http://www.grapeshisha.com/index.html
UAE Cost of Living Spreadsheet
http://www.grapeshisha.com/theknowledgecostofliving.html
Salary Components
http://www.grapeshisha.com/theknowledgesalary.html
Recruitment Agencies Spreadsheet
http://www.grapeshisha.com/theknowledgerecruitmentagencies.html
UAE Rental Range Spreadsheet
http://www.grapeshisha.com/theknowledgerents.html
Maps of Dubai and Abu Dhabi
http://www.grapeshisha.com/theknowledgemaps.html
Excellent practical in-depth Sample Survery and looks a recent one.
Download the Excel files and see the cost of living stuff/ Agencies/
Excellent Job, keep it up www.grapeshisha.com
Thanks to GABS for this information:
Electricity/water or DEWA bills are probably around the AED1500 average, for a villa. Increases in Summer and decreases in Winter.
Rental around AED 120 000 to 150 000 for a villa per annum-based on three bedroom. Four bedroom add another AED30 000 to 50 000.
Cable-full selection of TV stations around the 250 to 300 AED per month.
Cars, inexpensive, check www.gulfnews.com classifieds and also look up accommodation in here. Petrol is inexpensive.
All packages should include medical-dental is often not included.
Living standard is high-you can get anything. Great place for kids and safe in MHO. I have three kids. Standard of education is good-excellent and medical/dental is also good- excellent.
Other costs
Groceries
If you are interested in the COL here in Dubai here are a few indicators from my shopping list:
1 litre milk DH5
1 loaf white bread DH3 to DH7
2 litre juice DH10
24 cheese slice DH10.50
1 litre of cream DH 12
Australian Lamb chops DH 28 per kg
Australia beef mince DH 18 per kg
Chicken breast fillets DH26 to DH30 per kg
Australian Rib eye steak DH 32 per kg
2 litre tub Baskin Robbins icecream DH30
1.2 kg fresh whole chicken around DH15
30 fresh eggs DH12
watermelon Dh2.90 per kg
bananas Dh3 per kg
carrots Dh3 per kg
apples around Dh4
ya/ nashi pears Dh2 to DH3 per kg
Potatoes DH1.75 kg
Eggplant DH2.25 kg
Pasta Sauce Dh10 per 750g jar
Dried pasta DH 2.15 (500g bag)
Tomatoes DH2.25 kg
Pawpaw/papaya DH5.95kg
Strawberries DH 5.50 250g punnet
Bananas DH 2.95
Arabic bread large Dh 2 small Dh 1
Croissants box of 6 Dh8
Cheese DH8 per 250g block
Sausages DH28 per kg
5kg short grain white rice DH11
Fish seems to be cheap and around the DH30 per kg up but Hammour is especially nice and considered to be a "local" fish. Overall fruit and veg varies in price according to the season and also according to it's origin.
Eating out
Local bakeries and small restaurants without alcohol are cheap as are fast food places like KFC, Hardees, McDonald's, Burger King, Pizza Hut which all deliver. If you eat at Hotels some have buffets plus all you can drink ( INCLUDING alcohol) for LESS than DH150 per person and these are really nice places.
MacDonald's cost of living index
Value meal (drink, chips, burger) DH14
Kid's meal DH10
Publications
Get hold of a Dubai Explorer, The Connector free book and What's On and Time Out magazines.
Cards that give me something
Wafi City advantage card
Air miles card
McGrudy's card
Privelege Card (centrepoint etc)
Coupons
Book stores have an Entertainer books full of coupons for restaurants, eateries and activities ie Ski Dubai, Arabian nights tours in Dubai-they have a 3 book offer out at the moment-I think the last one is for spas and stuff-loads of two for one offers.
Activities
karting
fishing
flying
football
horse riding
kite surfing
dune bashing
sailing
golf
diving(www.7seasdivers.com ,www.alboomdiving.com ,www.diversdown.tk , www.emiratesdiving.com , www.jumeirahinternational.com etc)
shooting
(Jebel Ali Shooting Club 8836555, www.jebelali-international.com and Ras Al Khaimah Shooting Club, 07 2363622, and Hatta Fort Hotel 8523211, www.jebelali-international.com)
Cars
Hire of small car around DH1300 to DH1800 per month
Petrol around DH6.50 per gallon
Electricity
Your DEWA bill will shock you. Families expect bills over DH1300 per month.
Electricity is 220-240V, plugs are three prong square.
REMEMBER WHEN THIS POST WAS DONE JAN 2006.
Also things to do:
Do the shopping bit-the malls are a treat for the eyes esp. little kids- Mall of the Emirates has magic planet and ski Dubai, Ibn Battuta is a visual beauty, leave the kids in Wafi City playing games, roller blading etc while you shop and then go to Wafi Gourmet for the best ice cream and something to eat,visit an Oud shop and check it out. The race course (horses) is just amazing to see (two tracks and a golf course ), dune bashing, go to the pictures, go for a dinner cruise on a dhow, take an abra along the creek, go to Wild Wadi, walk around the souks -the gold souq is dazzling, have threading on your eyebrows (ouch!! ), do the spa bit, have a manicure and pedicure get henna done on your hands, walk around the Madinat Jumeirah and eat alfresco, try shisha, walk around Satwa, go to Karama for bargains, go to Dragonmart for more bargains, go ice skating (Al Nasir leisureland or I heard the Hyatt is good plus you can do a decadent chocolate buffet after!!), hot airballooning, take the Big Bus tour or the Wonder Bus- duck that does the land and creek tour leaving from the Burjuman, creekside park has a cable car, do a Mosque tour, go to the Dubai Zoo-walking distance from the Mercato shopping mall-some people criticise this place but the animals are well cared for and the gorilla and its mate are awesome, visit heritage sites like the Bastakiya, Heritage and Diving Village etc(www.dubaitourism.ae), stuff your own bear at the bear factory and dress him/her in traditional dress and take a camel ride on the beach.
At the beach you can swim, kite surf, snorkel, build a sand castle have a bbq/picnic, go on a quad bike, jet ski, go to Jumeirah Beach which gives the Burj as a backdrop.
You can learn Arabic, get lost in your car driving, go to a different Emirate (sometimes unintentionally), go to a Wadi, go karting, sky dive, hot air ballooning, play snooker, go sand boarding, sailing (Dubai Offshore Sailing Club www.dosc.org tel: 04-3941669,Fun Sports www.funsport-dubai.com tel 04-3995976, Jebel Ali Sailing Club www.jebelalisailingclub.com 04-3995444), shooting(Jebel Ali Shooting Club 8836555, www.jebelali-international.com and Ras Al Khaimah Shooting Club, 07 2363622, and Hatta Fort Hotel 8523211, www.jebelali-international.com), roller blade at the park, go for a picnic/bbq at the park, try a shawarma, go to Al Reef and have the best cheese bread eva,go paintballing, take a helicopter or plane tour, join a motor cross/motorcycle club, go diving (Al Boom Diving - Aqua Centre P.O. Box 30439 Dubai, tel: (971) 4 3422993 Fax: (971) 4 3422995 email: abdiving@emirates.net.ae), play golf, go fishing, take a dhow charter, visit a museum, go to Children's city, go clubbing and pubbing, go to an art gallery, watch cable and read Dubai Forums.
Try http://www.turnertraveldubai.com/Dubai-att/tourist-att.asp.
Buy Time Out and What's on in Dubai magazines and a Dubai Explorer.
A good listing of car rental companies can be found here:
http://www.aiwagulf.com/directory/ae/sp.asp?pc=46
http://www.dnrd.gov.ae/dnrd/default.htm
- dbxsoul wrote:
The UAE is a Federation of Seven Emirates and is regulated by Federal Laws and statutes; each Emirate is able to implement the Law according to their own needs and requirements as long as they are able to adequately manage the system. To this end the Federal Labour Law is applied across the UAE, but with noticeable variations (mainly exceptions to the rule) in the Emirate of Dubai - for example the exceptions to the Labour Ban. This applies also to the variations regarding the implantation of the Law with Free Zones in the UAE.
As noted in one of the postings below there are different interpretations of the Labour Law in different Emirates. The information on this posting is specifically intended to people/ persons seeking employment in the Emirate of Dubai.
The Federal Labour Law and the Contract Document above specifically excludes (Under Article 3): all persons employed in State, Municipal or Public bodies, members of the Armed Forces, Police and Security Service as well as domestic servants and agricultural labourers.
The Official UAE Federal Labour Contract is in fact a “Boilerplate” document. It covers the basic/ essential information pertaining to the employment of an individual under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Law No. 8 of 1980).
This is a dual English/ Arabic document. As Arabic is the legally accepted language (not English) employees should always get someone who can read Arabic to ensure that the translation is accurate in both portions of the document especially if your remuneration is bonus or incentive based, if you can’t read Arabic, the placement of a decimal point can mean the difference to whether you receive the bonus you were expecting or merely pocket change!
“Arabic shall be the sole language to be used in all records, contracts, files, statements and other documents provided for in this law or in any resolution or regulation issued in implementation of its provisions. Arabic must also be used in instructions and circulars issued by the employer to his employees. However, in the event where a foreign language is used by the employer alongside Arabic, the Arabic text shall prevail.”
This is the official and only document recognized by the Labour Department. Other documents that a potential employee may encounter are and “Offer Letter” or “Offer of Employment” as well as an “Employment Contract”.
Offer Letters are just that, the offer of employment to a potential employee and normally cover the basics such as hours, leave dues, remuneration etc. By virtue of the fact that many expatriates are English speaking you can expect the Offer Letter to be presented to you for scrutiny in English. Offer letters are by no means contractually binding; the employee needs to perform “due diligence” and ensure that what is offered actually materialises on the Labour Contract when it is drafted.
From a Western perspective Employment Contracts issued by large companies and signed by both parties are legally binding documents; these can be contested in open court to the benefit of either party (employer or employee). A “Western” style employment contract is nothing more than a “gentlemen’s agreement” in this (UAE) context!
In the UAE a farmiliar "western style" employment contract is not accepted – unless the document is translated into Arabic and submitted along with the Federal Labour Contract – in which case it is noted as an appendix in the “Other” portion at the end of the contract document.
The Federal Labour Contract (and appendixes if any) is the only document legally accepted in the case of a dispute. As stated in the Contract (Point 6): one copy is held by the Department of Labour, the other two copies issued to the employer and the employee.
" Article 35
Subject to what is provided for in Article (2), the labour contract shall be made in two copies, one to be delivered to the employee and the other to the employer. If no written contract exists, all its conditions may be proved by all legal means of proof.”
===============================================
Notes
Point 2.
Limited or Unlimited this is in effect the duration or period terms of the contract.
Limited contracts are those of a fixed term 1 year, 2 years, 36 months etc. - there are penalties should either party want to break the contract prior to it's conclusion. Essentially the maximum penalties by law are a 1 and a half months wage payable by the party breaking the contract. However if you break the contract don't expect to get an NOC from your employer if you are seeking a better position!
Unlimited or indefinite contracts are similar to "western" contracts where there is a period defined in the contract (normally 3 years which corrosponds with the validity period of a residency visa), the contract can then be re-newed after this period on the same terms as the pre-existing contract. Either party can give 30 days notice to terminate the contract.
Point 4.
Article 120 of the Federal Labour Law states:
"The employer may dismiss and employee without notice in any of the following cases:
A. If the employee assumes a fictitious personality or nationality or if he submits fake documents or certificates.
B. If the employee is appointed under probation and the termination happens during that period or at its end.
C. If the employee commits a mistake causing grave financial loss to the employer provided that he shall inform the labour Department of the incident within forty eight hours from being aware of its occurrence.
D. If the employee violates instructions regarding safety of the work or the place of work, provided that such instructions are in writing and are displayed at a prominent place and he must have been informed of them orally if he is illiterate.
E. If the employee fails to carry out his basic duties according to the employment contract and continues to do so in spite of being subjected to a written interrogation and a warning that his services will be terminated if he repeated the actions.
F. If he discloses a secret of the establishment where he works.
G. If he is conclusively convicted by the court of an offence involving honour, honesty or public morals.
H. If he is found to be obviously intoxicated or under the influence of drugs during working hours.
I. If he commits a physical assault on the employer or the manager in charge or one of his colleagues during working hours.
J. If the employee absents himself without a legitimate reason for more that twenty interrupted days or more than seven continuous days during a single year.”
In some of the above cases (such as assault) you can only be summarily terminated if the Police (and then the Labour Department) have been notified and a formal case opened against you. If no case no formal case is filed you cannot legally be terminated from your employment - they may however take internal action against you such as imposing a fine or deducting pay - but again the employer has to notify the Department of Labour of the incident so that it can be recorded on your file.
Article 88
“An employee shall not work for another employer during his annual or sick leave provided for in this chapter. If such action is proved by the employer, he shall have the right to terminate the services of the employee without notice and deprive him of his wages for the leave period”
Point 7
This is slightly misleading, as under Article 75 the law provides for only 24 days of leave in the first year and 30 days thereafter. Leave benefits can only be accrued after successful completion of the probation period.
Article 75
“For every year of service the employee shall be entitled to an annual leave which must not be less than the following periods:
1. Two days for every month if his service is more than six months and less than a year.
2. Thirty days annually if the employees’ service exceeds one year. In case of termination of his service, the employee shall be entitled to an annual leave for the fractions of the last year.”
Point 8 (c)
Basic salary - this is the amount on which your final gratuity payment will be based on. Over time you may receive increases in salary etc. employees need to make sure they receive written notification of this increase on a company letterhead, duly signed and stamped with the company stamp. In theory a copy of this document is supposed to be sent to the Department of Labour and your contract amended accordingly. In practice however this very seldom occurs - hence the necessity to keep copies of all supporting documentation.
Other:
Most official company documents bare the companies stamp/ seal on them to be valid – this applies to everything in Dubai whether is a No Objection Certificate, letter of reference, salary certificate or your Labour Contract. It seems almost paradoxical that so much weight and faith is placed in a small rubber stamp that could be copied in most printing shops in Karama!
Documents also have to have the sponsor’s signature on them (or a General Manager in the case of some documents). Legal documents such as a Labour contact or Tenancy agreement have to have the Local sponsor’s signature on them as even though a company may be a partnership between a UAE National and a foreigner the local normally has the legal authority – not the foreigner.
<work in progress - more notes to follow>
http://dwc.hct.ac.ae/expatinfo/index.htm
J :D
Dubai for Visitors
- XRW-147 wrote:
[color=blue] EXCELLENT INFO FOR THOSE LOOKING TO MOVE TO DUBAI [/color]
http://www.grapeshisha.com/index.html
UAE Cost of Living Spreadsheet
http://www.grapeshisha.com/theknowledgecostofliving.html
Salary Components
http://www.grapeshisha.com/theknowledgesalary.html
Recruitment Agencies Spreadsheet
http://www.grapeshisha.com/theknowledgerecruitmentagencies.html
UAE Rental Range Spreadsheet
http://www.grapeshisha.com/theknowledgerents.html
Maps of Dubai and Abu Dhabi
http://www.grapeshisha.com/theknowledgemaps.html
Excellent practical in-depth Sample Survery and looks a recent one.
Download the Excel files and see the cost of living stuff/ Agencies/
Excellent Job, keep it up www.grapeshisha.com
Very useful links. Thanks. :wink: