Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

I am looking into moving to Dubai soon. I am a Canadian citizen. I know better than to move there without first having a contract under my belt. I would like to know:

1) The main differences between Dubai and Montreal (Canada). Please do not say the climate because thats like DUH!!!

2) How much can someone with 6 years experience in finance and project management with a bachelors degree from top Canadian university expect to make

Thanks-a-million for your answers beforehand....

Please someone help me

Try the same recruitment agency I have suggested for your wife's query.

Good luck

Montreal is awesome !!!

You can have as much fun socially here in Dubai but probably not the same ratio of men to women (ie. way more men over women ratio then back to montreal)

Work wise its awesome here cause of the whole tax-free situation so as long as you don't get very sick and don't need your health insurance that much then you could be making good money.

Dubai is getting more expensive to live in so soon it'll be like Montreal if not already in terms of "cost of living"

Cheers,

D

Thanks people for your help. I will check out the agency soon and see what that brings...

Yes Montreal does rock but winters here can be quite long and dreary So Dubai's warm sunshine will be quite welcome!!!

Also taxes in Canada are dreadful, sure we get free medicare here but most people end up dying in the waiting room for their operations because of an underfunded system that is falling apart at the seams...

Hopefully everything works out and come September I can find something that responds to my requirements and I can enjoy life to the fullest over there... Thanks again friends!!!

Thats cool!! i am from Montreal too and also thinking of going to Dubai....are you going alone, or have wife/husband and kids to tag along?? its cause i have been wondering about the schooling over there, and if when we decide to come back, that the kids can continue the same grade and not have to repeat or make up because the systems are different....just curious if you have looked into that.
we are just started our quest in moving there. husband is desperatly seeking job over there and once he finds, we are selling the house and all over here and going there.....


good luck!

Where in MTL do you live? I am downtown.

In response to your question, I will be getting married soon and will go there with my wife. In terms of schooling, if you send your kids to an american school they should be fine as the american system grade level is like ours in Quebec. Going to a British school it wouldn't work. Before coming to Canada I was in a british school and had to be dropped a grade in the US/Canadian system.

Schools in Dubai are very expensive... They make Stanislas, or LCC or Lyola (sp?) schools seem free!!!

I will not be selling anything to go there because my furniture is new, electronics can get adaptors to downconvert 240volts to 110volts (Canada) and for the TV, you can get a HD mult-system converter for MUCH cheaper than a new HD projection or LCD or plasma TV.

I hope I have covered enough

People her ehave been great helping me out so if I can help out people here in return it would be to my greatest pleasure.

tks....we are in Laval...

good luck in your search...and maybe we will meet on the plane to Dubai!!!

I'll be the guy on the plane proclaiming loadly for all to hear how much I will never miss the snow, cold, and pothole ridden streets of Montreal

My wife will be the nervous one sitting next to me worrying about life over there....

dont worry u will love the country

I hope so!!!

Now all I need is a job that pays well considering my experience...

Have you found employment there or are you going for a visit first?

I have not found employment in my respective field as of yet. I will probably start to look at the placement agencies soon and then lastly at the placement agencies who you pay for them to get you a decent job without so much as you lifting a finger but that would set me back $1600USD (at least I'd have something though and it is refundable if they fail in their efforts).

I might visit for a week or so in late august, but I will probably just go there without so much having set foot in the city previously once I get the right offer.

If anyone knows of an offer in Project Management and Financial Analysis please give me a shout, especially if in the IT, construction, or financial/banking industries.

Thanks for the info. My husband and I were looking at contacting Jobs in Dubai.com Have you heard of anyone whjo has had success with them?

Actually I am looking at that service

Thats the one where you pay them $1600 USD if they place you. From what I hear its good. Plus if they don't get you a job you don't pay a cent. What I want to find out is if they find you something but it doesn't respond to your financial/lifestyle needs and you say no, are you stuck paying them or do they kep looking.

If you find that out before I do can you please tell me? I will advise you likewise should I find out something like this or anything else interesting before you do.

Thanks for the info.

I was wondering the same thing. I emailed my husband's resume off to them and received a reply saying that he was accepted, and required we pay $34, something like that. I was wondering the same thing as you. If he refuses a position, then what happens. I'd assume they keep looking for you. I'll keep you posted.

By the way, are you from Lebanon cause your name is Lebanon in French. TC and thanks.

jobs in dubai.com is fraud! 2 of my friends applied and one of my friend paid them and tried contacting them for 3 months but no use. THey have head office here in Brampton. I guess they are swindlers ripping ppl off! If you have any luck let me know.

Are you currently living in Canada as well? What happened to your friends, did they ever receive a refund?

I contacted the BBB in Ontario and they said they were registered with them. Maybe you can tell your friends to contact the BBB.

Kelly1966, I appreciate that

You are correct, I am Lebanese but I also hold the Canadian passport and have been in Montreal for the past 17 years!!! French is the second language of Lebanon and thats why I use the name Liban... Besides when I registered I kinda went under the assumption that Lebanon would be a name that would be taken

As far is www.jobsindubai.com being a farce, far from it. I know from a a relative who has been in Dubai for many years now that this is a reputable company and they have placed many. I have no worries. Read the fine print of the contract. Some Canadian recruitment agencies in Montreal force you to accept the first job they find for you that respects your salary and position requirements, my buddy here in Montreal got a job with an agency working for Scotia Bank in Toronto and he got screwed by the recruiter and had no choice but to take the job even though it sucks according to him.

I have also used Dubai.com for over one year. Since the day they asked me for money, I have never heard from them. I have been trying to contact them during the one year, but everytime their reply is your resume has been updated, we will contact you if there is a job suit you.

For one god damn year not even one job interview??? I was wondering my qualification once, was so worry that I can't get a job in Dubai. So then I tried to appy jobs by myself. I was looking for a Hotel job then I looked at the list of all hotels in Dubai and send my resume out. Also, I am looking at the job hunting websites and apply directly.

Now I got a job and I asked for my refund. It took me months to get back my money.

try this

www.bayt.com

Yes bayt.com is an excellent website, but I find you have to be in the Middle East as well to get a job through them.

I am hearing different stories about jobs in dubai.com. Don't know what to do now???????????????

give it a try... if you don't know what to do. Overall is only 50 dollar .... maybe their specialty is not on hospitality that's why they couldn't help me.

also try posting a cv with

www.clarendonparker.com

like most legitamate agencies they will bill the prospective employer for their recruitment services not the employee!

Yeah feipo is right about jobsindubai.com. one of my friend in Canada in computer field applied and paid them. To this date no reply.

The problem with recruitement agencies is that you have to be in Dubai proper to have the best chance of getting the job. Don't get me wrong, www.bayt.com is a kickass agency but if you are outside the area where you wanna have them help you get a job then it is 100 times harder. That sucks for me because I will only go down there if I have a contract, I cannot exactly afford to live in Dubai with no income until I hopefully find something....

But I know that www.jobsindubai.com is part of the better business bureau and $50 is not exactly a fortune, so in my mind if it works, then giving them $2000 for having done all the work for us is not exactly that bad a deal if we end up with a good paying decent job... And if they can't find anything well then the contract they give us says 6 months or your money back. This is a Canadian company with a Canadian based contract and HQ. Consumer protection is a good thing here in Canada. People can get screwed but there are always legal means to resort to.

I am sending my resume this weekend. Gotta spruce it up first.

I guess you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't.

You are in the same position we are, we can't just go fly over to Dubai and live there with no job. We would like to have one set up before we go.

Please let me know how you make out with jobs in dubai.com

I think you can fly over there and then look for a job. I truely beleive it will be a lot easier. That was my original plan, just that I got luckly I got a job before I am going over there. I was preparing to stay there for 2 months just to look for a job.

Just try to find some cheap place, before you go do a lot of research about the kind of companies you want to work for. Send your CV out telling them when you will be in Dubai and you are happy to talk about your application when you are there. Try arranging interview before you go.

Financially it is still hard. We Canadians don't get to save much because we are taxed taxed and taxed again so what may look like a nice salary before taxes becomes pretty crappy after taxes....

One thing I would tell an employer who does a phone interview with me and who then asks to see me in person is that I will fly down there on my own expense which might look better than just saying "yeah man, pay for my plane,, hotel and food and I'll come do your interview"....

My 2 cents... err... 0.06 dirhams

Feipo,

How did you land a job before you went to Dubai? Where were you coming from? Any suggestions?