If the coming months fill you with a certain amount of trepidation because they promise so little in the way of change or opportunity, perhaps it’s time to be looking seriously at pastures new. Instead of Middle England, how about the Middle East? Swapping mediocrity in Derby for mind-blowing fun in Dubai, the largest city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), just might be the best move you’ll ever make!
Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other cities and towns in the UAE are already home to thousands of Brits currently soaking up the expatriate lifestyle with relish. Year-round sunshine, fabulous shopping and incredible entertainment are just some of the benefits taken very much for granted. With the big salaries on offer, too, not to mention a personal income tax rate of zero per cent, it’s just as well banking in the UAE is up to the mark. Should you wish to enhance your spending power further with a personal loan, or from one of the other major banks in the country, then that shouldn’t present too much of a problem!
Around a million Britons visit the UAE every year on holiday. There are some 100,000 expatriates working in the UAE within a variety of industry sectors. The best way of joining them is through sponsorship, offered either by a UAE employer or by a foreign-owned company already operating in the country.
The easiest way to check what’s currently available is by going online. There are literally dozens of excellent job websites displaying all sorts of amazing opportunities, many with salary packages which include accommodation, health care and insurance thrown in.
Although you’ll have to be resident in the country for a few months in order to apply for a personal loan, that doesn’t stop you opening a current account in the meantime. If nothing else, you’ll certainly need one for the salary to be paid into. But a current account is also handy for accessing your hard-earned cash through a debit or credit card, which these days comes very much as standard with modern personal banking.
As with most countries, visa entry requirements are often subject to change. So it’s always best to check with the appropriate authorities prior to departure. In the case of the UAE, British citizens don’t require a visa prior to arrival in the country. Instead, on arrival, they’ll be issued with a 30-day visa which can be extended for a further 30 days following payment of an extension fee.
According to the British government’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), UK citizens who have entered Dubai on a visit visa and who wish to work should first acquire a probationary work permit, which is available from the Ministry of Labour and is valid for up to three months. Anyone without the permit who is caught working whilst on a visit visa risks being jailed or fined and deported.
Applying for a UAE residency visa involves the taking of a blood test. Anyone testing positive for HIV and for hepatitis is detained and then deported. There is no appeal process. Taking a blood test shortly before travelling to the UAE would therefore be advisable, says the FCO.
The FCO adds, “You should cancel your work visa before permanently leaving the country. If you do not do this, you will be at risk of being reported as an absconder and could be arrested if you return to the UAE – even if you are in transit to another country. Failure to repay debts or resolve any outstanding cases against you may also result in your being arrested on returning to the UAE.”
