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Plans to move to Dubai!

Plans to move to Dubai!

Old Nov 24th 2017, 2:57 pm
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Default Plans to move to Dubai!

Dear all expats,

I am currently living in the UK and have been offered to move to Dubai. I needed your opinions on certain things:
1. Salary
2. Documents
3. Prospects

1. From a Salary perspective, what is the base multiplier that you should choose? e.g if you have a base of £x here in UK, what would be a minimal base you would be willing to consider? Or would you prefer to take into account the take home multiplier ?

2. If i do decide to move, what documents do i need to get notarised/attested? Mind you, my education is not from the UK, so do i need to go back to my home country to get them attested?

3. UK has a great tech job market at the moment. How is the market in UAE at the moment? Is this a good career move? What do you think?

Please share your opinions on this move.

Last edited by masif; Nov 24th 2017 at 2:59 pm.
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Old Nov 24th 2017, 3:53 pm
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Default Re: Plans to move to Dubai!

Are you moving with your current employer? If not, and if your education was gained in the Indian subcontinent, then there's a fair chance that your current UK salary will a) be irrelevant to your prospective employer, and b) be significantly higher than what you might be offered in Dubai.

However, it doesn't necessarily work like that.

On a more general note, look at the Cost of Living spreadsheet available as a wiki (I think). Leaving aside everything except money, my view is that the only sensible approach is to look at how much you save now* (which includes your and your employer's pension contributions), and then consider how much you want to increase that by. That increase must take into account all the costs and at least some of the risks of upping sticks to Dubai: it's costlier and riskier in Dubai than in UK, details of those are available in various posts and threads.

* Of course, if you're in it just for the experience, then you need to consider how much that experience will cost. Again, the details are available in posts and threads, or you'll probably getting specific answers if you ask specific questions.
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Old Nov 25th 2017, 6:55 am
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Default Re: Plans to move to Dubai!

Number 3 is what really matters.

Stay in UK.

Gulf is ephemeral. So many people crash and burn. One or two great years then redundancy smacks them in the face and they struggle to get back on their feet. Doesn't happen to everyone, of course, and there are people who absolutely have progressed tremendously in their careers by coming out to the GCC. But I don't know if tech is one of those sectors. My understanding is that it's still a localised market and you won't have the opportunity to progress easily, as the competition from the subcontinent is stiff (and they will work for far less than what a UK expat will expect to earn).
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Old Nov 26th 2017, 6:19 am
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Default Re: Plans to move to Dubai!

Originally Posted by masif
Dear all expats,

I am currently living in the UK and have been offered to move to Dubai. I needed your opinions on certain things:
1. Salary
2. Documents
3. Prospects

1. From a Salary perspective, what is the base multiplier that you should choose? e.g if you have a base of £x here in UK, what would be a minimal base you would be willing to consider? Or would you prefer to take into account the take home multiplier ?

2. If i do decide to move, what documents do i need to get notarised/attested? Mind you, my education is not from the UK, so do i need to go back to my home country to get them attested?

3. UK has a great tech job market at the moment. How is the market in UAE at the moment? Is this a good career move? What do you think?

Please share your opinions on this move.
Everybody is different but I wouldn't even consider Dubai if you cannot save at least 4000-5000 GBP each month. It's becoming much harder to do it here every year.

With regards to point 2, yes, you have to get documents attested from your home country. There are plenty places in Dubai which can do it for you for small fortune in return.
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Old Nov 26th 2017, 8:48 pm
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Default Re: Plans to move to Dubai!

There aren't typical multipliers to use, because look at the above for example. It's out of perspective for 'typical' people in Dubai with families to save that sort of money.
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Old Nov 27th 2017, 4:02 am
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Default Re: Plans to move to Dubai!

I rephrase it then. Try to aim to save at least double in Dubai of what you are currently save back in the UK. Otherwise it's not worth it.
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Old Nov 27th 2017, 4:45 am
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Default Re: Plans to move to Dubai!

Originally Posted by kostik3000
I rephrase it then. Try to aim to save at least double in Dubai of what you are currently save back in the UK. Otherwise it's not worth it.
What industry or role are you in allowing savings of 5k GBP per month? Or are your expenses very low/paid directly by the company.
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Old Nov 27th 2017, 5:02 am
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Default Re: Plans to move to Dubai!

Originally Posted by weasel decentral
What industry or role are you in allowing savings of 5k GBP per month? Or are your expenses very low/paid directly by the company.
Let's put it this way, I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't go to brunches.

However, I have sacrificed on the standards compared to what I had in the UK both for me and my family.

I live in 2 bed villa paying 7500 AED per months (it's 13 months for the price of 12 and I had to pay 1 year in advance to get this price), it's not bad but I've lived in larger property in the UK and ideally I wanted 3 bed. I drive very cheap rental car, cars is not my thing and I am not bothered by huge AWD everybody else seems to be driving here. My daughter goes to expensive school but it so bad compared to school she was going back in the UK.

Overall my monthly expenses are just below 20K, rest I can save.

Last edited by kostik3000; Nov 27th 2017 at 5:10 am.
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Old Nov 27th 2017, 5:05 am
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Default Re: Plans to move to Dubai!

Originally Posted by kostik3000
I rephrase it then. Try to aim to save at least double in Dubai of what you are currently save back in the UK. Otherwise it's not worth it.
Sorry, it wasn't a dig, I just don't think it's representative.

Originally Posted by weasel decentral
What industry or role are you in allowing savings of 5k GBP per month? Or are your expenses very low/paid directly by the company.
5k GBP = 25k AED (at fx of 5 for ease).
If you're a single status expat PM on average cash of 45k a month it's achievable:

45k
6k rent (Sports City 1bed)
1.5k bills
2k hire car
1.6k food shop bills
1k flights (3-4 per year)
= 12,100
45k-12.1k
= 32,900

= 25,000 in savings and 7,900 for whoring and beers.

As a side note:
The problem is when you add a family to that sort of package and whilst it is totally do-able and people do it well, the costs of things like schooling and bigger accommodation have been rising so much that it's tough on families.

Another 10 on rent, 3 on bills, 3 on another car, 10 on schooling, 3 on food shops. Costs have jumped by 29k, call it 30 for ease. You've now got 2,900 for whoring, beers and after school clubs....or savings.
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Old Nov 27th 2017, 5:12 am
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Default Re: Plans to move to Dubai!

Originally Posted by Scamp
Sorry, it wasn't a dig, I just don't think it's representative.



5k GBP = 25k AED (at fx of 5 for ease).
If you're a single status expat PM on average cash of 45k a month it's achievable:

45k
6k rent (Sports City 1bed)
1.5k bills
2k hire car
1.6k food shop bills
1k flights (3-4 per year)
= 12,100
45k-12.1k
= 32,900

= 25,000 in savings and 7,900 for whoring and beers.

As a side note:
The problem is when you add a family to that sort of package and whilst it is totally do-able and people do it well, the costs of things like schooling and bigger accommodation have been rising so much that it's tough on families.

Another 10 on rent, 3 on bills, 3 on another car, 10 on schooling, 3 on food shops. Costs have jumped by 29k, call it 30 for ease. You've now got 2,900 for whoring, beers and after school clubs....or savings.
This is about right. Somehow, I manage to do it with family but let's see how long I will last
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Old Nov 27th 2017, 5:18 am
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Default Re: Plans to move to Dubai!

Originally Posted by kostik3000
This is about right. Somehow, I manage to do it with family but let's see how long I will last
Aw shit, I'm just doing guess work and taking 'Joe Average' if such a thing exists. There will be people reading thinking I know nothing or that I'm spot on. It's down to the individual and their circumstances and what works for them and their family.
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Old Nov 27th 2017, 8:42 am
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Default Re: Plans to move to Dubai!

Originally Posted by kostik3000
This is about right. Somehow, I manage to do it with family but let's see how long I will last
Good for you, if that's your aim it's nice to see someone get it to work. For some reason I had in my head 7 dirhams to the pound, I'd forgotten it had dropped so much.

I am going to regret living large-ish when my good looks and charm fade, and I'm judged on merit like every other schmuck.

Last edited by weasel decentral; Nov 27th 2017 at 8:53 am.
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Old Nov 29th 2017, 6:35 pm
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Default Re: Plans to move to Dubai!

Guys, This is just amazing, and highly appreciate all the great feedback.

I am moving within the same company so job role doesn't change much.

Basically, I am on a 150k in the UK with really good career prospects. I would potentially be looking for around 75k AED per month + 20k fee per child (2 max) + medical etc. It seems that from a take home prespective I would be potentially saving around 1.5-2 times what I am saving in the UK.

I think the biggest issue for me is career prospects. I don't want a situation where I earn a bit extra for the first 2 years, and then lose all my skills as I will be doing ME related work mostly. I am in the tech sector (Big Data/ML), which is quite hot in the UK and Europe but don't know how it will be in Dubai.

Finally, I have been told by the employer that I might not need to get the degrees attested, however that will affect the visa type. Does anybody know how visa types are impacted by educational qualifications?

Thanks again.
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Old Nov 30th 2017, 3:19 pm
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Default Re: Plans to move to Dubai!

I would get everything attested because they just love to spring things on you at the last minute here. It’ll be easier to get done at home before you come.
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Old Dec 1st 2017, 3:27 am
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Default Re: Plans to move to Dubai!

Originally Posted by masif
Guys, This is just amazing, and highly appreciate all the great feedback.



Finally, I have been told by the employer that I might not need to get the degrees attested, however that will affect the visa type. Does anybody know how visa types are impacted by educational qualifications?

Thanks again.
It will not affect your visa, everyone gets a generic Residence Visa, it all depends an what is written on the Visa as your title, I have had Archives Clerk on a couple, and also just Manager on a couple as well....personally I do not give a stuff what they put me down as, because at the end of the day it is still a visa........although some people really get their knickers in a twist over it!!!
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