Posted By Dave22 Getting work in Dubai seems to be hard work, is this normal? I seem to have lots of people interested, (or so they say), then nothing else, Is this the norm and i just have to keep pressing on? Any body got any advise, Contacts, etc any advise would be appreciated Thank in advance

Posted By Gary L After spending 18 months out in Dubai. I came to the conclusion that the best way to find work out there is to actually go and promote yourself to potential employers. After spending 6 months trolling through the internet and filling in application forms (still not heard anything back) i decided to go to Dubai and find work myself. The Health & Safety standard is shocking, with an average of 1 death per day (on construction), and most of the workers are cheap labour resources. After witnessing a lot of shocking hazards, with nothing been done to rectify them, i sought other employment. PS. Remember we have NO rights over there, so be careful.

Posted By RP24 Gary, quick qestion. Did you leave Dubai all together? Are you still doing health and safety?

Posted By Jez Corfield When I pass through Dubai on Business, the daily English language paper the 'Gulf News' usually has a number of HSE jobs in every day - Agencies in Dubai are as 'effective' and overpriced in Dubai as they are in the UK. IMHO - Cost of living is high, some facilities are lacking, and some T&C's tight. Abu Dhabi seems a better bet. Jez

Posted By RP24 Thank you all

Posted By graeme12345 paying to offer your services for employment is ridiculous and we should boycott such procedures regardless of it's the only way to get employment in the ME. It's not the construction companies that are doing this it's the recruitment agencies safety jobs available / do not pay recruitment companies / no safety people seeking work / no safety on site / companies will moan / salaries will rise / recruitment system may well change

Posted By BB Graeme12345, I think you may be either naive or have a guaranteed job for life. I suspect Rashid is a local and knows the turf pretty well, so it is foolish not to listen to his advice. Some people may see a modest fee to advertise one's own services as a investment. Especially those of us who have been out of work a few times over the years in previous recessions. BB

Posted By Bill Glass Once again I will repeat myself. Make sure you know exactly what you are getting into, read your contract of employment or ask at the interview exactly what your package is. No use getting to Dubai and find out you cannot affort a house or schooling for the kiddies. Check your hours of work, medical coverage, airfares for leaves etc. The streets are not paved with gold, no matter what you read. On the other hand there are lots of good jobs and decent companies. NEVER EVER pay for a job. Why pay to advertise on the newspapers when you can visit them on line and look at thier adverts. Use the web. Please do your research before you jump into a job here, all that glitters and so on. Bill

Posted By M.B John, Because of the credit crunch a lot of of the larger construction companies out here have frozen all recruitment for the time being, while projects are being reassessed. Even Dubai is feeling the pressure on its real estate. Abu Dhabi is affected to a lesser degree and is there is still recruiting. Mike

Posted By R McGraa I've just returned from a holiday in Dubai. It truly is a fantastic place to visit, but also very expensive. I can see how a tax free salary could be quickly eaten away. It was amusing to watch the ex-pats visiting our hotel to use the bar and drink an otherwise cheap australian chardonnay for over £30 a bottle. And as sure as you moan that it's too cold and wet in the UK, you'll soon by complaining that it's too hot and dry in Dubai. Your kids will soon be complaining that they can't play out and bored of going to the Mall of the Emirates for a KFC. And your wife will soon be complaining that the Debenhams in the Mall is much more expensive than at home. Throughout my career, I have worked overseas on different occassions for periods between 4 months and 4 years. Before you decide to sell up and hand in your notice as a reasonably paid UK safety practitioner and move to Dubai think about the long term realities. Why do you think ex-pats spend their spare time searching for shops that sell Marmite, English newspapers and listening to Radio 2 on line or downloading Coronation St in between using MSN Messenger to talk to friends back home? It's simple - they miss the UK, their friends and families. I worked in the Middle East for 4 months and that was enough for me. Don't get me wrong I had a great time, but 4 months was enough. If you don't have any family or friends in the UK then you might enjoy it for longer especially if you're young free and single. I'm sure there are many who enjoy a permanent residence in Dubai, for example, but I would like to bet that, secretly, many of them would prefer to be back at home where you can at least go outside in the Summer, even though you do need an umbrella. That said, it was just too hot to sit out in last week so we spent most of the day under an umbrella anyway! I would recommend Dubai for a short term contract but think seriously before making a permanent move. Incidentally, while I was in Dubai last week an overloaded crane working on the new mono rail collapsed onto the main highway. Fortunately, on this occassion, no one was killed.

Posted By Ali It probably is good out there, I don't deny it, but you need to consider the following facts: - It depends very much on the nature of the job and who you are ! Eg a European / American will always earn more than an Asian similarly qualified. - Also, those working in hotels (even the poshest ones) work min.10 hrs a day, which is longer than many other occupations out there (or here). - Employment law is very different to here and the worker in Dubai has less rights and faces more discrimination than here. - Pension rights are different to what you are used to here - You can be sacked far more easily than here - Housing is very expensive - School fees are prohibitive - There is no "NHS" ,so medical insurance is required - between June to September there is an exodus of ex pats due to the 50+ 'C temperatures .......otherwise it's great !

Posted By Ali ....moving to Mumbai ?? I would reconsider !

Posted By Ali ...point taken. I did not realise you felt so strongly about Mumbai.

Posted By Calum Cameron Well.......response as requested. I am working in Dubai at the moment and things are actually pretty tough here also. Many companies are on hold for all recruitment because many of the big developers have pulled the plug on their projects or shelved them. I have spoken to a very close recruitment contact that I have over here and he is in the situation where a number of his clients are cancelling recruitment at the 11th hour and in some cases when people in the UK have sold up and about to board planes. Devastating....! It will be a struggle to get a safety role here for anyone who is not already here and even then it will not be easy at the moment. Best advice is to keep looking and applying and hope for the best. Oh yes.......and another thing-there is also talk of introducing a personal tax here so we may well find the tax free earning benefits of working in Dubai going by the wire also. I would say that the present situation in the UAE relative to the UK should be viewed in this way-"the grass isnt always greener......." That said-the scale of construction projects here is simply staggering-It is not unusual to have projects in excess of 600m pounds and beyond with 8000 guys on them. I am presently on a 400m pound project with 4000 guys on it and its a head ache I can tell you as they were all farmers prior to swinging through the scaffolding so we are working from a very low starting point. Sorry to shatter the illusion that the streets are paved with gold for all safety bods here in Dubai but they are not (at least not the ones I walk on anyway..?) There are jobs advertised in the Gulf News ocasionally so that is worth a look. Also-contact the big London agencies (no names) as they may have some work contacts here. UK quals are highly sought here particularly NEBOSH Diploma/CMIOSH and open many doors but that is only of use when companies are recruiting-which they are not at present but that may change next year-who knows. Anyway-good luck and keep trying. If anyone wants to get in touch for advice directly please do so on calum.cameron@hotmail.com Happy Xmas C Cameron CMIOSH

Posted By Ali Dave, Some of the advice given has been excellent so far and I am also in a similar situation to yourself - looking for Dubai jobs. I have even been in the situation of having had 2 interviews and been offered a role via email and awaiting my final written offer only to be told they have appointed someone else. I have also been told by agencies there not to think about applying until next year when the economic situation improves, so I am now actively seeking jobs in the UK. I personally think that in the future I will apply for jobs in Abu Dhabi as I believe they have more to offer and are not as saturated as Dubai.

Posted By Philip Reid If Dubai is a problem to get into, you may want to consider Kuwait, especially the oil & gas sector. Been here 5 years and there is a definite shortage of good H&S staff within the Western companies. Kuwait isn't everyone's cup of tea but it's certainly not a bad lifestyle...and a heck of a lot cheaper than Dubai. Phil Lead HSE Eng. AMEC Kuwait

Posted By Dave22 Geoff Spiky comment? just want answers to the question posted. the origional question had been lost in conversation. I don't think i saw any tips from good self

Posted By Dave22 Not sarcasm, but you are entitled to an opinion on the other hand, if you have nothing to offer on the origional question then please dont comment,

Posted By IOSH Moderator Come on gents, play nicely (that's the Moderator comment). And as a personal observation in regard to the thread: I have a little insight into the GCC Region as I work on an oil and gas construction project in Oman and at various times have also worked in Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. My own response to Dave's original question is that the prospect of finding easy, handsomely rewarded employment in Dubai has always been a little distorted by some of the correspondents on this forum - the streets being paved with gold portrait that has been painted, in reality, doesn't exist now. And the job market in the construction sector in Dubai for HSE staff is in many ways equally (if not more so) competitive than it is anywhere else, particularly now the financial squeeze is now being felt accutely, particularly on the big luxury developments (some of the big developers have started laying off large numbers of staff). Right at the moment I would advise extreme caution - if you are still determined it's the right place to go, keep pressing on, but keep a sense of reality and if you are successful in getting an offer of employment, check, check and check again that it is watertight - see this thread - http://www.iosh.co.uk/in...um=2&thread=40860&page=1 Regards Andrew Ure

Posted By GeoffB4 Jobs are in freefall out there but you've had several offers. Well done, you'll need to let us know the secret of your success!