The heart of the Middle East and a golden, tax-free destination for sweating laborers from the Indian subcontinent, as well as shopaholics from the upper crust, Dubai is really a land of opportunity. Despite the R-word that has spawned job-cuts, pay-cuts and a general dip in morale, people continue to move to Dubai from all over the world.
Welcoming hundreds of new arrivals daily, the glittering airports of Dubai set the tone for the shiny newness that awaits most first-timers in Dubai.
Step 1: Getting a job
Dubai is notorious for the popularity of ‘vaasta’ – a local word for ‘connections’. This means that a CV submitted through a swanky website to your dream employer may receive no response. But a mail written directly to the HR head, perhaps adding on a few recommendations, is more likely to get you noticed.
If you know big names, be unafraid to drop them. Dubai is flashy, and your employers are likely to want someone who won’t fade into the desert background. Negotiate well, for Dubai is known to dole out differential salaries depending on the color of your skin (white skin is the top of the charts, truly!).
Remember that though Dubai is tax-free, it is also a very expensive city, especially if you are moving from Asia (a loaf of ordinary bread costs the equivalent of USD 0.75, and a movie ticket costs roughly USD 10).
Step 2: Finding a House
Newspapers are full of rental advertisements and you can contact a broker using the numbers provided. They are usually prompt and informative. While house-hunting, keep in mind that you will want to live close to your workplace. Many offices are clustered in office zones around the newer parts of Dubai, such as Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City and Dubai Knowledge Village.
Daily commutes to these places from older Dubai (areas like Bur Dubai and Deira) could cost you a fair bit in taxi fares and time spent on a car-logged Sheikh Zayed Road at rush-hour. Of course, once you have your driver’s license, with the cost of fuel delightfully low (a full tank for a regular sedan costs about AED 80, or USD 20), you won’t think twice before driving long distances to the malls, amusement parks and restaurants that make life in Dubai an endless vacation, especially on weekends!
Step 3: Setting up House
If you are buying all your furniture here, remember that most stores take 3-4 days before they deliver the items. As most items require some degree of assembly (and a power saw), it is wise to spend the minimum amount required that would ensure home delivery and assembly by the vendor.
Electricity and water connections need to be activated with a visit to the DEWA (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority), where you deposit a refundable amount of money in exchange for running water and power in your new home.
A similar visit to the EMPOWER office to check that your air-conditioning is activated and that the previous tenant has left no bills unpaid is a good idea. The security guard at your building reception can guide you on contacting cleaners, water delivery (don’t drink tap water in Dubai – most people get gallon bottles delivered to their home on a weekly basis), laundry and other doorstep services.
Stock up on groceries, household appliances and other initial purchases at Carrefour, that labyrinthine home for everything, usually at lower prices than the smaller stores.
Step 4: Making Yourself at Home
If you arrive on a visit visa, the first step on arriving is to ensure that this gets converted to a resident visa and legal work permit. Spouses are permitted to work. But not forgetting which part of the world we are in, chances are that if the husband sponsors the wife’s visa, she needs a “no-objection” letter from him to find legal employment.
The process takes a few weeks, and the final step is the call for a medical check-up, which includes a mandatory blood test (to screen new arrivals for AIDS) and an X-ray recommended on whim.
Next, apply for a driver’s license. Check the rules for your nationality, as Dubai has multiple sets of rules depending on where you come from. Westerners can usually convert valid licenses within a few hours. Others may have to take a minimum of 20 lessons, followed by a driving test.
The driving school requires an eye check-up certificate from any large optician, after which you endure a longish waiting period before starting your lessons. Women may need to produce written permission from their husbands if they accept a male instructor, rather than having to wait longer for a female instructor.
Remember, in Dubai you cannot own a car unless you have a license. Once licensed, you can buy your dream car at surprisingly low costs.
Step 5: Putting out Roots
Please make sure you are clued in on the cultural ethos of the place. Dubai allows a lot of freedom, unlike most of the Middle East -but don’t forget that you are, after all, in an Islamic-majority country with a benevolent but all-powerful monarch.
Make sure your clothing, language and habits don’t offend those around you. Show respect for the rulers. There’s no telling when you may find yourself set up as an example of the worst kind for something as simple as kissing in public or living-in with your partner.
Having said that, once you know the limits and are willing to function within them, you can have a lot of fun – eat, drink and make merry in Dubai. The best way to get to know new people is to join a community, virtual or actual.
Messages on Facebook have helped many lonely souls find company in their early explorations of Dubai. You could join a gymnasium where you will find plenty of other expatriates. And of course, you could strike up a conversation just about anywhere, in a supermarket check-out queue, taxi queues, on a bus, at the beach, or in a bar. With only 12% of the population being local, almost everyone you meet in Dubai will be looking for friends. So don’t feel shy, smile, introduce yourself, and get going.
Ahlan wa Sahlan (Welcome!)
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