Finding the Right Job Abroad

Before relocating to the UAE, you need to ensure that you are legally entitled to live and work there – most Westerners intending to work will require a visa which will generally also serve as a work permit. The permission to stay in the UAE is denoted by a stamp in your passport. For 36 countries, including the UK, the USA, Australia and Canada, the visa will be picked up on arrival at the airport and obtaining a Visit visa is usually a straightforward process and free of charge. The specific kind of visa you require depends not just on your nationality but also the purpose and duration of your visit.

Those from a GCC country (Gulf Cooperation Council, including Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia) will not require a visa. Those visiting the UAE who do not originate from one of the specified countries (for full list see the following website: http://www.dubaifaqs.com/visa-arrival-dubai-free-nationalities.php) may require a sponsor as well as a visa. Sponsors are UAE-based citizens or companies, and they essentially act as ‘guarantor’ to the incoming foreigner. They can organise one of the following types of visa: Tourist (valid for 30 days), Visit (also valid for 30 days, and can be extended), Service (14 days) or Transit (just four days, usually applied for by airlines on behalf of crew staff). Multi-entry visas are also available once a visitor has arrived in the UAE. These cost 1,000 AED (approximately £190) and are valid for a period of six months and each visit within that period must not exceed 30 days.