# Can both spouses avail of benefits?



## irishricey (Jan 22, 2014)

I am moving to Dubai in August and as part of my salary package I receive housing allowance and return flights for both of us. My wife is currently applying for jobs and if she succeeds in securing employment and is offered similar benefits will we be able to also receive housing allowance and return flights?

I'm sure this topic has been covered somewhere on here but I can't find a definitive answer.

Thanks for in advance for any replies


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## FlexRay (Feb 12, 2013)

From how I perceive it, things like housing allowance or vehicle allowance are possibly the amount of your monthly salary that MAY be paid to you upfront in order for you to rent or buy a car, then be subtracted of your salary on a monthly basis.

If you have been offered a basic wage with housing and vehicle allowances, if you add it all up that's your monthly wage.

Your wife will be offered a package split up into sections as well, everybody does.

Craig


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## Carny6457 (Jan 28, 2014)

irishricey said:


> I am moving to Dubai in August and as part of my salary package I receive housing allowance and return flights for both of us. My wife is currently applying for jobs and if she succeeds in securing employment and is offered similar benefits will we be able to also receive housing allowance and return flights?
> 
> I'm sure this topic has been covered somewhere on here but I can't find a definitive answer.
> 
> Thanks for in advance for any replies


You may be able to get cash in lieu of a ticket...check into that benefit.

David


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

In Abu Dhabi, you would not be eligible for full housing allowance from a govt employer if your spouse was already receiving housing from another gov't employer. Do not know whether that is still the case


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## Canuck_Sens (Nov 16, 2010)

From what I gather, housing allowance or else in double for the family is not cumulative.

You should confer with your employer and hers. In my company, we are obliged to disclose our spouse details in terms of employment and benefits undertaken so that our HR can make the adjustments.

Some benefits may be paid in cash or not which you should confer with your employer.


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## ccr (Jun 20, 2010)

It depends...

And I am speaking strictly from the policy of my company:

If your wife works for a different company, then she will get additional housing allowance (cash payment) if she entitles to it with her position. Same for flight benefits.

I have female employees whose husbands work for other companies, and the ladies are getting the aforementioned benefits from our company in addition to what coming from their husbands.

If both work for us, then they don't get the lesser of the 2 benefit packages since the better one already taken into account the family size / etc.


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

It will come down to the company.

My company offers a base salary + transportation allowance. We're expected to fund housing out of the base salary and the annual flight out of the transportation allowance. It works great for us because our base salary is generous and gratuity is based only on the base salary. 

The reason many companies still offer a "housing allowance" is because it allows them to reduce the base salary and the end of service gratuity is based only on the base. If you read through the package sticky thread you'll see many people offered very generous housing allowances, which is clearly at the expense of the base salary. 

Your wife should focus on the overall package value, not how the package is broken down. Frankly, the fewer separately itemized allowances she has, the better off she is because those allowances really aren't benefits but accounting decisions to reduce the EOS liabilities. 

By the way, depending on the nature of your wife's work and the companies she's applying to, it may be to her benefit to emphasize that she doesn't need a full housing allowance as you're already getting one. This would be most true for basic admin positions. 



irishricey said:


> I am moving to Dubai in August and as part of my salary package I receive housing allowance and return flights for both of us. My wife is currently applying for jobs and if she succeeds in securing employment and is offered similar benefits will we be able to also receive housing allowance and return flights?
> 
> I'm sure this topic has been covered somewhere on here but I can't find a definitive answer.
> 
> Thanks for in advance for any replies


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## Chocoholic (Oct 29, 2012)

I think it will also depend on whether she is on your company's sponsorship i.e. sponsored by you OR under the sponsorship of the company she ends up working for.


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## irishricey (Jan 22, 2014)

Thanks for all the help guys. Moving in August so just wanting to get a bit of a heads up. Don't know if this makes any difference but she will be working under my sponsorship?


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## Pdeane (Jan 28, 2014)

For some companies it will make no difference. Me and my wife transferred to Dubai last month through separate companies, however she will be on my work visa. The main reason for her to be on my work visa, was that she could be more flexible with her work in the future.

We had to disclose to our companies what our partners work situation was and then the benefits were worked out accordingly. 

Good luck on both of you getting transferred over at the same time as it took a lot of work for us!


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

irishricey said:


> Thanks for all the help guys. Moving in August so just wanting to get a bit of a heads up. Don't know if this makes any difference but she will be working under my sponsorship?


many will try it on.
Companies often like those already on other's visa's, as it reduces their costs.
Wholly dependent on the Company, though.


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## Jennifer89 (Feb 19, 2014)

Hey,
From personal experience, it depend on the companies policy and what you negotiate before moving out.

My husband and I moved out a month ago, and were both lucky enough to get jobs in dubAi - I'm on a local contract after transferring with work, and my husband is on expat after getting a promotion.

We both found that medical/flights home/dental/schooling etc was covered by both companies, offering it for spouses and children (which we don't have). We took the opportunity to be covered by both, but then housing and individual benefits are separate.

Hope that's of some help! If you want to ask anything more specific just give me a shout


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