While your work visa is being processed, you’ll need to submit your medical records, passport copies, photo, job offer letter, and visa application to the Department of Health and Medical Services. You’ll also have to get a blood test to rule out diseases like HIV, Hepatitis C, and tuberculosis. At the moment, the UAE doesn’t allow foreign carriers of those diseases to reside in the emirates. Once you pass all the tests you’ll be issued a health card, which is mandatory for foreign workers in Dubai.
You’ll also need a labor card which involves sending your passport photo, employment contract, entry visa, medical records, and your employer’s labor license to the Ministry of Labor.
Writing this guide, while very useful to others, is also very personal to me. I have been right where you are and done all of the things you have – and it can be very frustrating and disappointing when you apply and register on every job site in existence (or so I think) but get no call-backs or emails.
With 2019 upon us, it's great to go in with a well-structured plan and this plan will include all the things you have already done, but in a goal-oriented manner. These include a few hacks I tried, along with some tips from industry experts.
Finally, you’ll need a residence visa, which is issued by Dubai’s General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs. You’ll need to go in person, where you’ll fill out a form, provide 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.
And that’s it! With your work visa, health care, labor card, and residence visa in hand, you’re all set to legally start working in Dubai.
While the emirate’s overall financial health becoming stable, not all job markets are ready to bounce back. That being said, there are some areas that are expecting to blossom in preparation for Dubai’s hosting duties. Some markets where job-seekers might find success include:
- Legal
- Finance
- Marketing
- Procurement
- IT
- Hospitality
- Telecomm
- Tourism
Many of the above sectors are performing so well that salaries are expected to continue to rise. LinkedIn’s MENA Recruiting Trends 2017 report goes into further detail, noting that job-seekers looking to take on the following roles within those sectors have the best chances of finding employment in Dubai :
The single most important tool in your job search will be your CV.
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. “I’d rather see applicants present themselves in a more unique way, supported with facts such as targets realized, projects worked on, among others,” said Annalinde Nickisch of The Thought Factory in a recent interview with The Gulf News. Monster offers a great resource for CV tips and advice for those looking for a little more help.
Dubai is known for hiring internally and among employee-referenced candidates. If you know someone inside the company, you’re up to 6.6% more likely to land the job. If you can’t get to Dubai for networking events, you can still network. Not only are there plenty of online communities and social media networks, you can also find specific “online job fairs” to help with the “who-you-know.”
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