JUXD

Hi All, this is my first post!

I have an opportunity in Dubai, the company has provided a 600k AED per annum salary, +bonus, +medical insurance for me and my wife. They offered to put us up in a hotel for 2 weeks while we find accommodation.

However, we've recently found out my wife is pregnant! And she'll be around 7-8 months by the time we move from the UK.

This new and exciting news has obviously made us nervous about the move and whether we should be reconsidering. So before accepting an offer, I wanted to ask the forum for advice on 2 things mainly.
- What should we know about having a child in Dubai?
- is the Salary enough to raise a family in Dubai with the expenses?

Juxd

Millhouse

Congratulations on the baby!

1. Dubai is a great place to bring up babies. Endless, cheap childcare, decent early-years healthcare, good baby delivery options, decent weather for six months (terrible weather for three - suggest she leaves for those months if she can).

Here is the catch... There is no job security, the economy is in the gutter and don't be surprised if your job offer doesn't materialise or you get chopped within the year. With that in mind, remember the tax implications of doing a hasty retreat, the lack of family network and support, zero social system, and the incredibly high living costs here.

2. The salary is decent - especially with rents on a downward death spiral. But ask yourself why have rents dropped 40%+ in the past two years.

Pulaski

Given the growing issue of statelessness, and the apparent reluctance of the countries in the Middle East to do anything about the problem, and that your wife will be within 1-2 months of delivery at the time you expect to start your job, I would recommend that your wife stays in the UK until the baby is born, thereby ensuring that no matter what, your grandchildren will avoid the risk of being born stateless.

In any case your wife may be unable to fly, (prohibited from boarding by the airline), if she is already 7+ months pregnant.

JUXD

Thanks Millhouse that’s really reassuring to hear that Dubai is child friendly, even sounds better than UK.

I may have been looking through rose tinted lenses, but may I ask why there is no job security in Dubai?

A 40% drop in rents sound crazy and also great, is this due to new laws in place?

JUXD

Thanks for the insight on statelessness Pulaski, that is very interesting and the 7 months no fly creates quite the dilemma.

We’d both like to give it a go out there, it’s an opportunity we’ve been waiting for. However that is a long time away from my wife if she stays in the UK and missing the birth is not an option.

Really hoping there’s a way to make this work.

scrubbedexpat141

If you come and she will give birth here make sure your company medical covers pre-existing conditions.

Millhouse

Expats are 100% expendable. You are paid extra to forgoe any labour and social protections you may receive otherwise in the UK. You can be fired at will, have your visa cancelled and be put back on the plane in 30 days. I've seen it happen where we brought people over from the UK only to send them back within 6 months... just as they bought cars etc - they had done nothing wrong other than not be needed anymore. Rents have dropped due to the economy tanking, rising costs, falling salaries and people generally leaving (and a massive residential construction overhang). There is no free healthcare, no welfare state etc.

Given that we are in full lockdown until, probably, June - I don't see your job really coming through until Sept... that's also why I wouldn't do anything in the UK (like resigning) just yet as the chances of your offer being pulled is high.

Don't think that this place is a sunny UK with no tax. I'm not trying to put you off, but you need to come eyes wide open.

Millhouse

All in we spent around 50k on the pregnancy of Mini-Millhouse 2 (40k delivery, 10k various bullshit tests and check-ups during the pregnancy).

Millhouse

Why would the baby be stateless? Our baby got a British passport in a month and has never been to the UK... just need a real British parent.

scrubbedexpat141

That's exactly what it is.

Millhouse

To be fair, after spending considerable time, effort and money on the task, it is for me

JUXD

Thank you Millhouse Scamp , what is the likelihood of preexisting conditions being covered by the companies insurance, is this something which I can add on?

The stateless thing would be annoying, but it sounds as though there is a route to British citizenship. Wife is Due end of October, we'd need to be out there before ideally. The company mentioned today that they are going to refrain from making a formal offer until the borders reopen, however they are confident their business will survive the lockdown period and this is an essential role. (They've been around a few decades).

In terms of the offer itself - is 600k AED enough in the currently in Dubai to live comfortably and raise a young family?

Gavtek

Grandchildren could be stateless.

If a baby born in Dubai to British parents, gets a British passport, then marries a non-Brit (or even another UK passport holding ex-pat that wasn't born in UK) and has a baby outside the UK, that baby does not automatically get UK citizenship. You'd hope that common sense would prevail but this is Brexit Britain now.

FriendlyExpat

That's actually a really astute point! Worth bearing in mind...

scrubbedexpat141

They sound quite reasonable, so it's worth just asking them. Maybe they'll share their policy etc and you'll be able to check?

Some will suggest you need longer than 2 weeks hotel provided when you arrive. Depends on visa / Emirates ID situation and speed of processing.

Is 600k (50k a month - we talk in months here because the numbers are too big for most) worth it? Dunno. What is your life like in the UK? Do you earn well there? What sort of job / sector is it?