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If you are considering applying for jobs in Saudi Arabia or Dubai, or any one of the Gulf States, you should be aware that once you start work it is not easy to change.  An employee is sponsored by an employer, who will have paid a great deal of money in visa and relocation fees to bring the worker to the country, so they will not be keen to allow anyone to terminate a contract early.  When taking Gulf jobs, the worker has an obligation to remain loyal to the employer.

It has been the case in the past that some workers whose contracts have ended have found a new job while they are still in the country.  This means that the employer has obtained the services of an experienced employee and has not had to pay out for visa and relocation fees.  There are now new procedures in place to prevent workers from doing this. 

Employment contracts are now worded so that they protect employers.  Open ended contracts are used rather than fixed term agreements and the worker has to agree to leave the country for six months after the end of the contract and before they can apply for a new job and visa. 

In order to transfer to another job a worker must have a ‘no objection certificate’ from the company they currently work for, but this does not mean that they will no longer be subject to rigorous checks.  The easiest way to change jobs is to leave at the end of the contract and reapply after the six month waiting period has elapsed. 

Like most other employers around the world firms in the Middle East have the right to dismiss individuals should they need to with the common practice of three written warnings used before an employee is let go. Meanwhile redundancies also follow a general global pattern with employees receiving financial compensation to the value written in their contract, with some companies providing more if the redundancy was not welcomed.

Along with instant expulsion from a nation if an individual proves HIV positive after a medical examination, breaking the law can result in instant dismissal. Contracts for jobs in the UAE and Saudi Arabia follow typical laws around the globe in that an event involving the police such as drink driving or assault can result in an individual’s employment being terminated. As well as effectively ending a worker’s stay in a nation, indemnity payment regulations are also broken as a result leading to significant financial loss for the employee involved.

It is vital for expatriates to avoid all forms of legal battles if possible due to the repercussions that can develop. If a dispute cannot be settled mutually between a worker and their employer the Ministry of Labour may take up the case as long as they believe an employee’s view of events. However such investigations, though fair and trustworthy, can go on for extended periods of time causing financial detriment to expatriates and their families.

With no trade unions in the Middle East and their creation illegal, workers are generally left to defend themselves when problems arise. It is therefore paramount that individuals avoid confrontation at all costs, stay away from trouble and diffuse a situation quickly should it arise.

Jobs in Gulf States are many and varied, and the unprecedented economic boom in the region over recent years has seen a flood of foreign workers pouring in. They go for the quality of life as well as greater career opportunities, and the long months of heat and sun are a big plus for anyone coming there from Northern Europe. There is also the small matter of procuring a tax-free income. As the cost of living is about the same as in the UK, this will leave you considerably more in pocket.

It’s very important to get a job procured before you leave home, as your employer will sponsor you for a temporary residency permit, without which you won’t be able to live and work in the Gulf region.

Jobs can be found on a vast range of websites devoted to recruitment in the Persian Gulf states of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE. Narrow the criteria down to your skill set and if it’s in demand there’ll be a lot of material to consider. Another option is the expos arranged by Gulf state recruitment agencies and employers across the world. Submit your CV, have a chat with a representative, and maybe even land a job there and then.

You’re bound to find something to suit you in the Gulf these days, from teaching English as a foreign language to Dubai banking jobs. A simple Google search will get you started and maybe even change your life.

The job market in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and other Gulf States offer opportunities to foreigners to work at jobs as diverse as petrochemical engineer, bond trader, teacher, hedge manager and funeral director – there really is something for everyone, but certainly there are some job sectors that offer more opportunity than others. Since the explosion of Dubai’s tourism trade, the price of property has risen steadily, both in the sales and rentals markets. In addition, developers throughout Dubai have embarked on numerous ambitious and pioneering large-scale architectural projects resulting in the creation of thousands of multi-purpose office blocks and residential buildings, multi-million dollar hotel and leisure complexes, shopping malls and some of the tallest skyscrapers in the world. These in turn have created hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Although Dubai’s prosperous property market experienced a significant slump as a result of the recent global financial crisis the emirate is still considered a wise investment as it is a gateway destination with optimal conditions for conducting business. Dubai property prices are steadily recovering and are already at 2007 levels.

Dubai has certainly been instrumental in raising the international profile of the UAE in order to maintain its ranking as the most popular destination in the Middle East for both business and pleasure. Property developers with vision have seen huge returns on their investments and there continue to be exciting openings in the real estate and property sector, including positions such as sales and leasing consultants, surveyors, negotiators and mortgage advisors.

There is a wealth of job opportunities in Dubai, one of the Persian Gulf states comprising Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE, and hundreds of foreign workers make their way there every year in search of new professional and personal horizons. The prospect of tax free earnings is a major attraction of course, but so also is the higher quality of life and the great weather.

Dubai gas jobs are in particular demand. A third of the GDP comes from the gas and oil sectors, and despite the growth in other areas of the economy it remains the greatest generator of revenue for the government. For those with the desired skills, the rewards can be very great.

Dubai gas jobs and all other jobs for foreign workers can be found on internet sites for the Gulf area using a simple Google search, and narrowed down to particular agencies that deal with your skills. The so-called Free Trade Zones make searching for a job that much easier, as they are arranged according to particular industries.

So for example IT specialists will be based in Internet City and healthcare professionals in Healthcare City. It may sound a bit like Toytown but it’s an efficient way of organising the industry sectors to maximise coordination and efficiency.

Line up a job or interview over the Internet or via an expo, which are regularly arranged by Dubai employers in major cities across the world each year. Once a job is landed, sort out a temporary residency permit to enable you to live and work in Dubai or whichever Gulf state you’re headed for.

Bahrain IT jobs are not exactly thin on the ground, but finding them is not always easy.  Fortunately there is now a small array of websites online that devote themselves to providing IT jobs that are solely based in Bahrain.

Because the websites are focused on this area, you can narrow down your search to an area within Bahrain if you wish.  This is better than simply receiving all the Bahrain IT jobs in the region when you are conducting your search.

Typical areas in which jobs can occur include Central Bahrain, the Hawar Islands, Muharraq and northern and southern parts of Bahrain.  Bahrain IT jobs could be available in all areas; you just need to search through each one in turn to see what you can find.

You may also be able to find more Bahrain IT jobs on other websites that offer positions all over the world.  Some of these sites may have specific links to make it easier to search for jobs in Bahrain.  You can then narrow down the search to include only the IT jobs you are looking for.

Most positions for Bahrain IT jobs will require experience of some kind.  Always ensure you have the relevant experience before applying, otherwise you will be wasting time that would be better spent elsewhere.  There are lots of Bahrain IT jobs available to view online, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t find anything straightaway.  You will doubtless come across some new possibilities soon.

Over the past decade or so Dubai has become one of the most exciting economic growth areas in the Persian Gulf region.  Currently there are still many good jobs in Dubai available.  Just be aware that the career market has become very competitive, especially in certain job sectors such as commercial and residential construction, healthcare, IT, media, real estate, and telecommunications.  However, the qualified professional with considerable work experience in those fields could find very lucrative and secure employment for many years should they be hired into one of those positions.

Part of the allure that Dubai holds for the career seeker is the fact that it is a tax-free environment; in other words, you get to keep your entire pay cheque.  As an example of the benefit here, let’s assume that you live and work in the US, making $120,000 annually.  You’re going to pay about $48,000 of that in taxes or $4,000 per month.  Now imagine what it would be like if you could keep that additional $4,000 every month.  In addition to not having to pay taxes on your earnings, there are no property taxes either, so purchasing a home is also easier financially.

In order to find the better jobs in Dubai you should apply to the larger corporations and firms that have been in business in Dubai the longest.  These companies not only tend to be well established and very stable, they often pay higher salaries and will assist you with your work and sponsorship visas, as well as the fees associated with them.  The larger firms will usually let you negotiate this into your employment contract when they employ you.

Regardless of whether you are pursuing Abu Dhabi IT jobs, jobs in Dubai, or any jobs in Emirates’ cities as a whole, there are a strict series of regulations in place for foreigners coming into the country planning to work. Not only will you require a work sponsorship prior to arriving in the country, but once you do arrive in the UAE with your necessary documents, the Department of Immigration must verify all of your information and process your residency visa, which can take up to four weeks. During this time you are generally left waiting before you can begin working. Once the residency visa has been issued, you are allowed to live and work in UAE locations for three years, after which you can renew your residency visa as long as you meet the conditions.

Sponsorships are a vital part of finding jobs in the United Arab Emirates, as well as jobs in any of the Gulf countries. Before you can ever even step foot in the country to work, you must have found sponsorship from either an individual or a company looking to hire you. If you have family members that are going to accompany you they can enter the country on a visitor visa, which can then be transferred to a residency visa once you have obtained yours and subsequently sponsored your family members. As a general rule, it is wisest to wait until after you have your residency visa in hand to send for your family.

While you can get work in many jobs Saudi based, some careers have more potential than others.  In Saudi Arabia the main opportunities lie in oil jobs and teaching.  Another area with a lot of potential for jobs Saudi Arabia based is the health industry.

If you have an interest in these areas and you want to work out in Saudi Arabia in the future, you should ensure you have a degree of some kind before applying for a job.  Most positions require degrees or recognised diplomas.  It will also help make it easier to gain the required employment visa you will need to work in Saudi.

If you do not have an interest in one of the above mentioned areas, all is not lost.  The best way forward is to gain access to some of the many job related websites online today.  They have many jobs Saudi Arabia based you can look into.  If you spot something that appeals to you, find out what the requirements are to apply for that job role.  When it comes to living and working in Saudi Arabia, the more information you have beforehand the better you will fare.

If the career you are interested in is not an option in Saudi, consider whether there is another similar field of work you could venture into.  In either case jobs Saudi are typically given to those who are ideally qualified for the role.  Qualifications are just as important as practical experience in this way.

Many students take advantage of a holiday job to earn more money.  But very few of them think of looking for jobs in Saudi to keep them going financially for a few months.  This can be a wonderful way to gain experience of working abroad however.  It shows determination, confidence and the ability to work in another country.  All kinds of jobs are available too, so a student looking for work experience abroad should be able to find something located in Saudi Arabia that will suit them.

Some examples include becoming an architectural student, working on web graphics and taking on a training internship in hotel management.  As you can see the range of jobs is quite broad.  The trick to finding them is to search for jobs in Saudi online that are directed specifically at students.  Many companies are eager to work with young and talented people, and if it goes well you may find yourself in with a chance of a regular position.

Many of these websites allow you to sign up and register your interest in student jobs in Saudi.  This means you don’t have to remember to search all the time.  Once something suitable comes up it will automatically be sent over to your email address. This ‘set it and forget it’ idea works well as you can focus on finding other websites which promote student jobs in this part of the world.

Whatever job you find in Saudi Arabia, you will benefit from the experience it gives you.