Hi, I am Inessa, 28, from Moscow, went to Dubai with the help of Global Vision agency to work in Galeries Lafayette Dubai, the biggest Department Store in the world's biggest shopping mall located in Dubai (www.dubaimall.com). Currently I work there as a manager in Men's Department. But let's go step by step.
Dubai is an amazing place. Once you start living here, you get addicted. Dubai is the whole world in a smaller format – that's how I describe this city to myself and everybody around me. You will meet people literally from all parts of the world, here all the cultures, religions and nations merge, it is an amazing life experience with its ups and downs. Dubai is very attractive, very seductive, and you have to be quite strong not to fall for everything offered to you. It is a city full of adventurous people, young, strong, working, having money. The climate is hot, very hot, but the body gets used to it fast.
It is an incomparable place to gain precious professional, personal and general life experience. However, there are important things you should know about it before taking decision to come to live and work in Dubai.
First, if you wish to come to work in Dubai and you don’t have a Dubai experience, you should not expect to be offered a high salary from the very beginning. Dubai is a different place and employers know that very well, once you don’t have a Dubai working experience, no other experience is highly counted.
Second important thing you should know is the rules and regulations in UAE, especially Labor Law. It refers to the employment contract that you sign, you should read it carefully and know that there are many limitations once you would want to change you job later. It means that the company hiring you and paying your expenses to take you to Dubai for a certain position, be it in Retail, Hotel, Restaurants, Marketing and any other position, this company carries the right to put a 6months ban on your visa once you decide to leave the company before the end of your official contract. It means you cannot work for 6months after you have resigned. However there are exceptions, like so called FREE ZONE companies for which the ban does not have any power and once you get a job in a FREE ZONE company, you can continue to live and work in the UAE without leaving and coming back. There are also other ways which you can know with time very easily.
Recently amended Labor law allows more freedom for employees, however it should be read carefully. Unlimited contracts give a bit more privilege. However, read your contracts carefully and never listen to verbal promises, employers are very smart in giving all sorts of promises, everything you want should be clearly mentioned in the contract and signed from both parties – you and your employer. And you always have either a copy or the original form of all the documents signed and agreed.
Housing is not cheap in Dubai, and it is always better if the company offers accommodation with the contract. Sharing an apartment is the most common way of living in Dubai. It is hard, but that's the way it is, otherwise it will cost you around $800-1000 minimum to rent an empty studio (one room) in the most remote area of the city. When offered an accommodation, the transportation normally comes with. Otherwise you can find a car lift, which is also very common in Dubai, but you have to pay around $ 100 minimum for it.
Normal working week is 6 days with 1day off, office work allows 2 days off. Public transport is yet far from being perfect, taking you around 1,5 hour to get from one place to another, so most of the people usually uses taxi, or the metro, which also has not very flexible working hours (last train goes at 10 in the evening). Taxies are of medium price, not cheap as was thought and said before.
In general, Dubai is a very expensive city. This was the first shock for me, because I always used to hear that everything is cheap in Dubai, people come here to shop etc. it is not true. Dubai is very expensive, going out in Dubai is also expensive, shopping as well, of course if you go to shop in a shopping mall instead of some cheap market of fake product.
Everything related to pleasure closes at 3 AM, including all types of bars, restaurants, night clubs etc. However, Dubai is very open city compared to any other city in UAE or countries around. You cannot find alcohol in the supermarkets, but you have plenty of them in the hotels, night clubs etc. Despite all this, night life in Dubai is very vibrant, with famous DJs, very good music and large scale parties on the beach, under roof and under ground.
You should respect some rules related to Ramadan time, when people fast for 1 month. You should also respect prayer times, no laud music is allowed (5 times a day), but for the rest it is quite an open and relaxed atmosphere.
Food is very various; you can find all types of food here in Dubai. From my personal point of view, Arabic food is the best among them.
Dubai is a very safe city, however you should avoid contacts with people you don’t know, because most of the people around are tourists, and you never know how everything will turn out later.
These are the most important things to know for the beginning. I didn’t mention all of them, but once you come here, you will come to know everything very fast by your own experience, which is much more interesting than reading my short feedback.
I am very happy myself to have come here, to see all these people from different backgrounds, gain invaluable knowledge and experience, win a lot of new friends. Dubai is stunning, changing, attractive and beautiful. It is the best choice for you if you love lively, dynamic, crazy, moving lifestyle. Arabic sunsets are the most beautiful in the world.
You will not regret anything if you learn to enjoy all the particularities of this amazing corner of Gulf.
