Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

nfresh · Mar 06, 2009

Hello everyone

I'm hoping you can help me with some research I'm doing into the expat market in the Middle East. I'm most interested to hear about expats experiences of living and working in Dubai, particulary in the current economic climate.

I was wondering if this is something any of the members here would be able to help me with?

I have a couple of questions really:
1. What is it like for expats in Dubai now, and how has it changed for you over the past year or so?
2. What attracted you to work in Dubai?
3. What drives expats to leave when the time comes to move on from Dubai?

What would be the best way to get in touch - by phone, email or PM?

I look forward to hearing from you,

Natalie

Habibi · Mar 06, 2009

nfresh wrote:Hello everyone

I'm hoping you can help me with some research I'm doing into the expat market in the Middle East. I'm most interested to hear about expats experiences of living and working in Dubai, particulary in the current economic climate.

I was wondering if this is something any of the members here would be able to help me with?

I have a couple of questions really:
1. What is it like for expats in Dubai now, and how has it changed for you over the past year or so?
2. What attracted you to work in Dubai?
3. What drives expats to leave when the time comes to move on from Dubai?

What would be the best way to get in touch - by phone, email or PM?

I look forward to hearing from you,

Natalie

Okay, here a couple of comments from my personal point of view:

1. What is it like for expats in Dubai now, and how has it changed for you over the past year or so?

I love it. The roads are great to drive now, the Idiots have left Dubai. No more stupid property flipping arrogant discussion to overhear in bars, people cooled down, have landed on planet Earth.

2. What attracted you to work in Dubai?

For me, I loved my previous business trips to this region. The choice to move here once offered was not easy to decline. Believe it or not, but I love the weather, the summer month are to surivive, but for the rest it's just great. Every day blue sky and owning zero jumper or jackets ... don't have to think too much what to wear (other then work of cause).
I also love that I can do whatever I want (within UAE laws and morals), don't have to report back and fill in boring and expensive tax sheets ...
Also love the good mix of cultures here, although you can get a bit fed up at times dealing with unqualified staff, especially working at Banks (NBD, too stupid to get anything right.)
Then again, how qualified are the guys in the West who blew it all up now;-)

3. What drives expats to leave when the time comes to move on from Dubai?

If never stayed longer then 3 years in one country for the past 12 years, never came to Dubai to stay forever in the first place, so well, time will tell when it's right to move on. Depends on many different circumstances, for now it's great and I can easily see another year to stay ...

nfresh · Mar 06, 2009

Thanks for your time Habibi - that's all really interesting and useful stuff.

I have a couple more question, should take only a few minutes to answer - can I send you them by PM or in an email?

Thanks!
Natalie

dbxsoul · Mar 06, 2009

nfresh wrote:Hello everyone

I'm hoping you can help me with some research I'm doing into the expat market in the Middle East. I'm most interested to hear about expats experiences of living and working in Dubai, particulary in the current economic climate.

I was wondering if this is something any of the members here would be able to help me with?

I have a couple of questions really:
1. What is it like for expats in Dubai now, and how has it changed for you over the past year or so?

The typical "expat package" is a lot less compaired to earlier years. Agree with Habibi traffic down as are rentals. School fees are still being milked by the school owners. Don't see much increase in other "costs of living" although it could be gradual. Still a "good" life by comparison to other countrys, still some idiots on the roads, although I have noticed a marked decrease in people speeding since the introduction of the new cameras and fine/ points system. Most jobs related to the construction and hospitality industries are on the down-turn; some projects cancelled, others postponed and even more on a "go slow" with fewer employees.

2. What attracted you to work in Dubai?

My third contract in the UAE, pretty easy way of life if you keep to the rules. Exchange rate is okay, pegged against the US Dollar, so does vary according to the market, but still pretty good when you look at other countires. The current shake-up in the world economy has impacted all countries, here because it is largely construction and tourist orientated these secotrs have suffered (including the ludicrous proprty prices). Still if you balance the books the region has always had large amounts of disposable income and this has basically remained the same.

3. What drives expats to leave when the time comes to move on from Dubai?

good question; i left, i came back. depends on the industry you are in (some expats are migrant by nature and follow the work around) and what your personal long-term objectives are.

What would be the best way to get in touch - by phone, email or PM?

I look forward to hearing from you,

Natalie

sweet mary · Mar 11, 2009

1. What is it like for expats in Dubai now, and how has it changed for you over the past year or so?

-more residential/commercial buildings
-thousands of hotel rooms came up
-new malls
-Property developers got crazy developing the "biggest" and the "tallest"
-more road blocks cuz of metro construction
-new routes,sligthly lesser traffic
-more radars/cameras installed to catch drivers overspeeding
-more Salik toll gates
-higher cost of living, if no increase then very less increase on salary, tend people to go back on their origin
-because of recession, Dubai seems slow, less traffic, no containers in the port, rumors that property rentals will decrease their price, school/university fee hike, freeze hiring- more firing

2. What attracted you to work in Dubai?

-tax free environment
-stable currency
-a lot better package than back home esp now that I'm working with government institution
-u can chill out anytime: bar, pubs, mall, beaches, or at home
-electronics are cheaper (u can get the latest and biggest wide screen for your home

)
-u will later appreciate the mix culture set-up.
-very minimal crime rate.
-I don't have to worry that my bag will be snatched.
-I can wear my jewelrries anytime without being scared for hold-up.
-kidnapping is just a fantasy!

3. What drives expats to leave when the time comes to move on from Dubai?

It's ideal for those with stable jobs and highly paid or with business. But at the end of the day evrything is still foreign to you and somehow you are oriented that this good when you're working. It doesn's give you citizenship unlike when you worked in other countries for several years. Your son/daugther wont be UAE citizen, just made in UAE title when she/he born. Other countries offer free education while here schools/universities are milking parents~ Well in geneal, I agree, its will still depend on individuals' long term plan. :wink:

Habibi · Mar 11, 2009

sweet mary wrote:-electronics are cheaper (u can get the latest and biggest wide screen for your home )

Actually, I found this not to be true. Been to Germany last December and electro, computers, wide screen tv etc. etc. were way cheaper.

Also, Duty Free Electro is not cheaper as in many countries in EU.

nfresh · Mar 16, 2009

Again, thanks very much for your responses - very interesting stuff!

If you have a couple of minutes, I'm also interested to know your thoughts on these questions:

When did you move to Dubai?

What made you move to Dubai as an expat?

Where did you live and work before you moved there?

How did you find out about that Dubai as an expat destination? (for instance, was it through expat community forum marketing, government marketing, or specific company marketing?)

Did you consider other countries when deciding to move abroad for work? Yes/No
If yes, which countries did you consider?

Why did you eventually choose Dubai?

What industry do you work in?

How has the economic crisis affected your industry in the country where you're living?

What job do you have?

What is an average salary for the kind of job you do?

With many expatriates moving away from the Middle East at the moment, do you think you will be moving soon? Yes/No
If yes, when?

Would you consider a move to any of the following destinations?
America Yes/No
Europe Yes/No
Canada Yes/No
Asia Yes/No
Australasia Yes/No

Thanks again taking the time to give me your thoughts.

nfresh · Mar 16, 2009

Habibi wrote:
nfresh wrote:Hello everyone

I'm hoping you can help me with some research I'm doing into the expat market in the Middle East. I'm most interested to hear about expats experiences of living and working in Dubai, particulary in the current economic climate.

I was wondering if this is something any of the members here would be able to help me with?

I have a couple of questions really:
1. What is it like for expats in Dubai now, and how has it changed for you over the past year or so?
2. What attracted you to work in Dubai?
3. What drives expats to leave when the time comes to move on from Dubai?

What would be the best way to get in touch - by phone, email or PM?

I look forward to hearing from you,

Natalie

Okay, here a couple of comments from my personal point of view:

1. What is it like for expats in Dubai now, and how has it changed for you over the past year or so?

I love it. The roads are great to drive now, the Idiots have left Dubai. No more stupid property flipping arrogant discussion to overhear in bars, people cooled down, have landed on planet Earth.

2. What attracted you to work in Dubai?

For me, I loved my previous business trips to this region. The choice to move here once offered was not easy to decline. Believe it or not, but I love the weather, the summer month are to surivive, but for the rest it's just great. Every day blue sky and owning zero jumper or jackets ... don't have to think too much what to wear (other then work of cause).
I also love that I can do whatever I want (within UAE laws and morals), don't have to report back and fill in boring and expensive tax sheets ...
Also love the good mix of cultures here, although you can get a bit fed up at times dealing with unqualified staff, especially working at Banks (NBD, too stupid to get anything right.)
Then again, how qualified are the guys in the West who blew it all up now;-)

3. What drives expats to leave when the time comes to move on from Dubai?

If never stayed longer then 3 years in one country for the past 12 years, never came to Dubai to stay forever in the first place, so well, time will tell when it's right to move on. Depends on many different circumstances, for now it's great and I can easily see another year to stay ...

Habibi, can I ask where you're from originally and how long you've been living in Dubai?

Cheers

nfresh · Mar 16, 2009

[quote="dbxsoul"][quote="nfresh"]

3. What drives expats to leave when the time comes to move on from Dubai?

good question; i left, i came back. depends on the industry you are in (some expats are migrant by nature and follow the work around) and what your personal long-term objectives are.

Same to you, dbxsoul, where are you from originally and how long have you been in Dubai this time and altogether?

Thanks

nfresh · Mar 16, 2009

sweet mary wrote: Well in geneal, I agree, its will still depend on individuals' long term plan. [/b]

And what about you, sweet mary, where are you from originally? How long have you been living in Dubai?

Cheers

dbxsoul · Mar 17, 2009

nfresh wrote:
dbxsoul wrote:
nfresh wrote:
3. What drives expats to leave when the time comes to move on from Dubai?

good question; i left, i came back. depends on the industry you are in (some expats are migrant by nature and follow the work around) and what your personal long-term objectives are.

Same to you, dbxsoul, where are you from originally and how long have you been in Dubai this time and altogether?

Thanks

i'm south african, i worked for 6 years in dubai then spent 18 months in sudan and have recently returned. in my case i have to admit it, it's more about the money at the moment - obviously things are "tight" all around the globe at the moment; i found that in my case dubai still has work (even though it is greatly reduced in volume), a comparitivly good standard of living and the exchange rate is in my favour.

obama · Mar 24, 2009

nfresh wrote:
dbxsoul wrote:
nfresh wrote:
3. What drives expats to leave when the time comes to move on from Dubai?

good question; i left, i came back. depends on the industry you are in (some expats are migrant by nature and follow the work around) and what your personal long-term objectives are.

Same to you, dbxsoul, where are you from originally and how long have you been in Dubai this time and altogether?

Thanks

wat.. you already have more info than any of the statistical software can process

sweet mary · Mar 26, 2009

nfresh wrote:
sweet mary wrote: Well in geneal, I agree, its will still depend on individuals' long term plan. [/b]

And what about you, sweet mary, where are you from originally? How long have you been living in Dubai?

Cheers

I'm a Filipina, HRD in government sector, been here since 2004.

Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

Your Thoughts On Dubai Expat Life Please!

Go To

Dubai Discussions

Dubai Expat Forums

Dubai Business

Dubai Tech Discussions

Dubai Classifieds