Dubai - what is happening
#106
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 3
Re: Dubai - what is happening
UAE Foreign Ministry share Visa data of UK citizens to the UK embassy.
However whats not collected is the Free zones, entrepreneurs data.
For the last 11 years working for the ruling family myself here in Abu Dhabi I seen a lot of changes.
One thing thats always mentioned in meetings is recruitment how difficult its to get a job rouge recruitment agencies posting false jobs. Emiraties taking over etc.
Pay reduced and Benefits reduced or taken away. Low paid workers more likely to be hired over an expat. House hold utilities rising, Petrol prices rising etc
Last Friday I spoke to a reporter from The National who said that media are under a lot of pressure to keep bad news quite from up on high.
So its not a case of scaremongering someone has actually created this post on the basis of sh!t happening.
Thanks!
However whats not collected is the Free zones, entrepreneurs data.
For the last 11 years working for the ruling family myself here in Abu Dhabi I seen a lot of changes.
One thing thats always mentioned in meetings is recruitment how difficult its to get a job rouge recruitment agencies posting false jobs. Emiraties taking over etc.
Pay reduced and Benefits reduced or taken away. Low paid workers more likely to be hired over an expat. House hold utilities rising, Petrol prices rising etc
Last Friday I spoke to a reporter from The National who said that media are under a lot of pressure to keep bad news quite from up on high.
So its not a case of scaremongering someone has actually created this post on the basis of sh!t happening.
Thanks!
1 - True in certain industries. In my industry 6 Western managers have been fired (1 was my boss who received a call Friday evening to report to HQ Saturday morning with his laptop and security pass, first he was aware of it) and replaced by locals just this year. The workers are still mainly Western because locals do not have the skills/experience.
3 - Is correct in some respects as we are funded directly by DoF and our capital projects are funded indirectly by DoF, budgets are under very close scrutiny and even money promised this year is being 're-examined'. Next years budget who knows.
4 - No idea about UK expats leaving (but how would the embassy know since they have zero idea who is in the country and since the various government entities in Dubai do not like to share electronic data with each other I doubt they would share with the embassies). However this British expat is finishing work in Dubai on 31st March and going back to blighty.
3 - Is correct in some respects as we are funded directly by DoF and our capital projects are funded indirectly by DoF, budgets are under very close scrutiny and even money promised this year is being 're-examined'. Next years budget who knows.
4 - No idea about UK expats leaving (but how would the embassy know since they have zero idea who is in the country and since the various government entities in Dubai do not like to share electronic data with each other I doubt they would share with the embassies). However this British expat is finishing work in Dubai on 31st March and going back to blighty.
#107
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2012
Location: Dubai, working at Dust World Central
Posts: 3,706
Re: Dubai - what is happening
plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose
#108
Re: Dubai - what is happening
Just quoting the correct facts that are published through UAE Media and Embassies that are based in the UAE....
My wife is working as Legal Counsel for the ruling family and 1) is not urban myth its fact. Tatween website is live and so far to date its been successful in recruiting emirates. 2) is not ridiculous and again its fact. 3) is not incorrect its fact.) 4) is fact.
Maybe you need to stop living with your head in the sand.... Just saying... Or are you one of these People that live the high life in Dubai and in debt to your eyeballs?
So before you come along with your facts and opinions on someones thread and rubbishing them get YOUR facts straight. Thanks!
My wife is working as Legal Counsel for the ruling family and 1) is not urban myth its fact. Tatween website is live and so far to date its been successful in recruiting emirates. 2) is not ridiculous and again its fact. 3) is not incorrect its fact.) 4) is fact.
Maybe you need to stop living with your head in the sand.... Just saying... Or are you one of these People that live the high life in Dubai and in debt to your eyeballs?
So before you come along with your facts and opinions on someones thread and rubbishing them get YOUR facts straight. Thanks!
#109
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Dubai
Posts: 585
Re: Dubai - what is happening
It might also be worth noting the huge corruption scandal involving Petrobras (including senior government officials, etc) have put a hold on a considerable chunk of O&G work in Brazil.
#110
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,520
Re: Dubai - what is happening
Just a few comments.
Emiratisation seems to come and go with a renewed push every few years. I don't doubt the sincerity but there are underlying flaws with Emiratisation. The public sector remains, by far, the much more desirable work option for Emiratis with better wages and better hours and less pressure. The private sector is filled with positions that require types of experiences, of which there aren't anywhere nearly enough Emiratis to fill, so how can the companies find Emiratis for the role? How many Emirati architects are there? Engineers? Quantity Surveyors? Construction project managers? Security system designers?
Even if I was a highly qualified Emirati engineer and I had a choice between a senior engineer role with, say, Atkins, or a senior engineer role in a government office, I know which one I'd go for. Better hours, better wages, less demanding working conditions. I have worked both in a highly regarded public sector office and private firm in the UK so I have first hand experience with both types of working environments and the public sector wins, hands down.
Huge numbers of businesses in the UAE are based here but don't really trade here, such as in the free zones. They don't rely on UAE government contracts, they won't feel the pressure to hire Emiratis.
I'm sure that in key industries and semi-government companies and locally owned companies you will see more and more Emiratis replacing expats (in senior roles, of course, ain't going to be seeing Emirati office boys any time soon). But because the pool of qualified talent in skilled roles is too small, there's no real threat to the larger higher paid and qualified expat population.
Emiratisation seems to come and go with a renewed push every few years. I don't doubt the sincerity but there are underlying flaws with Emiratisation. The public sector remains, by far, the much more desirable work option for Emiratis with better wages and better hours and less pressure. The private sector is filled with positions that require types of experiences, of which there aren't anywhere nearly enough Emiratis to fill, so how can the companies find Emiratis for the role? How many Emirati architects are there? Engineers? Quantity Surveyors? Construction project managers? Security system designers?
Even if I was a highly qualified Emirati engineer and I had a choice between a senior engineer role with, say, Atkins, or a senior engineer role in a government office, I know which one I'd go for. Better hours, better wages, less demanding working conditions. I have worked both in a highly regarded public sector office and private firm in the UK so I have first hand experience with both types of working environments and the public sector wins, hands down.
Huge numbers of businesses in the UAE are based here but don't really trade here, such as in the free zones. They don't rely on UAE government contracts, they won't feel the pressure to hire Emiratis.
I'm sure that in key industries and semi-government companies and locally owned companies you will see more and more Emiratis replacing expats (in senior roles, of course, ain't going to be seeing Emirati office boys any time soon). But because the pool of qualified talent in skilled roles is too small, there's no real threat to the larger higher paid and qualified expat population.
As a British Expat married to an Emirati I can explain just some of the issues thats going on in the UAE:
1) Emiratisation is now compulsory not voluntary the Government send a quota of Emirati names from the Tawteen (Government employment Emiratisation website) to Private and Government companies. Meaning if you have a Emirati shadowing you you're numbered you have probably 6 months before you're made redundant.
2) Iran.... The USA have made them "Friends" status and no longer a threat to national security (Subject to Senate approval) the fear that Iran can now Sell all its oil will drive the Oil price down to $15 barrel...
3) UAE Yearly Budget. Has not been released for 2015. ADIA currently ruling/requesting for there investments back so the likes of Mubadala, Taqa and other companies sell there loss making investments and pay ADIA back its profits etc.
4) Summer 2015 British embassy published that around 10000 British expats left the UAE.
Due to Job loss or affordability living in the UAE (British and US embassy advertised heavily on how to the leave the UAE correctly). Also many other expats lost there job after arriving from their holidays.
Its also worth noting that a lot of expats since 2013 left for Brazil due to the massive exploration and find of Oil and gas in 2009. Its taking this long to get to the reserves.
I have lived in the UAE since Sept 2009 and can honestly say the friends that I have met here have now all gone to pastures new or left due to a crisis looming. Shopping now for a month costs over 3k dhs Baby milk prices is just ridiculous.
Hope this helps however there is another bubble looming bigger than the last and I feel it will be more difficult to cover up due to the dwindling oil prices...
1) Emiratisation is now compulsory not voluntary the Government send a quota of Emirati names from the Tawteen (Government employment Emiratisation website) to Private and Government companies. Meaning if you have a Emirati shadowing you you're numbered you have probably 6 months before you're made redundant.
2) Iran.... The USA have made them "Friends" status and no longer a threat to national security (Subject to Senate approval) the fear that Iran can now Sell all its oil will drive the Oil price down to $15 barrel...
3) UAE Yearly Budget. Has not been released for 2015. ADIA currently ruling/requesting for there investments back so the likes of Mubadala, Taqa and other companies sell there loss making investments and pay ADIA back its profits etc.
4) Summer 2015 British embassy published that around 10000 British expats left the UAE.
Due to Job loss or affordability living in the UAE (British and US embassy advertised heavily on how to the leave the UAE correctly). Also many other expats lost there job after arriving from their holidays.
Its also worth noting that a lot of expats since 2013 left for Brazil due to the massive exploration and find of Oil and gas in 2009. Its taking this long to get to the reserves.
I have lived in the UAE since Sept 2009 and can honestly say the friends that I have met here have now all gone to pastures new or left due to a crisis looming. Shopping now for a month costs over 3k dhs Baby milk prices is just ridiculous.
Hope this helps however there is another bubble looming bigger than the last and I feel it will be more difficult to cover up due to the dwindling oil prices...
#111
Re: Dubai - what is happening
Don't you just love how Mac777 thinks no one on this board knows anything about what's going on the UAE? Or that no one here has sources, connections or any insider knowledge.
A British man married to an Emirati woman too? That's as rare as the proverbial rocking horse excrement.
*tries very hard not to mention the terrible written English from said poster*
A British man married to an Emirati woman too? That's as rare as the proverbial rocking horse excrement.
*tries very hard not to mention the terrible written English from said poster*
#112
Re: Dubai - what is happening
"My wife is working as Legal Counsel for the ruling family"...IF this is the case, I'm sure she'll be overjoyed about you posting on here.
#114
Re: Dubai - what is happening
When did the truth get in the way of a good story?
In AD, where I work, the government may well be cutting down on certain non-critical projects but they are still incredibly concerned about unrest (ISIS, MB etc.), that they are spending shed loads on security.
In AD, where I work, the government may well be cutting down on certain non-critical projects but they are still incredibly concerned about unrest (ISIS, MB etc.), that they are spending shed loads on security.