Offered a job in Dubai

[AfterSomeAdvice]

Hi all,

I work mainly as a tiler but have also, for the last couple of years, been doing bathroom refurbs to include plumbing stuff.

I am relatively young, early thirties, and up to a year ago was doing quite well but business has dropped sharply in our area. I am not self employed, I work for another guy who has 30+ years experience and have done so since I started.

I have been offered a job in Dubai doing the same thing on hotel / residential developments.
I am really undecided as to what I should do. People keep telling me that business is ok here and it will pick up more but i can't see how it will when recession is likely to be for ages and more and more customers prefer EE labour cause its cheaper.

I've never worked in the ME and I was wondering if others here had experience of working in the UAE and if so how was it.
I keep hearing tale of lavish expat lifestyle and that and also the money would be, for the most part, tax free.

 

[Bilioustrumpstaine]

Sounds like a great opportunity, I would give it a go, you can always come back if you don't like it.

 

[disinfo]

Just remember, no sex on the beach! Cocktail or the real thing!

 

[toptec]

If you don't go and give it a try you will look back on your life when you are 70 and regret it.

To me it is a chance I would have jumped at.

 

[^woody^]

News in this weeks Building/Architectural press is that the bubble has burst in Dubai, with developers cutting back and laying off staff and postponing projects - including at least one of the Palm islands.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

If you don't go and give it a try you will look back on your life when you are 70 and regret it.

Absolutley, go for it.

 

[Donkmeister]

My brother lives in Dubai and reckons it's like living in a great big playground. Petrol is peanuts, nearly-new luxury cars are peanuts, you've got mad amounts of leisure facilities and there is almost zero crime.

In December he informed me that it is now impossible for someone in the construction industry to get a mortgage and the future of all the construction is a bit wobbly.

However... If you're going there for a few years why bother buying, and if it all goes t*ts up just make sure you've got enough money for the plane home!

Seriously, do it. Just don't get caught doing naughty things on the beach unless you've married her first!

 

[gcol]

Think about working on the hottest day in the UK and then think about it being hotter still. And that's every day.

 

[jbonding]

Hi all,

I work mainly as a tiler but have also, for the last couple of years, been doing bathroom refurbs to include plumbing stuff.

I am relatively young, early thirties, and up to a year ago was doing quite well but business has dropped sharply in our area. I am not self employed, I work for another guy who has 30+ years experience and have done so since I started.

I have been offered a job in Dubai doing the same thing on hotel / residential developments.
I am really undecided as to what I should do. People keep telling me that business is ok here and it will pick up more but i can't see how it will when recession is likely to be for ages and more and more customers prefer EE labour cause its cheaper.

I've never worked in the ME and I was wondering if others here had experience of working in the UAE and if so how was it.
I keep hearing tale of lavish expat lifestyle and that and also the money would be, for the most part, tax free.

sounds good ive applied for a job in bahrain might as well see what they are payin then make a decision, have they gave you any rates?

 

[joe-90]

I know someone out there. The living costs are very high. He's making no money even though in full time work. He's coming back in Feb.

 

[tim west]

1st Arab to 2nd Arab:

"B1oody foreigners coming over here nicking all our jobs"

"Yeah, next thing they'll be on the dole and claiming benefits"

 

[youtekkinthepish]

I know someone out there. The living costs are very high. He's making no money even though in full time work. He's coming back in Feb.

Can be, but same argument can be said of living costs here.
In general, i found it living costs very reasonable.
All depends on the income though

 

[DP]

Advise would be stay off the beaches, do not look at the rent boys, stay off the booze, no beacon. Forget all things good and get out of there.

 

[Ricky2]

The following are extracts from a recent message from an old mate of mine in Dubai (amended slightly to protect identity).

"Things are interesting out here, as you can imagine. Up to about two months ago the area was in a state of denial and believed that the Middle East was immune from the financial difficulties surfacing in the rest of the world. Then they realised that the real estate market had disappeared along with the easy credit availability that had been underpinning it.

The brakes were slammed on all round Dubai, and an air of crisis bordering on panic ensued with developments being cancelled or postponed (another word for cancelled) all over the place. As an example, two months ago we had a budget of $X billion for development and construction works during 2009. Over the intervening period that has been reduced progressively by 90%.

The big problem is ‘cash availability’. A large part of the market out here is made up by speculative flippers who sign contracts to purchase (off plan) in the hope/expectation that the value will rise before the next installment or completion is due. They then ‘flip’ and take the profit. The current situation has knocked the bottom out of this and a large proportion of this market is reneging on their contracts. Result is that developers don’t know whether they can rely on the planned cash flow to meet the building costs and they can’t obtain i finance to fund the building so, there is a great reluctance to start the building. This has put the whole industry into a tail-spin.

15% of our staff were terminated last week and the same story applies to the other developers in town. "

Hope this helps you decide!

 

[AfterSomeAdvice]

thanks to all for the advice.
To be honest i don't like the way things are going in Great Britain and with my trade.
I think i'll give it a go. I'll keep you posted.