JUXD

Great to hear that the risk of “statless-ness” is pretty low considering Dubai life isn’t forever for most people.

Millhouse your Nanny sounds amazing, what costs are involved, would you say that a nanny is essential out there?

Thanks for all of your answers, it definitely feels like we could make it work in Dubai. The only issue it seems is when, as start dates likely postponed due to lockdown. Ideally we’d move before she’s 7/8 months, so we could have the baby in Dubai. Otherwise I’d risk missing the birth or not seeing them for a few months until they can fly over...not ideal 😖

JUXD

carcajou how close to the employment start date do they usually book flights?

nonthaburi

Exactly. The only thing you can do really is make sure your kids understand the rules. Personally I'm planning for them to be in the UK anyway in a few years, but if they were to have kids with a non Brit by birth or a non brit, I'd tell them to have their kids in the uk.

I never said about being stateless BTW, that was someone else. But I can see how it would be possible if both parent countries had similar rules.

What are the rules for your wife's country out of interest?

SanDiegogirl

Why so long to take up the job? If you have just found out wife is pregnant, but she will be 7 to 8 months pregnant before you go, that's approx 5 to 6 months wait?

In today's situation, things could change in that timeframe....

Millhouse

She’s Kenyan, so nothing a bribe to a friendly official wont sort. Apparently I qualify for a Kenyan passport but I’ve not tested it.

Millhouse

It would make a nice change - even if we are not, at least this guy is polite. A bit like the Scamp that first came to this forum for moving advice.

JUXD

2 things really...
1. Uncertainty with COVID-19, borders are closed, so won’t know if or when we’d be allowed in the country. Just a verbal offer right now because of this.
2. Notice period is 3 months in my current position.

carcajou

A few days.

The hiring process is not a Western-style one even if it is a "Western company," and they don't face Western-style legal consequences if they renege. Just because you've signed a contract does not mean you have been hired or that you are definitely coming - I cannot emphasise that enough. Signing the contract just means you have moved on to the next step in the process. There are likely ample security checks, HR approvals, senior management approvals, etc that still need to be done after you sign your contract and none of that tends to happen quickly - you can be turfed at any point in that process, for any reason, and if they do so, they are not required to give you a reason. None of that is a formality, and you will not be sent a plane ticket until all of this is done. Think of this process as taking months, not weeks or days. That is why you shouldn't make any irreversible decisions, until you receive the plane ticket.

Pollyana

You'd need to be there well before the end of October - consider at what date she may no longer be able to fly because of the pregnancy, rather than unable to fly due to there being no flights.

carcajou

I glossed over/missed this part in your post, until I saw polyanna's quote.

You haven't really been offered anything then. They haven't made a formal offer so still possibly HR and possibly security checks to go through, maybe even extra approvals needed because of the current financial climate. Nobody knows when the borders will open. Nobody knows the state of business then. HR may decide to re-advertise the job and draw from a new pool of candidates. Etc etc etc.

You need to continue living life normally as though you do not have a UAE job offer and assume that one is not forthcoming. Do not depend on this offer still materialising, coming out the other side of this. Do not quit your job, do not sell the car etc.

As for timing you will have minimal say on it. Do not even think of moving to Dubai ahead of time, organising an apartment independently and waiting out the HR processes. You will not be able to organise long-term accommodation without a work visa/residence permit organised by your company. If on the off chance you do happen to be there and are doing something off the books you risk being re-classed as a "local hire" by the company with far fewer benefits (no flight allowance etc) . . . and the process won't speed up in any way whether you are in Dubai or not.

In my experience UAE companies are fairly good at family leave etc so it seems plausible to me they will give you a week to go back for the birth of the child even if at the start of the contract.

The timing is not ideal but that is part and parcel of working in the Middle East. Logs on a river.

Millhouse

Indeed. You'd want to be here by August. Get visas done, house sorted, a doctor found, first set of tests done etc. If you (and more importantly her) don't have a visa then giving birth here will be an administrative nightmare. A visa is often at least a month. Certified marriage certificates etc will need to be presented before any hospital will do a birth (also needed for the visa).

Reality is that if you are thinking a September+ start, then you can delay it to December and have the baby in UK before coming over.

Moriati1832

Hi,
Your current ~UK health insurance will not cover pregnancy.
Your wife cannot fly any major commercial airline after 32 weeks which is about now for you.
The employment protection depends on the company you are working for and the sector you are in. Some sectors are going to be very hard hit by Covid 19 others will do well.
Dubai is tax free so your AED 600k is £120k tax free
However this is not a high salary in Dubai and whilst some things like nannies, maids, drivers are cheap
Other things are more expensive than the UK - eating out, alcohol,
Rent is about the same as London unless you are prepared to live further out of Dubai.
With your first child I would have thought there is no better time to start but probably give yourself until after the baby has been born.
A Dubai summer (May onwards) of 120 degrees Fahrenheit everyday is a baptism of fire!

NorthernLad

Looking at various forums, 600k AED is actually a decent package nowadays.
Eating out/alcohol can be cheap or expensive, depends on your tastes (most places do deals/happy hours/Entertainer)
Rents are though the floor.
Its not 120F every day from May onward, it can get a bit tasty from mid-May onwards, but many people manage it (and some enjoy the Dubai summers).

Millhouse

50+ flights and bonus is an above average. It’s decent these days.

scrubbedexpat141

Hey, come on, I'm clearly the nicest guy in Dubai.