Spugsy

I'm done with the middle east, when I leave, if I never hear the words 'yalla' or 'insallah' ever again I'll be a happy man. No chance I'd go to another place like Qatar or Bahrain.

soukie

You might think differently when you leave - we have been back and forth a few times and vowed not to return when we first left. Have you got your passport back yet?

Spugsy

Have I knackers, theyve had it 9 weeks now and my visit visa ran out 5 weeks ago.

soukie

OMG - I see why you want to leave! I would feel exactly the same.

Millhouse

Why not be an expat in Wales?

For me, I have no idea. New job means I could probably move anywhere 'emerging' (or at least be near an emerging market)... I am currently considering buying in portugal and covering north africa from there. Otherwise when all the UK ties are gone I'll probably move further East or maybe just stay put in this region.

commander

Singapore for us i think.

I may be moving back to Dubai come April though..I see this as a backwards step though as we much much prefer Abu Dhabi.

Oyibopeppeh

We'd go back to Lagos yesterday

hnd

Oman for us. Both old and greying and enjoying retirement. And we're well aware that things happen even slower there than in the UAE but, hey, we have the time. More importantly, having lived here for over 5 years we have learned one really good lesson: have no expectations whatsoever when it comes to dealing with government etc and you won't be disappointed.

PS: didn't like either Singapore or Hong Kong for a holiday destination even though we were spoiled rotten by our hosts in HK. Guess we're not big city people which may be why Muscat may suit us better. If not? Guess we'll look elsewhere.

Blue Cat

I like Oman I have to say, can you retire there, what about visa's etc?

Meow

It's come up in our conversations too.

Last I heard the government stated it would offer two year residency visas owners of completed properties.

Blue Cat

they said that here then changed their minds after everyone had invested

Spugsy

again, typical middle east.

Dubai will sooner or later get sick of the expats and start bringing in new laws, I read already today they are thinking of only having people here for 2 or 3 years at a time then you're done.

So that would be you knackered.

Millhouse

don't believe everything you read...

auzdafluff

Yeah. The media and PR industries would pull out over night if that happened. They're entirely about relationships and understanding industries. It takes a journalist two years to learn a new industry properly and to build the contacts up.

As for PRs, most of the business is gained through reputation of the senior staff. If the senior staff are being kicked out after three years, then the PR business will collapse through the floor.

In other words, if they were being chucked out, Dubai would lose one of their biggest revenue streams. In addition, Abu Dhabi is in heat trying to attract the media to their city. Dubai has to be very careful about what it does otherwise it risks losing the infrastructure that, when the oil runs out, will allow it to finally put Abu Dhbai under its thumb.

NorthernLad

That idea started up a few years ago, then someone high-up realised that it simply won't work. Who would clean the roads, serve in Costa, cut the grass etc...

We said we'd do two years in the Middle East then move on. Seven years later still here.