Jobs in Dubai and UAE  

Dubai jobs and employment

Dubai is growing rapidly - the fastest growing city in the world according to many (Update: well, it was, until a bunch of bankers interfered with the global financial system resulting in Dubai coming to a grinding halt in late 2008). It follows then that there are a large number and variety of jobs in Dubai waiting for workers from all countries and professions. For some it is a fantastic experience with an enjoyable lifestyle, good professional development and an opportunity to save (or spend) some extra tax-free cash. But as they say, Caveat Emptor ...

If you found this page because you're looking for the recruitment agency called "Jobs in Dubai" (apparently based in Canada), see the discussion about www.jobsindubai.com. It has a mixed reputation.

Types of Jobs and Salaries in Dubai

• Information moved to salaries in Dubai page.

Finding a Job in Dubai

As in any other country, there are many ways to obtain a job. The Gulf News has a separate section almost every day (not Fridays) with job listings including many from the various job agencies. The Khaleej Times also has a situations vacant section.

Recruitment Agencies and Consultants in Dubai

• Recruitment Dubai - information moved to new page.

Writing a CV or Resumé

• Writing a CV - information on new page

Work Visas (or Work Permits) in the UAE

• See the visas for Dubai page for more on residence and entry permits.

Note that the words 'permit' and 'visa' are often mixed up. What's important to remember is that you need two separate permissions. One for working in Dubai and one for staying in Dubai. The permission to stay in Dubai is what's stamped in your passport (the visa), and the permission to work is a labor card (the permit - is a separate document).

Anyone working in a job in Dubai (and the UAE) who is not a UAE citizen (or GCC national) must have a work visa / work permit / labour card (three names often used for the same thing, although "work visa" is easily confused with "employment visa" which is an entry visa, not a work permit). This is not the same as a residence visa which is stamped in your passport. Unless you are setting up your own company, or you happen to be the PRO for your company, someone else in the company should arrange the work permit for you. The company is responsible for all visa costs. Efficient companies will get your work and residence permits organised in a matter of days. But it is not unusual to wait weeks or even months for visas to be arranged. One reason is probably to do with the probation period - companies are reluctant to get the visas processed in case you are dismissed during your probationary period.

Sponsorship in the UAE

• All expats must be sponsored - meaning a UAE citizen (or more usually a company) takes responsibility for the expat's behaviour while in Dubai (or UAE).
• Realisitically this just means having to show a residency visa for most bureaucratic expeditions such as connecting a telephone, opening a bank account, obtaining a driving licence etc.
• The employer / sponsor is sort of in the role of a guarantor while the employee is in the UAE, although if an expat departs their job and Dubai suddenly, leaving behind unpaid debts, the sponsoring company shouldn't be liable for them. The sponsor might put the left behind gratuity payments towards clearing any debts though.
• Employees leaving according to normal Dubai departure procedure will not usually receive their gratuity payments until after they have presented clearance from the bank, utilities companies showing that there are no outstanding bills.

Working Without a Work Permit

• In a word, don't. It's illegal so therefore you have no rights. If you don't get paid for example, you cannot make a claim since you were working in Dubai illegally.
• It is not uncommon for expats to work on a visit visa however, and many people end up in this sort of situation by default because the company they are working for does not get their work permit and residency visa in a timely fashion.

UAE Labor Contracts, Labour Law, Probation Periods

When applying for, or accepting a job in Dubai, you should not pay any fees for any part of the job application, work permit, or visa application process. According to UAE law, the employer is responsible for all visa costs, and UAE job agencies are not supposed to ask applicants for job search fees, although many do. If any UAE job agency asks you for visa fees however, that should set off warning bells.

• See UAE Labour Law for more information.

Maternity leave in Dubai and UAE

• Articles 30 and 31 of the UAE labour law cover maternity leave.
• Maternity leave of 45 days on full pay is the standard entitlement if a mother has worked at least one year. If less than one year, then the employee only gets half pay (still for 45 days though).
• A woman can take up to 100 days (consecutive or non-consecutive) leave without pay after maternity leave has finished, under certain conditions - she is breastfeeding and has a medical certificate to say she is sick.
• For 18 months after delivery of the baby, women are entitled to an additional two breaks per day (paid and up to half hour each) for the purpose of nursing the child.
• There doesn't seem to be any paternity leave allowance in Dubai.
• There is a report on the UAE Government website that in 1999 the Federal National Council (FNC) approved a law allowing maternity leave of 3 months on full pay and an additional 6 months on half pay by amending the text of Article 55. This is not one of the Labor Law articles, and applies to UAE national women only.

See discussion topic on Dubai FAQs forum about maternity leave in the UAE for more information.

Non-payment of wages and salaries

Non or delayed payment of salaries is an issue that is rarely resolved in favor of the employee. Management in Dubai jobs are well aware of the poor reputation some companies and sectors have for not paying their workers. So if you end up in a situation where salary is not paid, and the company does not obviously do their utmost to rapidly rectify that (ignore what they say, it's what they do that is important), then you have, unfortunately, probably walked into a job in Dubai which is not going to turn out very well.

• You can file a complaint with the UAE Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs - you'll need your labor contract and ID. Some of the Free Zones can settle disputes without involving the Federal Ministry.
• Your embassy may be able to assist by providing a list of lawyers. In the past, embassies have become more involved in negotiations of wage disputes (usually involving labourers from the Asian sub-continent) but that's not something to be counted on.
• It's not all bad. There is a procedure to follow and claims are investigated with companies sometimes being penalised by being blacklisted from hiring more workers and/or bidding for government contracts. Many complaints are resolved in favour of the worker but sometimes a case can drag on for months.

Working Conditions and Unions in the UAE

During 2005 there was some unrest amongst the large number of construction workers in Dubai, with some protests (especially over unpaid salaries) and investigations resulting in Dubai gaining less desirable publicity in the international media. This may have prompted some changes in the treatment of the working class - albeit slowly. Present law says that unions are illegal although there is talk of changing this. However, apparently only UAE nationals will be allowed to form unions. Ongoing discussions in 2006 with the ILO (International Labour Organisation) and with the USA regarding a Free Trade Agreement have also resulted in closer scrutiny of various employment issues and working conditions.

• MafiWasta.com is a website that has information and commentary about UAE workers rights and conditions. Ironically, access has, on occasion, been blocked by the UAE telecoms authority for contravening "religious, cultural, political and moral values of the United Arab Emirates." Who would have thought that drawing attention to the poor treatment of labourers was so offensive?
• Maids and other domestic workers are another occupational group that receive its fair share of criticism for harsh (or abusive) treatment, low salaries and long working hours expected from employers. Local newspapers occasionally carry reports of maids being beaten, raped, unpaid, running away. Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports usually highlight this issue also.
• These issues are less of a concern in most other professions. That's not to say it's always plain sailing but the average teacher or photocopier salesperson is unlikely to have to worry about not being paid for months, ending up in hospital with broken bones after being attacked by an unhappy boss, or ending up in jail because they got pregnant out of wedlock in Dubai as a result of being raped.
• You could say that management in the UAE tends to be more autocratic than in many western countries but less so compared to other Middle Eastern countries. That's a huge generalisation though, and you will see all extremes of management styles represented.

Passports and companies keeping your passport

See more information about sponsor passport retention in UAE.

A large number of employers keep expat employee passports in the UAE despite it being illegal. Save yourself a lot of bother and before you sign on the dotted line, ask about the company policy on keeping passports. If they say they don't, assume they are lying until you can verify independently that they are not. If they say they do, then at least you know before accepting a job, and can decide whether to continue with the process or try to find a different employer.

• Your employer in Dubai will need your passport to obtain a residency visa for you. They should then return your passport but it is very common for the company to attempt to retain your passport while you are working in the UAE.
• Newspapers have printed articles a number of times on this practice with various officials saying that this illegal and no company has the right to keep your passport.
• There is opportunity for a healthy dose of Dubai Irony here and sure enough, we're not disappointed. We discover that those very same newspapers have a policy of retaining staff passports. As do some of the government departments whose officials say it is not permitted. It is for the worker's benefit they claim - passports are safe and secure with the company. Well, at least until the employer loses them (which has happened).

Residency and Employment Bans

See the UAE visa ban information

Hours of Work and Holidays

Most jobs in Dubai are either 5 days, 5 and a half, or 6 days per week. Make sure you know before signing. A number of people have arrived to find themselves unexpectedly working more than five days per week. The working week changed from Saturday - Wednesday to Sunday - Thursday for the public sector in September 2006. The private sector working week varies but mostly follows the government/public sector, and Friday is a common holiday or day off for all sectors.

Public holidays come in two varieties. The fixed dates - for example New Year on 01 January. And the changing ones for example Eid Al Ahda - the actual days are not announced until shortly before the holiday starts which depends on moon sightings.

Most jobs in Dubai will also give you about 4 weeks paid vacation time per year in addition to the public holidays.

If a ruler dies (either in the UAE or another Arabic country) it is common for the public sector to close for several days for mourning, the private sector shuts down also but not usually for as long. It is inappropriate to refer to these periods as holidays but employees are entitled to be paid for those days when they're not working.

What to Wear - Clothes in Dubai

Dress conservatively - for office jobs in Dubai, men should wear a tie (and the usual accoutrements) but a jacket is not so common. Companies will usually make it clear if they have very conservative dress expectations of women, otherwise women can wear much the same as in a comparable job in a western country (unless you have what would be regarded as extreme or unusual tastes in clothing). If working in the public sector, expect to dress more conservatively.

Natural fibers are regarded as more suitable for the hot Dubai climate but remember that inside the office at your job, the air-conditioning can be quite cool.

Language

Arabic is the offical language of Dubai but English is the common denominator amongst the many different nationalities working in jobs in Dubai, at least in the private sector. If there is a language requirement other than English, that should be made clear to you before you accept a job in Dubai. It's useful to be able to speak Arabic but not essential for most jobs. Most expatriates speak very little, and read even less Arabic, even after working in Dubai for many years.

Straight and Split Shifts

For some companies the working day is split in two and employees work something like 0800-1300 and then again from 1600-1900. More and more companies in Dubai are following a straight shift where employees work from 0800-1700 or 0900-1800 or similar.

Minimum working age in Dubai

• 18 years normally - note that students on student residence visas are not permitted to work. There was talk of allowing students to work part-time but this might only apply to Emirati citizens, not expat residents.
• 15 years in certain cases - restricted hours and type of work, and parent or guardian permission is needed.
• Child camel jockey job applications are no longer accepted as the practice has been banned and the children sent home. Or somewhere else at least. Robots are used instead, and not paid a salary. However, they do get free oil and maintenance. If you are a robot, you're probably better off working for Sony.

Maximum age limit for jobs in Dubai

From September 2005, expatriates can renew their labour cards up to the age of 65 (or 70 for a selected list of professions). The renewal is yearly instead of three-yearly over the age of 60. Previously the age limit was 60, or 65 for the following professions: engineers, doctors, university professors, accountants and auditors, laboratory and electronic equipment technicians, specialists in privately-owned oil companies, specialists in the media, lawyers, translators, and consultants in all fields or other professions agreed on by the undersecretary of labour or the assistant undersecretary.

Student and part-time jobs in Dubai

In many countries it is common for students at school and university or college to try and find part-time or temporary work. However, for expat students, this is technically not possible since a student visa does not entitle you to work. In practice though, there are odd jobs around that need doing - tutoring is one possibility. Students taking on any such employment should realise they have no legal protection if they have a complaint against their employer (but their employer will be in trouble too), and it is possible to get in trouble with the authorities - a fine and deportation is more likely than a jail sentence if caught.

Students working as a trainee at companies in jobs related to their studies, or doing an internship, are not regarded as employees and so still don't have any rights under the labour law. Even if they get financial compensation (and it would be wise not to draw attention to that).

The Khaleej Times 28 December 2007 reported that a ministerial decision was issued by the Minister of Labour, Dr Al Kaabi, to allow 15-18 year old expat residents to be employed in light work (stacking groceries for example, but not building roads). They could either get a 6 month temporary work permit or permanent labour card, and work part-time or full-time, but not over-time. It is not clear at this stage if expats with student visas can take advantage of this new rule, and probably not relevant since students with student visas are likely to be over 18 and excluded anyway (students under 18 are usually on their parents' sponsorship).

The same report also mentioned an earlier labour ministry decision that would allow students to take up paid employment during summer vacation time, but further details were not given, and MOL website does not clarify this information.

Emirati students can work part-time, full-time, and during holidays since Emirati nationals don't need work permits or residency visas. Subject to any restrictions such as age limits.

Contact the Ministry of Labour

Toll free tel 800665 in the UAE, or see the Labour Department UAE list of contact numbers.

Last update Saturday 25-Sep-2010

Related pages

• Ministry of Labour Dubai and UAE - information and contact details
• Recruitment Agencies
• Writing a CV - brief information and example
• Work in Dubai forum - questions, comments, and answers about working in Dubai and the UAE
• Work permits and visas for Dubai - and the rest of the UAE
• Work permit cancellation
• www.jobsindubai.com - discussion topic
• Dubai Employment Board - discussion topic

Related websites (new window)

• www.dmoz.org - UAE employment category. Mostly recuitment agencies and resources.
• www.gulfnews.com/indepth/labour/ section about labour issues in the UAE from the Gulf News - a useful collection of articles in the news. Moved to www.gulfnews.com/in-focus/labour (approx 15 October 2009)
• www.mafiwasta.com - a website devoted to the plight of labourers in the UAE (sometimes blocked in the UAE). Mafi is Arabic for 'no' or 'nothing'. Wasta is Arabic for 'influence' or 'power'.
• Dubai directory - add your link free

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