One of the biggest challenges that a person faces throughout their life is finding a job. Some countries grant many facilities when doing a job search; among them, we can highlight the United Arab Emirates. This is both for foreigners and nationals. However, when you are a foreigner, some things must be taken into account.
In this article, we will give you all the information you need to find a job in the UAE. This includes the labor laws that you must have present and things about the local culture. In addition, we will show the various opportunities given to students. Also, we will see the requirements to successfully obtain a job. Specifically, we will talk about:
- What should you know before doing a job search in the UAE?
- What are the job opportunities for students and volunteers?
- Things you should know about the culture in the UAE
- What are the requirements for a job search?
- What are the labor laws in this nation?
- Some job searching tips
- On Talent Point you will find your ideal job in the UAE
What should you know before doing a job search in the UAE?
When we make the decision to work in the UAE, we must take into account many important factors. Having a well-written resume -check out these resume tips– is not everything. For this reason, next, we will tell you what you should know to avoid any problems when looking for a job.
Know the labor market
The economy in the UAE has been growing very significantly; managing to provide many job opportunities. For this reason, it is important to know the different sectors where we can develop our skills. However, as we face a very varied labor market, we can opt for a sector that is in full growth.
One of the main characteristics of the UAE labor market, lies in the large companies that have headquarters in the country; providing many opportunities to work in enterprises such as DHL, Microsoft, HSBC, and others. Positioning itself as the country with the lowest unemployment rate, the UAE can thank this to its growing labor market.
Job offers
By having a great job market, it manages to present many job opportunities in many sectors. Currently, job offers in the UAE go accordingly with their growth. Therefore, they increase and require a lot of experienced personnel. However, people who do not have much experience can also find work easily.
Because of all the opportunities that can appear when looking for work; it is important to always be vigilant. We can see how people with technological knowledge are highly sought after in large companies. Also, people without much experience are hired by companies in marketing, sales, Human Resources, and other sectors.
Salary
One of the most important factors when going for a job search; is how much the company is willing to pay its employees. In this way, salaries can change a lot due to certain factors. Nevertheless, salaries go hand in hand with experience; therefore, the more skills you have, the more chances you have to opt for a better salary.
We must bear in mind that in the UAE there is no minimum wage; forcing you to negotiate to get the best terms. In this way, you must have the ability to negotiate your salary with your potential employer; managing to convince them to invest in you.
As there is no minimum wage, the average wage is taken into account. In addition, since in many cases, you will pay no taxes, all of your salaries will stay with you. These can range from AED 11,300/month if you are an accountant to AED 30,500/month if you are a general manager. Similarly, this may vary depending on your ability to negotiate.
What are the job opportunities for students and volunteers?
In the life of every university student; the time of doing internships will eventually come. Generally, this takes place at the end of the academic path. You should know that this is an essential requirement to be able to graduate. As a result, the government of the UAE has established certain internship programs.
One of the things you should know is that the time to do internships in the UAE; is the same or very similar to other countries in the world. Now, the places where you can do these internships can vary. For instance, almost all the big companies give these opportunities to students. Among them, are Marriott, google Accenture, Hyatt, and more.
However, they have an exception, only people born in the UAE can apply. Similarly, if you are interested in any of these; and you were not born in this nation, you can still ask. On the other hand, if you are studying in the area of tourism, hospitality, or commerce; it is much easier. You can go to institutions such as AIESEC or IAESTE.
Now, regarding volunteering, some organizations offer this opportunity. These include Operation Smile UAE and the Dubai Volunteer Center. In addition, if you enter the government webpage where you can find more options.
Things you should know about the culture in the UAE
Each country has a different culture; this goes from the language to the ways people dress. If you want to work in a country other than your place of origin; you must know certain things about their customs when you do your job search. This is to avoid any possibility of social rejection. When you start job searching in the UAE, you need to consider each of these things. Here, we will talk about them in more detail.
Rest days and working hours
A good job search idea is to know about rest days and working hours. In the UAE, it is handled more or less the same as in the rest of the world. They are 5 business days from 8 to 9 hours a day, but there are exceptions. For instance, in Ramadan, these hours are reduced to 6 to 7 hours.
Also, keep in mind that weekends are different. In the UAE, Fridays are sacred, so there is no work. Weekends are generally Friday and Saturday. Nevertheless, this can vary in two ways. The first one is to make it only Friday. And the second way is to make it Thursday afternoon and Friday.
Dress code
In the UAE, they are not very demanding when it comes to male foreigners’ clothing. However, an idea of the general dress code is always good to know. In the UAE, they are guided by the Islamic dress code. Men must wear thawb or dishdash; this is a type of white robe that reaches down to their ankles. It is made with wool fabric or cotton. This robe must be impeccable.
For women, they are more demanding. They must wear the Abaya; this is a black robe that they can decorate to their liking. For instance, some place precious stones on it. In addition, they must wear a garment that covers part of their face; generally, they wear a hijab. However, they can also wear a burqa or a chador.
Way to express
The first thing to keep in mind is that Emiratis have Arabic as their mother language; however, they also routinely use English. Therefore, it is a very attractive destination for English-speaking foreigners. Nonetheless, there are things that you should be very cautious about. They are from a highly conservative culture; therefore, people should express themselves in a very respectful way. This is to prevent rejection or even legal consequences. You should never use slurs or swear in public.
Religion
As in the UAE, there are a variety of cultures, there are also diverse religions. Despite that, their main religion is Islam; and there are traditions that foreigners must respect even if they do not follow them.
What are the requirements for a job search?
If you want to start working in the UAE, you need to meet certain requirements. They are nothing extraordinary, but you must consider them. In this section, we will tell you what they are.
Work visa
When you are a foreigner, you need a work visa if you intend to get a job. To apply for one, your employer must sponsor you. If you are outside the UAE; you will be granted a temporary permit to enter the country and continue with the procedures. The documents to opt for it are the corresponding qualifications such as a university degree.
Language
Despite the fact that the primary language they speak is Arabic; they speak English daily. Consequently, the job applicant must have a complete command of English. However, knowing Arabic will make you stand out among other candidates as you can communicate with more people. Either fully speak it or at least have a basic knowledge.
Ratings and university degree
While it is true that a degree can make you stand out, not all jobs require a college degree or prestigious qualifications. You should know that in Dubai, there are five skill levels; where the best-paid professionals are among the first three. Some of the jobs in these positions are medical and financial. Therefore, to aspire to land a job in any of them, you will need a university degree and high grades.
Medical insurance
It is mandatory that all workers have access to health insurance provided by the employer. However, if the individual has family in the country, they must have a separate medical insurance plan for each member.
What are the labor laws in this nation?
Foreigners have many benefits when working in the UAE. These have 30 days of vacation per year and holidays. As well as, if they work on one of their days off; they can receive half of their salary. Also, if they work on Fridays; they will receive compensation for the full day instead of half of it.
There is a sick leave of up to 90 days. Where 15 of them will pay their full salary. You must take into account that if the employee is on a probationary period; they will not be able to take a leave. Women have 45 maternity days if they have been in the company for more than a year; and 18 months after giving birth.
Companies can offer two types of contracts, either for two years or unlimited. At this point, wages are the fundamental basis for closing contracts. But there are also other benefits like compulsory medical insurance; and the fact that if you work for at least one year; you can receive part of the salary when you leave the company.
Some job searching tips
As we have seen, the UAE offers numerous opportunities for job seekers. Below we will show some things that will help you get a job in the UAE.
- Attending a walk-in interview.
- Having a good CV.
- Preparing for the interview.
- Before deciding to go to work in the UAE; choose the company you want.
- Finding as much information as you can about the company you want.
- Find out if you can start applying for jobs from your country of origin.
On The Talent Point you will find your ideal job in the UAE
Getting a job in the UAE from abroad can become complicated without the right help. For this reason, if you want to do a job search in the simplest way and with all the steps to follow, we encourage you to visit our job portal; where you will find everything you need so you can start looking for the best job right now.
If you want to work in the UAE and enjoy all the employment benefits that it offers, you know where to find us. Call us at +971 43 316 688 or kindly write us an email at [email protected]. Ultimately, we will do the most to offer you a great job search experience in the UAE once you register on our site.
The Talent PointThetalentpoint is an online marketplace where businesses can find top talent and job seekers may find their ideal job. It’s a platform designed to connect businesses and job searchers, allowing them to communicate information quickly, efficiently, and affordably.
