Bruhaha

Hi, I'm new here.
I've been offered a position in Doha. I'd be relocating from Europe with spouse and 2 small children. The salary package is decent, but it seems like there is a large gap in covering the upfront costs required for the relocation. They cover flights, a short stay in a hotel once we arrive, and give an allowance of QAR 10,000. And that's it.
My experience and advice from others suggests the relocation will cost us upwards of EUR 15,000 (excluding the flights and hotel stay on arrival). I'm told by the recruiters/HR that NOBODY gets the costs of the removalists included in their package, but it just seems bonkers that it wouldn't be.
Can anybody offer experiences or insights about this?

scrubbedexpat141

Count yourself lucky.

We offer people the following:

Flight for family to the destination (economy).
$1,000 TOTAL in excess luggage / towards shipping.
That's it.
First two weeks of accommodation are booked but deducted from the first months housing allowance.

Never had anyone turn a job down because of it, even if it's shit.

Had someone tell me today they want us to pay off their 6 month contract on the flat in London they have.

Bruhaha

Thanks - that's really good information. How do people manage their cashflow in the first couple of months?

scrubbedexpat141

You'll be fine. Think logically about this - there are hundreds of thousands of western expats here in the UAE, not all came with suitcases of cash or with huge featherbed packages.
Lots turn up with **** all and make it work, not that it's recommended but just worth remembering.

Options:
Bring some savings
Borrow from company (for rent loans etc)
Salary advance maybe?
Credit cards - you'll get one within seconds of landing if you ask. If you don't ask it takes about 3 minutes to get one.
Borrow from family / parents

I brought a tiny bit of savings but was put up for a bit, rent free. You also buy your furniture if needed from somewhere like IKEA / Dubizzle so it's cheap as chips initially....or rent furnished.

You're getting 10,000 riyals towards setting up and a short hotel stay. If you haven't found a home to live in, just extend the hotel stay. The sooner you find somewhere to live the better - you'll relax and start to actually focus on the work instead of panicking about where you're going to live. When you're settled you'll accumulate the bits you need / want. All the useless shit you need like clothes drier hanger thing and pans and tin openers are found in Carrefour, an hour in there and you'll have all the small shit a house or apartment kitchen and utility room would ever need, for a cheap sum.
I made the mistake of renting somewhere without white goods, but hey presto - Carrefour. Still got the same cooker and dishwasher, but upgraded the washing machine (it broke) and fridge (choice). Maybe pick somewhere with them built in, bit cheaper.

You'll be fine.

TGFKASE

I work in the one field where the 'feather-bed' package is still the norm.. Thank Christ..

Flights for family, 40' container for the household stuff, air cargo allowance for the necessities (incl. full export packing), one month accommodation until they arrange my company-paid house for me, all utilities paid, car allowance and a moving allowance equal to one months salary...

So guess it looks like it depends on what field you are employed in.. Wanna be a Real Estate agent in sunny Dubai, you gotta pay for the 'privilege'.. Have a set of skills that are harder to find, you can push for more....

Personally, having done multiple international moves, I would never accept a package that wasnt 'feather-bed'.. Its stressful enough as it is, without either worrying about the upfront costs, or worrying about how how you are gonna furnish your 2 bed apartment...

TGFKASE

So, you come to Dubai to make some tax-free money, and to do it you have to bury yourself in debt first? Its not a recruitment adviser people need when deciding to move here, its a financial adviser..!!!

scrubbedexpat141

I knew this thread would attract you. Nothing like an opportunity to whack the old chap out and pretend it's big eh.

Whilst there are costs associated with moving jobs and that is an unfortunate fact of life it can be repaid initially or built into the package so you can recoup them.
I'd rather have an allowance for housing and car than be provided a villa in Mirdif and a Prado. Everyone's different.

TGFKASE

Im going to ignore the envious undertones of your first comment, and move on to say I agree with you on your third comment.

Im intrigued by your second comment tho. Are you talking specifically about moving overseas to work, or in general?

Bruhaha

Thanks to you both because this distils the arguments on both sides well.
I've done large relocations before. One was a featherbed, the other a complete DIY-er. Both were stressful even though I was keen for the change, and I didn't have little ones to consider.
I was head-hunted for this role, and whilst it is potentially a good opportunity it means leaving a place and lifestyle I'd prefer not to just because it might improve my long-term financial outlook. I do have young ones to consider too. It's not that they won't cope without "stuff" it's just that they tend to consume your capacity to do the legwork you need to do to get settled into a place. All while trying to impress a new employer.
So I tend towards the opinions of TGFKASE, and I have pushed for more. I'm doubtful it will be agreed, and then we'll have to make the decision about whether it might be fine. From all I've read, languishing in jail for unpaid debt isn't so tempting.

scrubbedexpat141

Oh come on, you and a couple of others on here love to be able to give it big spuds on these sorts of topics. Don't be upset that someone notices the gloating, it's what you want.

Mainly overseas, but I guess could be applied generally. There are costs - maybe not purely or only financial. It might be further from home and cost more in time and petrol, it might be in another country and you want to move your cat which isn't included in the relocation, it might be a step back initially to step further forward down the line, it might be foregoing a bonus or pay review (I've just sacrificed bonus but the pay rise I decided was worth it). No move is ever like for like or completely free. I'm sure there are some that have positives but you have to sacrifice something somewhere when making a move.

Millhouse

lol


Funny - I thought the featherbed package was dead... but I've been approached recently for a couple of things in AD (one looks borning, the interesting is not likely to be a fit) but they are featherbed. I've never had one, and I've never wanted it... the last thing I want is some massive free house and be subject to arbitrary changes in benefits allowances. So much better to have cash and live your own life.

That said, when I moved here I was given 25k and a month in a hotel to get set up.

csdf

Massive free houses are the pits.

jam25mack

Meh. At the end of the day it's not that difficult.... it just a pain in the tits! You move over and live in a hotel for a bit. During this time (assuming you get your visa) you decide where you want to live, view apartments / villas and then get your company to stump up the cash for the deposit and annual rent. Most 'decent' companies will do this and then take it out of your wages over the year. Done.

As for shipping things out. Nowhere does it say that you need to ship all your junk out right at the begining. I'm sure you could take essentials and store the rest for a month or two until your settled. Most of the shit you have probably won't suit here either.

Not sure where you get the 15,000 Euros (60k Riyals) from tho. Seems steep to me.

scrubbedexpat141

I'd love more free shit, but realistically, cash is miles more convenient and beneficial. We pay cash benefits - it's easier for the company and better for the person. Single? Pocket shit loads and live in a bedsit. Family with 6 kids? Chin up. We aren't paying to educate and house a football team.
However....We're really bad on the initial hotel stuff, I think it's shitty to make the person pay out of their first pay cheque. Such is.

DXBtoDOH

My first move to the UAE was, I think, 20k for relocation expenses and a free month's stay in a serviced hotel and the flight out. I pocketed the relocation allowance and flew out with a couple bags and the laptop.

Second move to the UAE was 30k relocation allowance and a free month's hotel stay and the flights. Two years later got relocated to Qatar with the same arrangement and two years later relocated back to UK with the same arrangement. 90k in relocation allowances in four years, all in my pocket!