Working in Dubai?
 

I have the possibilty of a temp contract of 6 month maybe extending to full time position.

I have never been to Dubai, only ever passed through the middle east on my way to other places.

Does anyone curently work out there or has worked out there and if so.

Would you do it again
Where the 'locals' friendly/did you feel threatened or unsafe.
Any shooting clubs, car clubs, etc or such and do i need a 'permit to carry'
What the social life like, i am not looking at clubbing and getting off my tits every night more like bars, gyms places to go eat.
What are the temps like day/night and humidity.
Are there any tax advantages for me working six month or will i still bet butt-fecked by HM gov't?
Anything to add. :)

Thanks

It's very, very hot in the summer, think 45 degrees plus. In the nights obviously it's cooler, but aircon will be standard.

Great beaches and loads of entertainment.

Dunno about guns, but cars are cheap and plentiful, and generally gold plated! Obviously petrol is free!!!!

You shouldn't have to pay tax to HM I don't think, and you should be able to claim back the tax you paid prior to leaving.......

It is very, very safe, low crime rates and neutrality, stable.

The living conditions are out of this world, if you are earning a reasonable salary. It's a big city with lots of ex-pats.

Paul, the rule about taxes used to be that if you were self employed and your visits to UK were less than 60 days, you could avoid tax for the calendar year. Then they closed that about 5? yrs ago so now it is more like per tax year.

Doubtless the IFAs will correct me, and you can have lots of dodgy dealings, but officially, I don't think 6 mths out of the UK will get you any benefits.

BTW pack a suitcase, not a rucksack :)

Edit - these guys are thought of as good http://www.thefrygroup.co.uk/

What about Quatar??

i have the possibility of a 6 month role out there

obviously with the locals being a bit spontanious, i would rather be safe than sorry


Mart


isnt it no booze out there too

Mart

Officially its no booze out there, but according to people Ive spoken to whove worked out there thats not really the case, its just not drunk openly.

Im sure if you nip into a local mosque they'll let you get involved in the popular "shoot the westeners" game...

Taxwise it depends on whether there is a tax agreement between UK and Dubai. The other side of course is that as long as the money is paid outside of the UK and remains there then there is of course no need to declare it...

Alcohol is perfectly fine in Dubai, even during Ramadan it is served in the hotels and restaurants. Dubai is very, very western.

Thanks chaps, any more to add anyone? :)

Dubai, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain...all excellant places to work and tax free (within reason....some small conditions for business') My parents ran a company in Bahrain for nealry 20 years, and I was born there, and lived there for 12 years. Excellant places, and friendly people. Cheap cars, fuel, food etc. Perfect really. In fact I'm going out next year to re-open the company and get back to the middle eastern ways of earning lots of money.

They're not fools though. Money can be earnt, but don't screw anyone

Qatar
 

Qatar went "wet" a few years back, but only at the big int'l hotels and upmarket restaurants - 40 min flight to Dubai or Bahrain on Thursday night for the big night out if you want western style boozing clubbing etc.

Dubai and Qatar

Cars are cheap, Fuel is peanuts, but beware of slightly odd rules - no blacked out windows for foreigners, and if you have an accident with a local then it's your fault whether it is or isn't ....

Guns - there are some clubs but very hard to get into if non local or not friends with someone important. As for "carrying"?! I've got to ask why anyone would want to really...and anyway, Dubai is pretty much crime free as people get serious punishment in that neck of the woods for crime.

Good point, weekends are thursday and friday too, and the working day is very strange. Office's tend to have long lunch breaks (3-4 hours) from about 12.30 till 4ish, then work for another couple of hours. Sites start early and finish early, as do schools (kids out by 1.30) at least that was the case in Bahrain.

Oman is also supposed to be up and coming.

Not a straightforward answer to the tax question. Much will depend on your "Resident" and "Ordinarily Resident" status for tax purposes as defined by the Inland Revenue. You can do a search for those terms on their website. Also depends on things like where you are being paid, where your duties were carried out, when you leave the UK (e.g. before the start of the tax year or not), how much time you spend outside of the UK during the tax year etc.

If you are being paid in the UK, you will get taxed in the UK. If tax is already deducted from your pay packet by the Dubai tax authorities before it gets paid to you then you may apply for double taxation relief. If you are paid overseas for work that is done overseas then you will get taxed on any money you remit to the UK. Many people are paid off-shore and tax planning is required to maximize your tax avoidance.

One piece of advice I would give you if you are considering staying abroad for a few years is to start a pension plan in the UK before you go and then continue to contribute to it whilst overseas. A proper discussion with a tax accountant would be the smart way to go so that all your financial circumstances can be taken into account. They can then advise on off-shore accounts etc.

This is probably due to the unbearable heat in the afternoon. Malls are open very late in the night due to the heat, too.....

Durka, durka! ;) :D :D

I couldn't deal with that heat!! :cry:

Ns04