# Abu Dhabi Salary Help Please!!!



## streetspirit

Hi, 

My husband is attending and interview this week for a position with a large production company in Abu Dhabi. We are currently in the UK. We don't know the wage to be offered, as there is some negotiation, however they have general pay scales, (which they won't disclose until after interview). I have some details about rough allowances they offer, and would appreciate if anyone could give us some information as to the wage range we should be looking at aquiring in order to be able to live well in Abu Dhabi. 

A brief overview of our situation, we are married with a 1 year old son, and a baby due in Nov 2011. Deployment for his position is around July time. 

The details we have of allowances then are as follows:

There are two options for housing, 1) live out of company accomodations and keep general allowance intact. 2) live in accomodation and have monthly deduction from general allowance. If you choose option one, they provide and annual housing advance - interest free - which is then deducted on a monthly basis from general allowance.

Transport - they provide an allowance paid as part of general allowance. but also provide a free bus service to and from place of work if you live in company accomodation.

They offer an annual bonus of up to 3 months basic salary.

Education allowance of up to 12,000 AED, per child up to 2 children, up to 18 years of age. 

They provide annual holiday tickets which are paid into general monthly allowance.

They also provide life assurance and medical health assurance in line with company policy.

Taking all of this into account, how much would a good general allowance be to support two children? I do plan on working as well once my second child is a little older, but for now it needs to be based on my husbands wage. 

Also, how much does the company have to provide for my husbands dependants and myself. Do they have to provide medical cover for us all, or is there no obligation there? 

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!!


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## Knot.A.Flyer

I wish your husband all the very best for his interview BUT now (see my thread re Change of Mind) I wouldn't trust the info you have been provided (even that in writing) as far as I could throw it - bitter and twisted, moi??. I have found that an excellent source of info is the Explorer series of books - there is one on Abu Dhabi and another on Dubai. The company who stuck it to me was based in AD but I was told that the majority of expat staff actually lived in Dubai and commuted daily. The books give info on everything - clinics/hospitals, schools, housing (rental or purchase). Pretty good really - got 2 going cheap!!

Knot


streetspirit said:


> Hi,
> 
> My husband is attending and interview this week for a position with a large production company in Abu Dhabi. We are currently in the UK. We don't know the wage to be offered, as there is some negotiation, however they have general pay scales, (which they won't disclose until after interview). I have some details about rough allowances they offer, and would appreciate if anyone could give us some information as to the wage range we should be looking at aquiring in order to be able to live well in Abu Dhabi.
> 
> A brief overview of our situation, we are married with a 1 year old son, and a baby due in Nov 2011. Deployment for his position is around July time.
> 
> The details we have of allowances then are as follows:
> 
> There are two options for housing, 1) live out of company accomodations and keep general allowance intact. 2) live in accomodation and have monthly deduction from general allowance. If you choose option one, they provide and annual housing advance - interest free - which is then deducted on a monthly basis from general allowance.
> 
> Transport - they provide an allowance paid as part of general allowance. but also provide a free bus service to and from place of work if you live in company accomodation.
> 
> They offer an annual bonus of up to 3 months basic salary.
> 
> Education allowance of up to 12,000 AED, per child up to 2 children, up to 18 years of age.
> 
> They provide annual holiday tickets which are paid into general monthly allowance.
> 
> They also provide life assurance and medical health assurance in line with company policy.
> 
> Taking all of this into account, how much would a good general allowance be to support two children? I do plan on working as well once my second child is a little older, but for now it needs to be based on my husbands wage.
> 
> Also, how much does the company have to provide for my husbands dependants and myself. Do they have to provide medical cover for us all, or is there no obligation there?
> 
> Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!!


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## Shahzadee

Hi there.

We are looking to move to Abu Dhabi in August/Sept and just starting to look for work. Luckily we can stay at my inlaws flat as long as needed but it means us and 2 kids crammed into 1bedroom (so for a year it'll do but if we decide not to come back then we may want to find our own or larger housing).

What I have been told both on here and by my inlaws who are raised over there:

1) Average nursery/school charges are 30,000AED (PER CHILD) a year NOT including uniform, stationary, books and trips out. You do however have a choice of American schools, British schools, Pakistani schools etc to suit your educational needs.

2) Medical insurance should cover your whole family if your husband is the sponsor (I believe Abu Dhabi is the only place that makes medical insurance COMPULSORY. The range they pay you though depends on your position)

3) If one partner takes company benefits like plane tickets home and company housing etc, as an actual ticket in your hand and discount on the rent rather than getting extra money monthly to make it up yourself, then the other person can STILL claim similar expenses but they will only be paid in cash. Not sure how employers would know unless you work for the same company though *confused* (Not too relevant for yourself but thought I'd say that in case it helps anyone else).

4) Company buses may be more reliable but I hear that the local public buses are horrendously unreliable. I have been advised it's better to drive yourself or use taxis.

5)The law as I understand it is you need to be earning basic wage of 10,000AED a month before allowances in order to sponsor your partner and family. Your choice of lifestyle will depend a lot on how much you realistically need though. Me and my husband both intend on working and aren't interested on anything below £11,000 AED each before allowances, just to be on the safe side. We keep getting told that western expats/workers earn more than eastern people with the same experience but as we are young we aren't sure exactly how far we can push our wage bracket.

Also you still have to pay income tax to the UK for the financial year in which you move, so if you move this year you still have to pay income tax up until April 2012....however you can STILL claim child benefit as long as you are paying income tax =)

If you leave the UK for good then you either tell Inland Rev when you leave and they wont charge you at all or you can pay income tax and if you haven't returned after 2years you can ask about getting a tax refund. However if you don't pay income tax and return within 2years Inland Rev will chase you for the period of tax you should have been paying.


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