Construction Industry - Dubai

Construction Industry - Dubai

Author
Discussion

R8BWT

Original Poster:

165 posts

226 months

Friday 12th August 2016
quotequote all
A little late to the party, but my other half has just been offered an opportunity too good to miss to work out in Dubai (She's in Law)

I work in construction (Design Manager) and have about 12 years main contracting experience in the UK, working for a top 5 Main Contractor. So would need to find a job. How is the industry out there at the moment? Is there much going on?

Will my lack of international / UAE experience be a hindrance, believe things are a little more traditional out there and D&B is a bit more of a rarity?


Tappers

80 posts

128 months

Saturday 13th August 2016
quotequote all
I work for a large UK based construction consultancy and have been here for just over 3 years having spent my previous 23 years in the UK.

I wouldn't say the construction market is booming here but it remains reasonably buoyant with the exception of the oil and gas sector where staff are being laid off in their thousands.

With your experience you ought to be able to find something here without too much trouble.

I would however strongly suggest that you target western type firms such as Carillion, Balfour Beatty etc in the first instance as the local firms often have a very different view on how to treat their staff ... I'm being politically correct as this is a public forum.

Porridge GTI

300 posts

101 months

Saturday 13th August 2016
quotequote all
Is your other half joining a western law firm? If so keep a close eye on housing and schooling costs because her package won't include a penny towards them.

Edited by Porridge GTI on Saturday 13th August 10:37

Robwt

Original Poster:

165 posts

226 months

Saturday 13th August 2016
quotequote all
Thanks tappers, exactly the sort of high level advice I was after. Will be pushing for a internal transfer first, but if that's a no go then i'll be concentrating on UK contractors / consultants.

Yes it's for a western law firm, no help with accommodation but we have no kids, so it isn't too bad. Aware rental costs are on the extreme side.

All things to weigh up.

Tappers

80 posts

128 months

Sunday 14th August 2016
quotequote all
If you have no kids, you're other half works in law and you manage to secure a similar position to the one you have in the UK ... despite the high housing rentals ... you'll be substantially better off.

Yes housing costs are high but not so high as to eat up the 50% tax and NI you'll be saving.

Coincidentally I was chatting to a British expat in the pub last night who's a construction director with Besix (Belgian firm). He's been here 13 years and said they're a very good firm to work for. Add them to your list of potential targets.

e21jason

717 posts

218 months

Sunday 14th August 2016
quotequote all
I work in contribution out here, (MEP Consultant) there are jobs, but is a mixed bag to who is doing well and who is not. If you have F&B fit out experience there is plenty of work in that field at the minute (and i know few PM firms recruiting) and the big consultancies are always turning over staff.

A few pointers, the industry is not the same as the UK esp when it comes to quality of construction, QHSE, and your potential future co-workers skills. What ever job level your at present, target the level above it, turn on your BS detector to max during any interviews and linked-in is used a lot to advertise jobs.

J

CRB14

1,493 posts

151 months

Friday 19th August 2016
quotequote all
Just wanted to hi-jack a little bit (sorry OP),

Me and the OH are looking to move to the UAE. I worked in Dubai for 4 years and have been back in the UK for 4 years. Having spoken with a few recruiters it sounds a quiet at the moment. Could also be due to my timescale being 2 to 3 months. I think most companies are either waiting for projects to go live or are trying to find people with immediate availability.

What's the consensus with Qatar or Oman? There seems plenty of work but I wonder if me restricting myself to Dubai at the moment will cause problems - along with my fairly rigid salary expectations.

If push came to shove and you received a huge offer for Qatar (that then meaning your other half probably couldn't find work as easily) would you do it or is it worth hanging on for Dubai?

IanUAE

2,927 posts

163 months

Friday 19th August 2016
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Go on explain your statement more clearly. I have been living in Dubai for 11 years with my wife and she has faced no problems.

You do know that the UAE is not like Saudi Arabia or are you painting the whole middle east with the same (falsely) tainted brush?

Mattt

16,661 posts

217 months

talksthetorque

10,815 posts

134 months

Saturday 20th August 2016
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
It is the OP's wife who got the job.
She is a lawyer.



talksthetorque

10,815 posts

134 months

Saturday 20th August 2016
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I was responding to you writing that you would not ask your wife to live in such circumstances.

Hope this unbaffles you smile

(sorry for not selectively quoting)

Stylus

154 posts

172 months

Sunday 21st August 2016
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
What he means is that the OPs wife wont need anyones' permission. A woman doesn't NEED their husbands permission to work, but anyone, male or female, here on the visa of a spouse needs the permission of the visa holder to work.

It will be in the OP's case, the wife IS the visa holder as she has the job first and is in the dominant position - so he will need her permission and then take on a sponsorship from his new employer once found.

This law isn't about subjugating women, but having visibility on visas and immigration - sound policy in my eyes.

mybrainhurts

90,809 posts

254 months

Sunday 21st August 2016
quotequote all
CRB14 said:
Me and the OH are looking
banghead

shirt

22,506 posts

200 months

Sunday 21st August 2016
quotequote all
more baffling is that daily mail readers still post on this sub section thinking we don't know about the real world living/working situation here.

yours,
unconcerned of jbr

Mansells Tash

5,713 posts

205 months

Sunday 21st August 2016
quotequote all
CRB14 said:
Just wanted to hi-jack a little bit (sorry OP),


If push came to shove and you received a huge offer for Qatar (that then meaning your other half probably couldn't find work as easily) would you do it or is it worth hanging on for Dubai?
I'm in Qatar, have been since July 2010, met my wife out here and we had our first kid last month. We're planning on leaving in 2017 purely because I've had enough of it all, the salary doesn't justify the sacrifices I have to make any more, and to be honest, if someone offered me another grand a month to stay, I still wouldn't.

Qatar is a perfectly livable place, infact I much prefer it over Dubai/Abu Dhabi. Key to survival here is building a bubble around your private life where you are insulated from Locals and their culture as much as is possible, oh and having a good group of friends.



GT03ROB

13,207 posts

220 months

Sunday 21st August 2016
quotequote all
shirt said:
more baffling is that daily mail readers still post on this sub section thinking we don't know about the real world living/working situation here.

yours,
unconcerned of jbr
Even more baffling is why we waste our time responding. laugh

Stylus

154 posts

172 months

Sunday 21st August 2016
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]

CRB14

1,493 posts

151 months

Sunday 21st August 2016
quotequote all
mybrainhurts said:
CRB14 said:
Me and the OH are looking
banghead
I don't understand

Robwt

Original Poster:

165 posts

226 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2016
quotequote all
That went slightly off topic.. We are still in the process of negotiating. Wife's potential future firm are only offering a one off 6 month loan for housing, so we'd need to save for next years housing as well as paying for this years if that makes sense, so we are hoping to negotiate a repeatable 12 year loan (I am led to believe that is the norm?)

My job hunt seems to be hindered by the fact everyone is on holiday over there (Presuming due to the heat) But expect multiple additional topics on what car, where to live etc soon.

Thank you for the sensible replies.

CRB14

1,493 posts

151 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2016
quotequote all
Robwt said:
My job hunt seems to be hindered by the fact everyone is on holiday over there (Presuming due to the heat) But expect multiple additional topics on what car, where to live etc soon.

Thank you for the sensible replies.
I'm also finding this so you're not on your own. Come September / October it should get a little busier (i hope). I hear there have been some redundancies but what scale I'm not sure. Perhaps companies using the time now to have a little spring clean.