lufc-1919

Hey all

I have just accepted the below offer and will be moving with my wife to Dubai in Jan.

In a nutshell my package is (IT Manager)

15000 aed per month
5000 aed housing allowance
20000 one off payment for relocation assistance
1 months accommodation covered by the company
Visa covered for both me and my wife
1 Annual flight home each

So on this basis I have accepted and returned my contract.

Just have a couple of questions

Visa - How simple is the process, for what reasons could they decline this for either me or my wife?

Bank - Who is best to bank with? How difficult is it? I still have financial commitments in the UK so will either need to setup new DD from my new account or transfer funds over.

Vehicle - How much should I expect to pay to lease a car (Initially before buying)

Accommodation - What's a good starter expat area to move to? Looking for something with a Pool, gym and good transport links.

If you could offer any advice I will be very grateful and of course I will have a good look about on this forum and the net.

Many thanks

auzdafluff

Not really. Make sure you get your degree (and hers if she has one) and marriage certificate attested in the UK before coming over here. It's a pain in the ass trying to do it over here.

They're all shit. Some are just less shit than others. If you bank with HSBC in the UK and you want to send money back direct to your account, go with them. Otherwise it's a case of working out who will screw you the least. Another member – Meow – might be able to help you.

Depends what you're willing to drive. You could pay as little as 1600AED (yes, £270 a month really is the minimum you're going to get away with paying) for some shitty Lancer that will have more stains in it than a hooker's bed.

I pay AED2000 a month for a brand new Peugeot 207, which out of the Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Sunny, and Toyota Yaris is the best car I've hired. If you want luxuries like central and remote locking, you'll need to get a European rental brand. The Japanese ones are all Indian models and so are rock bottom spec (my Yaris for example had electric mirrors, but not central locking).

On 20000AED a month, you might struggle unless your wife is planning to work. I get paid a little bit more than that as a single guy and manage to live comfortably; as for two people – I'm not too sure.

Anyway, depending on where you are in Dubai – if you're at the new end of town – towards the Marina past Downtown, try Tecom or at a stretch, the Greens (though prices have shot up in the later in the last 12 months).

I work in Downtown, just across the road from the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall and live in the Greens. It takes me just over 25 mins to get to work.

If you're the other end, there will be people on here who can advise you better.

The_Citizen

I have recently moved to Tecom and can't really argue. Really good for transport and had no problems getting anywhere. A few good bars in walking distance and lots more a short taxi ride away. Rent is cheaper than other places as well as the area is still under development and is less 'green' than other areas.

Car wise, you might be best leasing for a year but it all depends on how long you plan to stay for!

lufc-1919

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated.

My wife is planning on working so hopefully we'll be just fine.

The company will be dealing with the visa's and have mentioned about getting certificates attested. We have all our original copies so hopefully it should be ok.

I do have a HSBC account so will probably use them.

How easy and quick is it to setup Internet and tv for home. Are there any free to view channels or is it worth getting a subscription of any kind?

Happy to lease a car initially and see how I get on.

I shall checkout tecom, thanks for that.

The_Citizen

You can't get internet, phone or TV until you have your Visa. Although there may be ways around it by people who know the place better than me.

I just have a basic TV package and use bbc iplayer etc for any UK TV that I want.

mentalist

My advice is change your user name. Leeds United FC are hated over here.

lufc-1919

Thanks for that

Patsy Stoned

All your documents will need to be attested in your home country before being accepted in Dubai.

Document copies signed and stamped by a Notary Public/Commissioner of Oaths in the presence of the rightful owner (proven by passport) and the original document presented.
Then forward to Embassy (UAE) /Foreign Office in your own country to be further signed and stamped.

mission

15k basic salary for a westerner....thats way too low

5k for housing allowance is pretty much at the very low end....but then i guess it depends where you want to live and what kind of accommodation you want ie one/two bed etc.

in terms of your utilities, you won't be able to get any of that done until you have your residence visa - in fact you won't even be able to get an apartment until your visa is sorted.

and as for hiring a car - you won't get anything for less than aed 2,500 per month and thats for a basic yaris/tiida etc.

lufc-1919

Really?

What are the market rates in Dubai for this sort of role?

The package (basic + housing) is better than I am earning presently in the UK, and that's not taking into account the benifits of not paying tax.

What should I be looking at PA?

Thanks

auzdafluff

Well, hotel IT managers earn between 15-30k per month. And they're pretty much nothing more than glorified service desk managers.

lufc-1919

Well I've accepted the offer now. For me it's more about the opportunity than the hard cash. Hopefully it'll be enough to have a relatively good life in Dubai.

Cheers

rowell

If you have no financial commitment such as mortgage at home you will be ok not fantastic but ok, leave your rosé tinted glasses at home and enjoy the experience, and not a bad opportunity, good luck

Millhouse

Ignore the naysayers.

You have a 20k/month package - you'll be ok - keep life simple at first and you'll be able to save 5k/month of it... my opinion. Your costs explode when you have kids or get sucked into the drink until sick brunch crowd, until that time you will be OK.

If the misses get a job, say around 8-10k ... you'll be able to save everything she earns or blow it on brunches.

scrubbedexpat141

Do this mate.