If you are, like many Brits today, considering escaping our economic woes and taking one of the many jobs in the UAE, then you’ve got a lot of practical considerations to make.
While the economy in the Middle East has suffered some shocks and setbacks (as we saw in Dubai recently) the wealth of the region is still based on oil – and oil is still incredibly in demand. That means a whole raft of support infrastructures have grown up around the industry, from financial services to IT positions and legal services that are relatively secure compared to many similar positions in Europe.
Of course, making the leap isn’t exactly like taking a job that involves a bit of a commute. If you decide to move out there, you’re typically looking at a permanent or semi-permanent move. Contracts of 6-18 months are commonplace, but many people find themselves staying there for years.
Luckily, Western workers are well catered for. An increasingly outward-looking society, the UAE has gone to great pains to established Western-style amenities like shopping malls, golf courses, English language TV and consequently has developer a thriving expatriate community.
Many people thinking of living and working abroad feel that the biggest problem will be losing touch with the folks back home. Now, thanks to innovations such as Skype and video messaging, catch-ups with family and friends are easy and cheap. In fact, not only that, but your family can always come to visit you, thanks to the wide availability of cheap flights to Riyadh or other population centres in the region.
If you’re thinking of making the move, then there a whole raft of other complications, but it’s an increasingly practical move for many thousands of Brits and you should no longer just rule it out out of hand.