Abu Dhabi?

C

Colin Phillips

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I'm looking for some input on living and working in Abu Dhabi.

My younger daughter (in her thirties and single) is teaching science in a local school. A secure post but one that she feels undervalued in and is unhappy.

She has been offered a post (through an agency) teaching Chemistry to, mostly, Canadian students. She has until Friday to give her answer.

Obviously there is a "fear" of the unknown at work here and I was wondering if anyone on here has any experience of working in the Emirates. It is an attractive package and we are keen that she takes advantage of the opportunity but it has to be her decision.

Any input, positive or negative, would be gratefully appreciated.

TIA.
 
Hi Col, I've got a couple of friends who've worked out there for quite a few years now, similar age to your daughter. They really enjoy the lifestyle, no sign of them returning, so I guess that must be a good thing.
 
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My friends are in Dubai and love it - get treated really well and as long as you respect the rules it's fine


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A niece and her husband are in Dubai, have been for years working, she for a retailer. Have no intention of coming back for as long as they can avoid it.
 
I'm considering a move over to the Emirates later in the year myself Col. I've spent some considerable time there over the years and I'd very much recommend it as a safe and lucrative place to live and work.

It also has the added benefits of a great climate (although the summer can be fiercely hot), a fantastic lifestyle, the best of everything sport and leisure wise, good beaches, and good properties. And most of all it's one of the safest places in the world to live, which is what I suspect you really want to know. But as Trudes has already said it's important to respect the law and culture.

The other thing I would say is that it should be very easy for you daughter to fit in. So many of the teachers over there are British ex-pats, so she'll quickly have a good support structure, and she'll quickly get to find how to get around, what to do, where to go, and have an almost instant social life. And of course the big plus side is that she'll earn a very good tax free salary that will help to set her up later.

There's some talk in Dubai about possibly puttin in a 20% tax rate, so the tax free part may not last forever. I've not followed up on it recently, and someone on here may know more about intentions and timings. I'm not sure whether that's a proposal just for Dubai or the Emirates as a whole, but I would definitely look in to it.

For what it's worth I think she'd be crazy to pass up the opportunity, even it's for a two year contract. And if for any reason she doesn't take to it (which is unlikely), or gets homesick (which is a possibility), it's a relatively short flight home either for a quick weekend, or for holidays. And if she really doesn't want to be there, she can just quit anyway. She'll forgo any bonus they've built into the back end of her contract, but that's pretty much it. If she does come back she can always teach supply until she can get a replacement permanent job and you can use up any remaining rent on her accommodation having a nice long holiday! :cool:
 
Okay Col. On a quick scan I can't find anything on the proposed 20% tax rate. This was mentioned to me by a friend when I was over there in March, so I'll dig further. He's a Greek national so it could be that his bankrupt Government are after his money and it has no bearing on British nationals. They are bringing in a 5% VAT rate from the beginning of 2018 though.

One thing that does occur to me that I should mention is that your daughter needs to be out there for at least a year, otherwise she'll be taxed by HMRC when she comes back.
 
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Similar to other stories, have a female friend who moved out to Dubai a few years back and loves it. I went out there last year and the lifestyle is amazing, bloody hot though.

There's some curiosities with certain things, like having to pay rent a year upfront (although she will almost certainly get her initial accommodation either paid for or subsidised so shouldn't be a big deal), but there's loads of ex-pats out there and she'll get plenty of help.

Abu Dhabi is a little behind in some things but very quickly catching up so I don't think there'll be much difference these days.
 
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She should also be aware that the people of Dubai never watch the Flintstones
But Abu Dhabi do.
 
My daughter is also a teacher.

If she asked me for advice about such a move I'd tell her not to hesitate.

I missed out on it myself when I was younger (not long married) due to anti-Scottish racism at the London office of Aramco and incompetence at BAE Preston.

The big difference now, I imagine, is that it isn't as lucrative as when I was applying. Back then, when my salary was under £5kpa, the tax-free salary in Saudi was £30k. The equivalent differential nowadays would be £150kpa bare minimum.
 
Mainly it's just the place, the people, the processes, the food, the social ethos, the heat, the buildings, the bridge, the disrespect of females, the airport, the political oppression and the sectarian discrimination.

Apart from that it's grand.
 
And forgot to mention that I hate the way the devout religious from Saudi come over on Thursday night and buy their pork and booze from curtained off areas at the back of the supermarkets.
 
an capall said:
Mainly it's just the place, the people, the processes, the food, the social ethos, the heat, the buildings, the bridge, the disrespect of females, the airport, the political oppression and the sectarian discrimination.

Apart from that it's grand.
Click to expand...

Sounds like the General Chit-Chat section.
 
My uncle worked in Abu Dhabi for a couple of years on designing an airport, he loved it and my parents went out for a fortnight to visit him. They enjoyed it too.
 
A trader in the souk offered Mrs AC an alternative payment method for a pottery bowl she was about to buy. I know that young people like Slim and Granger often look in here so I will be delicate in my description of the offer but it was along the lines of 'how about a nice B... ...'
 
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