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Anyone ever worked in the UAE?
- Thread starter oldhifi
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Whereabouts?
I work for a Dubai-based company and have been there a few times for work purposes.
Interesting place for sure. If you get a good package it could be fun for a bit. The guys (and girls) I know out there have a great time. They are mostly younger, unmarried and childless, but a few of the senior management have been there quite some time with their whole families.
As expats most of them get massive salaries, no tax, paid apartments etc. The flip-side is it's extremely hot. Alcohol is very expensive. You do have to be a bit wary of your behaviour. No bacon.
I work for a Dubai-based company and have been there a few times for work purposes.
Interesting place for sure. If you get a good package it could be fun for a bit. The guys (and girls) I know out there have a great time. They are mostly younger, unmarried and childless, but a few of the senior management have been there quite some time with their whole families.
As expats most of them get massive salaries, no tax, paid apartments etc. The flip-side is it's extremely hot. Alcohol is very expensive. You do have to be a bit wary of your behaviour. No bacon.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barakah_nuclear_power_plant
[doublepost=1515426727][/doublepost]Also is it a safe place to be?
Damn that looks like it is in the middle of nowhere. 300Kms from Abu Dhabi. Closer to Qatar, but relations between Qatar and the rest of the UAE are a little strained at the moment.
If that was me - no chance, unless the salary was in the "work a year and pay off the mortgage" range.
If that was me - no chance, unless the salary was in the "work a year and pay off the mortgage" range.
Yes its pays well & tax free (for 11 months), but what I don't like is your paycheck is deposited in UAE bank before you can transfer to US.
Job Location: Barakah Site (around 300 KMs from Abu Dhabi downtown.) and occasionally to Abu Dhabi Head office in Masdar City when required
Housing: ADNOC and ADEWA facilities in Ruwais
Job Location: Barakah Site (around 300 KMs from Abu Dhabi downtown.) and occasionally to Abu Dhabi Head office in Masdar City when required
Housing: ADNOC and ADEWA facilities in Ruwais
Yes, very safe. The only issues I have were the third country nationals criss-crossing the freeway without regard for safety. Just be very aware of pedestrians suddenly darting out. Very very low crime. this was in Abu Dhabi.
I have an online friend from the Jeep forums whose lived and worked there for the 8 years I've known him, he likes it and has no plans to go back to England anytime soon.
Only you can make the decision... can they fly you out to see what it's like? As I said, for me it'd have to pay absolutely incredibly well given you are nowhere near civilisation. The AED is pegged to the dollar so you won't lose out on exchange rate fluctuations. How simple it is to move money back I've no idea.
I'm British so forgive me if I'm wrong - aren't there some funny rules about being taxed on money no matter where you earn it if you're American?
I forget the exact amount, but I believe you have to pay taxes if you earn more than ~$100k.
I have many years ago, and a close friend has worked in Riyadh for coming up to 15 years now.
Personally I wouldn’t want to even visit the Middle East right now. It was tolerable maybe 20 years ago but now. Well along the way I became atheist and annoyingly became born again in that regard so I’m at the point where I hate all imposing religions be in Christians in the west telling women of all religions what they can do with their bodies or in the ME with their anti drug rules. It’s a very conservative region. People have recently been arrested taking painkillers in, and in one case a man took CBD oil back in England and because it was still in his system when he landed he was arrested. What! I don’t like it. I think things will change soon due to the new Prince but do give it time. Which is annoying as hospitality there, the people, they’re all wonderful. It’s just the strict laws.
Drivers are also very dangerous there. Recently in a trip to Dubai the roads were just a death trap. People not caring about speed limits, overtaking when it was dangerous too.... no thank you! It reminded me of the time I lived in Florida near a college and constantly saw drunk drivers.
Personally I wouldn’t want to even visit the Middle East right now. It was tolerable maybe 20 years ago but now. Well along the way I became atheist and annoyingly became born again in that regard so I’m at the point where I hate all imposing religions be in Christians in the west telling women of all religions what they can do with their bodies or in the ME with their anti drug rules. It’s a very conservative region. People have recently been arrested taking painkillers in, and in one case a man took CBD oil back in England and because it was still in his system when he landed he was arrested. What! I don’t like it. I think things will change soon due to the new Prince but do give it time. Which is annoying as hospitality there, the people, they’re all wonderful. It’s just the strict laws.
Drivers are also very dangerous there. Recently in a trip to Dubai the roads were just a death trap. People not caring about speed limits, overtaking when it was dangerous too.... no thank you! It reminded me of the time I lived in Florida near a college and constantly saw drunk drivers.
The driving is bad - I have been in a Land Rover driven over a bridge made of 3 tree trunks (2 on one wheel, 1 on another) over a deep ravine, and once had a light aircraft miss my car by about 10 feet and crash into a field next to me, but the scariest was a taxi ride with an absolute lunatic driver going to Dubai Marina.
The problem with taxis there is they are so cheap that in order to survive they need to make lots of trips, so they drive fast. And gas is dirt cheap so economy is not an issue.
And the Emirati own the road...
The problem with taxis there is they are so cheap that in order to survive they need to make lots of trips, so they drive fast. And gas is dirt cheap so economy is not an issue.
And the Emirati own the road...
I never even considered that re taxis but you are right! Even family cars drive dangerously. I get the feeling parents are on auto pilot and don’t recognize events unfolding on the road ahead. Maybe they’re running late though truth be told ALL my near accidents are caused by parents running late in the mornings as they speed around trying to drop their kids off at school. I live in England now and just this morning some man with kids in the back of his car did not know the rules of a mini roundabout and almost caused an accident. You beep but they never respond positively. Sorry for the rant! But over there it’s family cars, rich young men, taxis.... very reckless driving.