John Tinsley : Gulf Recruitment

The State of Qatar juts out from the coast of Saudi Arabia into the Persian Gulf with Doha the capital city housing about 80% of the population. Being on a flat sandy plain, Qatar has few topographical features.  A few hills, west and central, and some stunning sand dunes in the southeast are of interest.  No perennial rivers or lakes exist in Qatar.

The climate of course is quite like other desert countries: very hot summers but somewhat more temperate winter months.  

The discovery of oil around 1939 changed this country into an immensely rich nation.  From depending upon fishing and pearls Qatar was catapulted into being a nation that has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.

This fabulous piece of fortune brought great success to its current ruling elite, the Al Thani family, and indeed all the citizens of Qatar. Jobs are guaranteed, college education is free, citizens pay no income tax, health and government services are free; Qatar could be described as a complete welfare state.

This good fortune extends also to expatriates seeking jobs in Qatar. Qatar oil jobs, Qatar gas jobs and Qatar IT jobs are listed by corporations and recruiters offering jobs in Qatar. Look also at Gulf jobs and jobs in the Middle East for employment opportunities.

If attracted to employment as an expatriate in Qatar oil jobs and Qatar gas jobs you will find a community of other foreign workers already in jobs in Qatar. Doha offers many amenities; the Grand Mosque, Entertainment City and the national aquarium and museum draw many visitors.

When you decide to look for jobs in UAE you have more than just a job to think about.  You will be moving to another country altogether if you are successful in your search, so you have to think about where you are going to live too.

Some companies providing jobs in UAE have schemes in place that provide you with housing as well as a position within their company.  This is by far the easiest route to finding everything you need, since you will not have to do a property search as well as a job search.

In many instances companies provide housing complexes that all their expat workers stay in.  Sometimes these are offered free of charge, which obviously means you will be able to save more of your income for other things.  You will also be close to other people from abroad who are getting used to jobs in UAE and living in another country as well, so you can share your experiences.

One thing you do need to bear in mind if you are going to find your own property is that renting often requires several months to be paid for in one go before you move in.  Some landlords require a year in advance.  If you are working on a shorter contract it may be better to find alternative accommodation so you don’t have to pay for more than you need.  Always check the market carefully to see whether you have the best housing for your needs.

Companies in Middle Eastern countries rely on a wide variety of employees drawn from a global pool of prospective workers. As such, it becomes vitally important to set yourself apart from the rest of the pack as a leader, not a follower. Followers do nothing more than stagnate, and if you are someone who was moved from a foreign country to work a job in Dubai or anywhere else in the Middle East your primary goal should be setting yourself at the top of the heap in order to make as much money as possible and to move your career in the direction you want it to go. While many will argue about whether leaders are born or made, most modern theories suggest that it is a little bit of both, and everyone can learn how to become a leader in their chosen field.

Working a job in a Middle Eastern country means you are going to be a foreigner in a completely different culture, and most likely working for a company with an employee base which has many different countries represented. It is up to you to become one of those individuals who can lead the rest to success. This is your career, not simply a vacation, and being one of those people who can push the boundaries away from the bottom line will mean the difference between simply keeping your job and being promoted. Remember that employers in Middle Eastern countries have a large pool of local candidates, so performing above and beyond everyone else will be nothing but a benefit your career.

Everyone understands that finding motivation to do your job day in and day out can be difficult if you are in an environment where you are unhappy. The beauty of working in Middle Eastern countries is that it is an adventure. Not only are you working in an environment where the culture is completely different, but you have access to different food and thousands of years of history.  If you happen to be working a job in Dubai, you have access to some of the world’s greatest shopping centres, beaches, and the most amazing engineering feats in the world.

Any analyst will tell you that in order to keep yourself happy at work you need to find a healthy balance between work and life, or work and play. Jobs in Dubai offer people just that, with the United Arab Emirates having a reputation for people working hard and playing hard. Given the access to world-class accommodation and shopping, not to mention the luxury resorts, restaurants, beaches, deserts, and everything else, working a job in Dubai means that you have the opportunity to experience a completely different set of adventures above and beyond what you would ever have access to back home. This is not the urban jungle of the West; this is the open desert, the Persian Gulf, and one of the most progressive places on the face of the Earth in the 21st century. So if your career is starting to get into a rut, consider finding a job in the Middle East, where they play just as hard as they work.

One of the main reasons many people choose to work in Dubai is because of the tax-free income. One does not have to look very far to see that Dubai is a city of wealth and abundance, with opulence dripping from nearly every street corner in the form of towering skyscrapers, magnificent hotels, luxury resorts, and some of the most renowned shopping malls on the entire planet. The United Arab Emirates operates using a free market economy and is absolutely dedicated to the principles of free trade, which makes jobs in Dubai fairly popular with individuals from Western countries. Considering there is no such thing as corporate or personal income tax, anyone working a job in Dubai is allowed to work income tax free. As a result, there are a great number of expat workers who have come to Dubai from New York or London who work for the same wages they were working for back home, but take home far greater pay cheques because their costs are significantly reduced by the fact that there is no income tax.

Working a job in Dubai means that you do not have to pay any taxes whatsoever, even above and beyond the income tax free wages you are already earning. One hundred per cent of what a worker earns goes directly into their bank account. And considering foreigners are not allowed to own businesses in the UAE, you can be assured that no matter where you work your income is yours to do with as you please.

Kuwait is still one of the world’s main oil producing countries and this is why there are large numbers of western workers applying for oil jobs in Kuwait.  Since the first Gulf War, the economy has recovered rapidly and this is reflected in the job market. 

However, the job market in the Middle East is a very competitive one and successful applicants have to meet all the criteria on the job specification otherwise their applications will be rejected. 

When searching for Kuwait oil jobs there are a number of job websites and recruitment agencies which are regularly used by the larger firms.  It is better for western workers to target larger companies as they tend to be established in the region and offer much more in the way of benefits than smaller organisations. 

Care should be taken when applying for positions via a recruitment agency as there are a number of fraudulent companies in operation.  Choose an agency that is registered with a regulatory body. 

Positions within the industry will cover a number of sectors such as finance, administration, IT, health and safety and medical, as well as the more obvious engineering and chemical sections. 

Kuwait IT jobs are available in a number of industries as the country has a steadily growing telecommunications industry and a rapidly evolving financial sector.

Workers require a sponsor in order to obtain a work visa and this is dependent upon a firm offer of employment, but many large organisations are well placed to help foreign workers settle into a new culture. 

Considering how quickly job opportunities in the United Arab Emirates have been growing in recent years, jobs in the UAE have never been more accessible than they are today. There are literally thousands of jobs in a wide variety of areas as the entire country continues to experience massive growth, and the opportunities are fairly lucrative for foreigners considering there are no taxes and the bonus packages offered at the end of your contract can be significant if your job in the UAE has lasted for several years or more. It is vitally important that you have all of your documentation in order before accepting any job in the UAE. Not only will you need to obtain a residency visa for UAE, but it also allows you to apply for sponsorship if you happen to have a spouse or any children that will be along for the duration of the contract.

While it is true that the documentation required for jobs in the UAE is fairly excessive, it is well worth it. Keep in mind that you need a valid passport to work any job in the Emirates, and if you have a spouse or children who will be coming along you will need to provide a marriage certificate as well as birth certificates. Once you arrive in the country with your required documents, the Department of Immigration will process your residency visa, and check the original documents for your family members to get them processed as well.

You do not have to sell your home in the UK if you are working abroad on a permanent or semi permanent basis; you can remortgage your home if you have one, or buy a property to let for income and investment purposes. Financing for this is known as an expat mortgage and requires specialist skill to access the right mortgage for you.

Comparing thousands of deals a specialist mortgage advisor can sift through all the offers to find the most competitive and appropriate expat mortgage for you. This will apply whether it’s a mortgage for a property you’ve just found or if you’d like to remortgage an existing home, you will be able to rely on the advice that you will get from the expat mortgage specialist.

Consulting a specialist in the field of expat mortgages means that the options will be explained to you without legal jargon, in other words you can read the offers in plain English, important when embarking on a property purchase, either for investment or income. You will be helped to find the right sort of solicitor, one who is familiar with the processes of law involved with this sort of mortgage. If you already own a property and are moving abroad and would like to rent out your home, it is important to get the right sort of buy to let mortgage which differ from standard mortgages. Using a specialist in the field of expat mortgages will ensure that you get the very best option to suit your personal needs, for instance not just taking into account your salary but also the potential rental income of the property.

Whether you are working a Dubai banking job or a Dubai IT job, or happen to be someone working in the oil industry, one of the best parts of working in Dubai is the lifestyle. Many people have described it as a “work hard, play hard” lifestyle, and while it is true that the average work week is 40 to 48 hours, the access to world-class shopping, tax-free income, beaches, deserts, and luxury accommodation offer an environment where you are definitely working hard, but also have the opportunity to play just as hard. Many Westerners find working during Ramadan to be especially pleasant, because working hours are cut to six hours a day. Working a job in Dubai means settling into a new schedule however, because Friday is a day off, and most companies employ a Sunday through Thursday work week.

Considering the number of economic free zones where engineering, construction, finance, media and IT are all firmly established and booming as Dubai continues to rocket forward in terms of economic strength, working jobs in Dubai has never been more lucrative. This is where the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia meet, and there are a variety of jobs available across the spectrum. When you combine tax-free income with phenomenal food, spectacular surroundings, amazing accommodation, and a multi-cultural pool of employment opportunities, working a job has never been this fun, nor have the salary opportunities ever been so lucrative. Regardless of where you hail from, now is the time to be working a job in Dubai, regardless of your field.

If you’ve been considering relocating to and working in the Gulf regions of the Middle East, don’t overlook Saudi Arabia as a viable choice for overseas employment.  Jobs in Saudi Arabia are still plentiful despite the overall shape of the global economy.  In fact, the instability of the global economy in general has probably stimulated the recent increase in the popularity of the Middle East career and job market.  Remember that Saudi Arabia is one of the largest of the world’s oil producers, so it makes sense that the nation has become a targeted destination.

In 2008, the power supply demand in Saudi Arabia alone grew some 70%, compared to the 20% growth factor that was experienced in 2007.  Statistics are not yet complete for this past year (2009), but there are indications that this may have dropped off slightly.  But this dramatic increase in the demand for power has resulted in a spike in the career and job opportunities in several fields.

Although the most significant growth of Saudi Arabia jobs has been in fast-track construction positions and fields relative to the oil and gas industry, other job sectors are still experiencing steady growth in the opportunities for employment that are currently available.  Other employment opportunities exist in the banking and finance, IT and telecommunications, and media industries for the individual who is qualified and skilled in these types of careers.  Finally, keep in mind that due to the population growth in these Gulf areas that the real estate and tourism industries have seen some significant growth as well.