What To Do!

Sorry girls. I have had a busy week and been stressing about all of this. Thank you for all the advice. I have told the school that I do not think their salary is enough and they have left it open for me to think about for another few days. Thank you Sarah Lou for the breakdown. That gives me something much more realistic to work with. I have been trying to collate figures for spending this last week. I've used the last few days to look on dubizzle and seen some rooms closer to the school to share with other people. I think TECOM sort of area might be good and any others nearby which are close to the metro. I'm just pasting some examples here and it would be nice to hear what people might be thinking https://dubai.dubizzle.com/m/property-for-rent/rooms-for-rent-flatmates/villahouse/2017/4/27/partition-available-in-al-barsha-near-moe--2/?back=L20vcHJvcGVydHktZm9yLXJlbnQvcm9vbXMtZm9yLXJlbnQtZmxhdG1hdGVzL3ZpbGxhaG91c2U%3D https://dubai.dubizzle.com/m/property-for-rent/rooms-for-rent-flatmates/apartmentflat/2017/3/31/nice-room-with-spacious-balcony--2/?back=L20vcHJvcGVydHktZm9yLXJlbnQvcm9vbXMtZm9yLXJlbnQtZmxhdG1hdGVzL2FwYXJ0bWVudGZsYXQvP3BhZ2U9NA%3D%3D (I know the first room says it is a partition but looking at the pictures, it looks like a separate room - albeit a little small!) I have also noticed that in these rooms that I've searched over the last few days, almost all of them have said DEWA and internet is included. I can't be 100% sure that everything is kosher with these places but I have seen more affordable rooms closer to the school and to the metro which I could share. One of the posters said the school should pay for accommodation for 30 days when I first arrive as I cannot legally rent anywhere at that stage until I get certain documentation/ clearance. I have not found anywhere where it says this is a legal requirement. I have read that it is practice amongt decent employers but not that it is mandatory. Anyone have any further guidance on this please? These are the last couple of things which I will probably be wanting to find advice on. I will have my absolute final decision after this if the posters here still think I am crazy. I know I keep posing questions but from my point of view, I am making sure I have asked all the questions I can so I don't kick myself later for not taking it. Knowing that I cannot manage financially will completely justify the decision so thank you everyone and I look forward to any advice you offer. Cheers ladies.

Just do a google search for: who pays visa fees in Dubai - and a whole bunch of news articles will pop up - take your pick. Cheers.

While agreeing with the others, I would say you might allow yourself a limited time for this job as long as the school fulfils its legal obligations. Give it a time limit if you can get a short contract - a year perhaps. This way you could allow yourself a life changing experience. Hello, cheers for the input. So you think as long as they decide to pay for the visa, flights there, accommodation and carry out any other legal responsibilities which they might have then I should ask them whether I could do a year's fixed term contract to begin with? Sounds like a good idea. I was thinking of doing maybe 6 months but from my research, what I understand is if I did do that, I would need to pay tax in Dubai (due to completing less than 12 months' employment), if I came back to England, there would be certain tax implications here for the reminder of the financial year here, if I did not have a job to come back to then I would not have any recourse to Job Seekers' Allowance due to being out of the country for 6 months or more (I would not ever want to do that and try to avoid it all costs, but it seems that I might end up spending from my savings to work in Dubai and not have any money left so would need to look at that route, but maybe not be able to do it anyway!), I would also need to pay back costs to the school if I were to come back of my own accord before the term that they had agreed. Not sure how it works about housing, whether I need to sign up to any housing for a minimum of 12 months or whether it depends on each accommodation??? Bearing all of the stuff in the above paragraph in mind, it seems that a 1 year fixed term contract might be the best idea to suggest to them, because if I did that then the only issue would be that if I came back, I would not be able to apply for Job Seekers' Allowance and I might have to ensure my Dubai apartment tenancy is over at the same time at the end of the 1 year fixed term employment contract/ pay what is due before I can come back if it does not end by that specific time.

I agree with others, don't bother, the package they offer is terrible AND illegal! I have a friend who earns 10,000, has no life whatsoever! Rent is very high for a nice room, so is food, plus you'll have to foot all dental etc costs, car if you'd like to be flexible etc...Just not worth it.... Hi, thank you for your message. Does your friend do similar work to what I've been offered? I am just wondering as I am trying to figure out whether the pay I've been offered is about average. I think it is but I could be wrong. As far as I am aware, the dental costs are included in my medical policy. My next task was to look at my medical policy after reading the lengthy legislation! Where does your friend live? And is she able to socialise at all? And what is her quality of life like? Cheers.

I wouldn't bother either, most shared rooms in a decent apartment block cost AED5000 per month upwards and that is 50% of your salary slashed before you even start. Cost of living here is high and whilst I know that some people live on less it will not provide you with a good standard of living Many schools also have limited contracts which means you cannot change roles for 2 years or you may get a ban and have to pay back costs Any company that does not pay for your relocation/Visa costs//medical should be avoided Hiya Sarah Sounds like good advice. From the research that I have already done, I can see that the cost of housing is ridiculous. My work place is in the Al Sufuoh 2 area. The only "reasonably priced" housing which I've seen which would cost me around a third of my salary is in International City. I've heard mixed reviews of this place and I am not completely against it (although I did read something a few days ago about a murder that occurred there at some point in recent years!). The issue which I have had is that when I look at how to get there by public transport, it will take about three hours as there is no direct transport there. I could be wrong in my research but it was saying something like having to catch a bus from the Dragon Mart outside the English Cluster and then going to Deira and then catching another bus from there to go to where I need to be. I am not going to drive in Dubai. I don't think I could afford to anyway. The other option I was thinking of was doing a car share but when I looked online there was nothing from International City (even if I did decide to live there) to the area where my school is. Anything closer to the school, and I am looking at 50-60,000 AED, but then I also have to pay additional public transport costs no matter where I live. I have no idea what that might amount to but of course it's going to add up. Then on top of that basic essentials such as bills (internet, water, electricity- DEWA??) and food are equally ridiculous. To add to that, I think there's some sort of tax which you have to pay to the Government on any place which you rent (about 15 or 20%, I've heard???). If I do rent somewhere, it seems that it is very likely that I will have to do it through a lettings company as most apartments seem to be through them and if I'm not mistaken, that's another 15% or 20% of your rent??? :(

I wouldn't bother to be honest. School reception jobs generally goes to ladies that are here on husband's visa, not a job you could live comfortably on. There will be others that are on their husband's visa that will pick up this kind of job, so they will not bend over to employ you, sorry to be harsh. Thanks. The thought did cross my mind but they do seem quite keen to employ me. I've been told about the "preference" for certain nationalities a few times now to the point where it seems a very real practice and I wonder if it's maybe because I am English. At the same time, they probably don't want to offer me any frills because they could get a local hire to do the same job. From what I can garner, my salary is about average for this type of work. I'd even say it is maybe towards the higher end. Is this correct in your experience? Although, from my understanding, there should be a few more things that they should be covering costs wise. Cheers. :)

It's illegal for them to make you pay for your visa and medical, so you can pull them up on that right there. THEY are responsible for paying ALL costs to get you here, sorting your visa and medical and they should also provide you with 30 days accommodation on arrival, so you can sort all this and find somewhere to live - until you have your residency you will be unable to rent anywhere. Doesn't sound great from the start to be honest. If they're willing to not take responsibility for their obligations from the start, what else will they not want to do down the line. I'd pass in all honesty. Hi FairyDust, Thank you for your response. So it seems that they are responsible for the visa, medical attached to the visa application as well as flights to fly out here and a maximum of 30 days accommodation. Do you have a reference for this please so that I can show it to the employer? I am almost half way through the 1980 Labour Regulations document which I understand is the key piece of legislation pertaining to employment, but I did not see this specifically. Whilst I was reading, I did get my dad drop off my sister with Aspergers as he had some last minute errands to run so I could have quite easily missed this. At the same time, I would not be at all surprised if they have just decided to disregard their legal obligations mostly or even completely. The reason I say this is that in my contract, it says that my basic minimum hours are 40 per the Emirati working week. On top of this, I will be expected to work an additional ten hours (again, over five days and excluding Friday) "without renumeration". Now, when I queried this with the Manager of the school who is an Emirati lady (so I would expect her to know - and hopefully follow - the laws of her country!), she said I would be given that time back in lieu. I am normally very trusting but I am really wary of her as I feel like there is stuff that she is responsible for providing yet the package she is offering is abysmal. She must know of the high costs of relocating and living there - if not from the other staff that she has purportedly employed - so why is she knowingly giving me a deal, which from my research, seems not viable at all from a financial perspective The funny thing is that in the contract it does not say anything about time given back in lieu, it just says that I have to work those additional hours without renumeration and then in the contract, it also says something along the lines of "that no other verbal or express written representation can be relied upon other than what is in this contract"!. From what I've read in the Labour Regulations, overtime must be paid at an overtime rate and there are also guidelines about the number of days and continuous hours you can work, etc. I'm with you, Fairy Dust about them being rubbish now, what will they be like later! :confused: At the same time, I am also apprehensive about rejecting the offer because I have been unemployed for a few weeks now and due to the caring responsibilities I have had with my siblings, I have had to take time off work, so my attendance record is not as perfect as it could be and fear that this might prevent me from getting a job here as I have already had one offer withdrawn because of this at a local school where I live. The school in Dubai weren't as bothered and all I need to do now is sign on the dotted line! Any thoughts?

No mention of anything else as I will just be paid that sum and no help at all with accommodation or anything else apart from one return flight next summer and the mandatory health insurance which they have to provide by law. They are not paying for the visa or health check either as far as I am aware. This really doesn't seem like a great or sensible option. I have been told I should negotiate but not sure if I am in a position to, especially as I am unskilled and I would just feel embarrassed to try to negotiate a better deal. I shouldn't but I would and even if it is a good idea, I have no clue how I would go about doing this! :-/