing. I suppose we should not rush into it, and think about it carefully.

tada

Thanks

carcajou

We used to strongly advise incomers, to leave family at home for at least the first six months and to arrive alone. Adjustment periods in the Middle East can be very difficult, and once the employee has settled in (and it takes a good 6-8 months at least), it gets much easier.

He will be able to advise you once has settled in, and knows the lay of the land, what the best call is.

At 7, 5, and 2 years old, the transition is much easier than if you had a child who was 13+.