All cases are presided over by a judge (or ‘qadi)’ – there are no juries – and both plaintiff and defendant can be asked questions by him in order to determine guilt or innocence. The plaintiff must establish proof of guilt, and generally is required to produce two to four eyewitnesses (the number depends on the seriousness of the alleged wrongdoing). In the absence of eyewitnesses, the qadi may require the defendant to undertake an oath of innocence; refusal to do so will be regarded as proof of guilt. Visitors from Western countries to Gulf States need to be aware that these largely patriarchal societies do not yet share the same degree of sexual liberalism as Westerners may be accustomed to: homosexuality, adultery and ‘fornication’ each carry fixed, and frequently severe, penalties, as indeed do theft, murder and ‘apostasy’ (deserting or rejecting Islam). Lesser penalties are issued for drug and alcohol consumption, debt and usury or viewing pornography – but all are considered illegal. As in Western countries (only more so), ignorance of the law is not considered a defence – it’s advisable to be very familiar with the specific laws of the Gulf country you are about to enter.

For a work permit in Dubai, you must have a firm offer of employment in place.  Your potential employer will be able to guide you through the whole process of applying for visas and should actually deal with obtaining the work visa for you.  Some companies will have a member of staff whose job it is to help new recruits to complete paperwork and settle in.

Passports must have at least six months left to run on them.  It is a good idea to have photocopies of the passport as you may need to leave yours with your employer so that it can be routinely checked by immigration officials as part of their process for checking on illegal immigrants. 

A residence visa is subject to the issuing of a work permit and a medical examination.  Residence visas may be issued for three years, but can be renewed if required.  Once a residence visa has been obtained the labour card can be applied for.  It is compulsory to have the labour card as it also serves as an ID card.  Foreign worker must carry ID with them at all times.

Start your search for Dubai banking jobs using the internet, unless you have already moved to Dubai where you can use one of the employment agencies.  You will need to make sure that you have refined your CV or resume as fully as possible so that you make a good first impression with the potential employer.  Remember that the most powerful CV or resume is only one page in length.

Firstly, search for banking jobs in Dubai offered by the largest firms who have been in business the longest and are well established.  The chances are that these firms offer the best salaries and the most secure employment when compared with the smaller ones.

Work visa requirements and attendant fees are very common when gaining employment anywhere in the Middle East.  Fortunately, many employers offer the tentative employee assistance with both of these, as well as those visas and fees that may be required by the spouse and family of the employee.

Unlike the average British working week which lies between 38 and 40 hours, companies in Dubai normally have employees work from 40 to 48 hours per week. Depending on the firm workers can expect to start their shifts from between 8.30 and 9.00am and work to an evening end of 5.30 to 6.00pm. However it is also not unusual for some companies to split their day in two like many Mediterranean businesses, having employees work from 8.00am to 1.00pm before resuming work from 4.00 until 7.00pm.

Another important aspect of jobs in Dubai and their working day and week is in respect to their religious background. Whilst there are no changes to the working day length between winter and summer, the religious period of Ramadan results in Muslim employees seeing their day decrease to six hours, largely due to the fasting requirements of the period. Whilst by law this reduction should apply to all employees within a company, foreign nationals not of a Muslim background may find that they are expected to continue working a normal day. Meanwhile, in Muslim culture Friday is a day of rest, resulting in weekends falling Thursday and Friday or Friday and Saturday with international firms usually using the latter option.

Such differences in workplace practice may be beneficial or a disadvantage for individuals depending on their preferences. However with Dubai’s extensive advantages in additional income many are happy to alter their lifestyle for the length of a contract.

For starters you should be aware that most Dubai bank jobs are made available on a temporary basis.  Temporary could mean a few months or perhaps a year, but most contracts are temporary because the people who run the country want the majority of permanent jobs to be taken by the workforce that has permanent residency.

This may sound like there are few opportunities for Dubai bank jobs for Westerners if you have experience in this area.  But this isn’t true.  Not only are there lots of Dubai banking jobs available, you will find you are well treated and remunerated for your efforts while you are living and working there.

In addition to this, there is always the possibility of taking on another temporary position once your initial job comes to an end.  Once you are working in Dubai you may find it much easier to make contacts and find new sources of work in the future.

Whichever way you decide to go, you will find that there are always opportunities for those who know the banking industry.  Start looking for Dubai banking jobs online now to see whether you are qualified to start working in this unique location.

The same applies with Dubai gas jobs as well.  Whenever you come across a vacancy you think might suit you, see what you can find out about the company first.  Dubai gas jobs are offered by several companies in the area.  Most job related websites will list the name of the hiring company alongside the information about the position.  Some will even hyperlink the company’s name so that it leads directly to their website.

This is by far the best way to find out more about the companies offering Dubai gas jobs.  Their websites will also be likely to reveal more information about how they cater for workers who come to work for them from other countries.  Most companies are thankfully very good to work for, and they have various programmes in place to enable their foreign workers to settle in.  See if the companies offering the Dubai gas jobs you are considering have any such programmes.  If they do, it could influence your decision to apply.

Of course, if you know which companies are offering these positions you can visit their websites direct to get early notification of new positions as they become available.  This could mean you get in ahead of the crowd when you apply for Dubai gas jobs.

For instance if you are considering Dubai finance jobs to be your next career move, opting to go with an employment agency could actually give you more opportunities than you would find otherwise.  Many major companies enlist the help of employment agencies to assist in finding the right staff for their needs.  Could you be among them when it comes to applying for Dubai finance jobs?

The advantage of using an agency to help you find work is that they will be used to dealing with people who want to find Dubai finance jobs, and who are currently based in another location.  As such they will know a lot about the way the country works, and they will be able to answer any questions or queries you might have as a result.

You may also find some employment agencies or companies set up in international cities.  These organisations can funnel people from Western countries towards the appropriate jobs in Dubai.  If you consider that many banks have headquarters around the world, many Dubai finance jobs actually involve working for these people.

There are agencies that deal specifically with Dubai finance jobs, rather than trying to cover all areas and industries.  If you look for one of these you are liable to have better results than you would if you went to a more general agency.

If you are considering applying for any of the many gas jobs in Dubai, there are certain things that you will need to consider. The first of these depends on your marital status.  If you are single the only person that you will need to worry about is yourself.  However, if you are married and have children, there will be additional factors to consider, especially where relocation of your family is concerned.

Throughout most of the Middle East, work visas and the related fees are required.  Fortunately, many employers are willing to assist you with this, especially if they are very interested in hiring you.  If you have a spouse and children that are relocating with you there will be visas and fees required for them as well, depending on the area you are moving to.

The key to finding the best gas jobs in Dubai is to search for the largest firms in the industry first as these companies tend to be more stable and provide more secure employment than the smaller firms.  Chances are, they will also pay better salaries.

Despite the fact that the different Dubai career sectors are experiencing significant growth, it has become very competitive where the higher paying jobs are concerned; depending on what field you are qualified in.  The following list contains some suggestions for finding employment in any of the different Dubai career sectors.  These should make your search less challenging and frustrating.

Start by directly applying to the applicable employer’s advertisements.  If you search using the keywords “Job Dubai” or “Jobs in Dubai”, you will be amazed at the number of results that occur.  You’ll want to fine tune your search by using specific keywords that are relative to the career sector you are looking for employment in.  This will save you a considerable amount of time and frustration.

Always make sure that when you are applying to the numerous employers you have updated your CV or resume.  You should also construct a covering letter that emphasises your work experience and related job skills when you are applying to the different companies.  Remember that the potential employer’s first impression of you is going to be your CV or resume and that all-important covering letter.

Construction jobs in Dubai are considered to be one of the top listings in that country, right up there with engineering and IT. Given the nature of growth and the rapid development of high-rise buildings, shopping centres and more, this is one of the best places in the world to have a job in construction. Not only that, but construction jobs in Dubai offer individuals the opportunity to make the same type of wages they make back home, only in an income-tax free environment. On top of that, working in Dubai gives you access to contract bonuses that can often see an individual walking away with five figure bonuses after a three year contract.

Make no mistake, construction jobs in Dubai are some of the most lucrative in the world, and there is a reason so many individuals from Western countries are choosing to work here. While their home countries might be suffering the recession, jobs in Dubai are only becoming more plentiful.