Thinking of Working Overseas? 7 Reasons to Consider Beginning Your Career in Dubai

Dubai is a city that dreams big.

From its beginnings as a small fishing village, over the last half century, Dubai has seen unparalleled growth. It is home to some highly inspirational projects: the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, and the world-famous man-made islands in the Palm Jumeirah, for example. Dubai has certainly now cemented its status as one of the world’s true mega cities.

This kind of aspiration is very infectious so, for those beginning a career, Dubai can be an exhilarating, motivating place to start. The city pulsates with energy and opportunity for those taking their first steps up the career ladder.

Dubai welcomes millions of tourists each year to enjoy year-round warm temperatures, luxury shopping, high-end accommodation, and an array of entertainment and leisure options. Living in Dubai offers this same high quality of life.

However, working in Dubai has a unique set of benefits above and beyond those experienced by visitors.  Here are 7 of them:

1. A Wealth of Opportunities

      Dubai is firmly on the map as a truly world-class business and financial hub. This is set to be magnified even further: Dubai will host the World Expo 2020. The six-month long exhibition of trade and innovation is set to bring millions of visitors to share ideas and celebrate human ingenuity.

For graduates, Dubai offers a huge variety of work in many industries: the finance, retail, aviation, property, logistics, and tech industries all have a lot going on in the UAE, to name a few. The region’s high number of visitors from all over the globe means that Dubai’s hospitality industry offers some really great opportunities, too.

2. Global Understanding of One’s Industry

With employers recruiting from all over the world to Dubai, and with the city being a centre for international business, you can bet that working in Dubai will give you a truly global perspective of your industry.

At the beginning of your career, this may give you a great head start: while others are learning the ropes in more provincial or regional offices, you are already where the action is.

3. International, Multicultural Community

There’s an enormous expat community in Dubai. It is estimated that only 20% of the city’s population is Emirati, meaning that millions of Dubai residents come from all corners of the globe. This makes it a great place for graduates to live for so many reasons.

Firstly, networking opportunities are incredible. The chances of you making incredible friends from all over the world, and experience enormous personal growth as a result, are huge. It also means there’s a whole load going on; no one ever need be bored in Dubai.

4. Great Transport Links

From a practical point of view, Dubai is pretty perfectly geographically located for seeing a whole lot more of the world. You’ll be much closer to Europe and Africa, with an eight-hour flight to London and a 10-hour journey to Cape Town. Asia is not too far either – Bangkok is only six hours away.

You’ll be around 14 hours away from Sydney on a direct flight, of which there are several per day. The Dubai International Airport, one of the world’s biggest flight hubs, is a short journey from the city, so getting away is really easy.

5. English Is Widely Spoken

You’ll immediately notice that English is widely used throughout the city. This has several advantages for a newcomer. You can pick up your career overseas without worrying about a language barrier. It’ll help limit culture shock, too, which can hit hard when it is difficult to communicate in a new place.

6. Easy Visa Regulations

With immigration so actively encouraged in Dubai, it is straightforward to get the necessary papers for living and working in the city. Working visas are fully arranged and paid for by employers. Documentation lasts three years but can be renewed.

7. Tax-Free Salary

Dubai charges zero income tax on salaries for tax residents, meaning every dirham you earn is yours for living in and enjoying the city.

Whatever your career aspirations are, spending some time in Dubai is seriously worth considering. Enjoy the lifestyle, feel welcome in a truly multicultural society, and take advantage of some really enticing career opportunities.

Featured image courtesy of Unsplash