Find A Job In United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Visa Requirements

Looking for a job in Dubai? after a challenging 2020 (Global pandemic), things are looking up. With the recent strategy the country is introducing, Dubai’s business will see new hires as a focus for 2022,2023 and beyond. If you are ready to jump into Dubai’s growing job market, then you should be prepared for the task ahead. Remember, opportunities meets preparation.

Dubai’s Most Sought After Skills

As far as Dubai is concerned, some of the most sought after skills includes;

• Statistical Analysis.
• Web architecture.
• SEO/SEM Marketing.
• UI design
• Data Mining
• Public Policy.
• International relations.
• Algorithm design.

And a host of others that fall among the top qualifications for job seekers in the United Arab Emirates. Kindly note that the above mentioned skills isn’t comprehensive as there are others we may have not added.

For those who have interest in working in Dubai, where to start and how will be mentioned in this guide. The guide will give you an idea through the most important information, which also includes sponsorship, visas, where to look for a job and interview questions & tips as well.

You will agree with me that your first step in getting a job in a foreign country is by first getting your visa approved. This makes you a step ahead in your job hunting.

Getting A Dubai Work Visa

You’ll need a work visa and this can be easily gotten if you are employed by a Dubai company. Because of the need of a work visa, it is easier for foreigners to head to Dubai after being offered a position.

You should also note that some visitors are not required to obtain a visa before time; as they are issued to them upon their arrival into the country.

Travelling To Dubai On a Visitor Or Tourist Visa For Your Job Search

Yes! You thought right. Going to Dubai on a visitor or tourist visa for your job search and later transferring your visa status once you’ve found employment is still possible; depending on what pattern you intend following.

Notwithstanding, there are some citizen’s who may not need a visa for 90 days, foreigners with nationality from these countries are allowed to remain in the United Arab Emirate for 90 days after they have arrived before leaving or applying for a work visa.

Countries/Citizens Who Don’t Need A Visa For 90 Days In Dubai

Job seekers from the below countries don’t need a visa for 90 days.

• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Cyprus
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Holland
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland

Countries/Citizens Who Don’t Need A Visa For 30 Days In Dubai

Citizens from these countries don’t need a visa in advance, however, visas that issued on arrival of these citizens will only be good within the period of 30 days, and upon expiration, citizens may extend their visas up to 60 days.The below countries fall into that category.

• Andorra
• Australia
• Brunei
• Canada
• China
• Hong Kong
• Ireland
• Japan
• Malaysia
• Monaco
• New Zealand
• Russia
• San Marino
• Singapore
• South Korea
• United Kingdom
• United States
• The Vatican

In as much as these tourist visas are easier route to enter the country in order to carry out your job hunting, it is important you get a work visa provided you find employment, or take the hard to go route; which is leave the country when your visa expires. You would not want to be embarrased, because if you are caught working on a tourist visa, you can be fined, deported or even risk a jail term; that doesnt sound like a better choice.

The flip side to this is, once you have found a job, the visa process is largely out of your hands. Beside providing your employer with relevant document as requested, the entire sponsorship and visa process will be taking care of. Sounds great right? Yeah! But there is more to that, your job isn’t entirely done.

Getting A Health & Labor Card In Dubai

Note that the Emirates does not allow foreign carriers of HIV, hepatitis C and tuberculosis to reside. You will need to submit your medical records, photo, passport copies ,job offer letter, and your visa application to the department of health and medical services. A blood test will also be conducted in order to rule out diseases like the ones i earlier mentioned. You will later be issued a health card, which is compulsory for foreign workers in Dubai.

A labor card will be needed as well, which involves sending your passport photo,contract of employment,entry visa,medical records and your employers’s labor licence to the ministry of labor.

A residence visa issued by the Dubai’s general directorate of residency and foreign affairs will be needed. To get this, you will go in person to fill out a form, where you are expected to provide documents like your passport, medical records,health certificate,original entry permit,passport photos,a copy of your labor card and the receipt from your labor card processing.

What Documents Do I need To Work Legally In Dubai?

Remember we mentioned three documents right? that’s no problem if you have forgotten. With your work visa, health card, labor card, and residence visa in hand, you’re all set to legally start working in Dubai.

It is important your application tallies with a job market that is going to blossom.Below are some of the job market where job seekers are likely to find success:

• Legal
• Finance
• Marketing
• Procurement
• IT
• Hospitality
• Telecomm
• Tourism

The above sectors are expected to continue to rise.

However, In a recent research, job seekers looking forward to the below roles have a better chance of finding employment in Dubai.

• Operations
• Sales
• Engineering
• Business Development
• Marketing

Top 10 Companies In Dubai

Truth or dare, you can’t deny the fact that there are companies known in Dubai for excellent standing as places of work. Companies like;

• Splash
• The One
• Estee lauder & Hilti Emirates
• Media giant omnicom
• IT Specialists
• Hilton Worldwide
• Weber Shandwick Professional Services
• FedEx

Apply Online For Dubai Jobs

To get a better idea of what companies are hiring in Dubai, bayt.com, a favorite among Dubai job-seekers, is a good place to start. There are other good sites for finding jobs in Dubai, you can make further researches on them.

If you decide to work through an agency, look for companies that take commission on the employer’s end, not yours. Be wary of recruiters that collect high fees from job-seekers: these tend to be scams.

Work On Your CV

Remember, your CV is the written representation of your career path, let it be your selling point. Dubai’s job market is extremely competitive, and on average a recruiter will only spend six seconds checking out your resume. It’s important to avoid major CV pitfalls, like using buzzwords.

Ensure you improve your network while searching for your preferred job.