# Current Situation



## Fzn10 (Nov 24, 2008)

Hi, i've started looking for work in dubai a few months before the credit crisis began. Applied for a job, had an agent call me up and said that she should be able to get me a job there with a salary that i was comfortable with. Fastward a month, got told that things had slowed and its getting very hard to find jobs. 

Had a call from another agent and he told me for the salary im asking its impossible right now, because people with higher experience are now asking what i was asking for a few months earlier. Asked me if i could lower my salary expectations, i declined. 

How long is this going to last? are there any signs of things getting back on their feet? I'd really like to move over there and just want to get a realistic time frame of when i can expect to move there.

thanks..


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

first of all, what industry are you in? not construction I hope!!


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## flossie (Jun 9, 2008)

Honestly? I think it's just beginning. Even a couple of weeks ago people were denying any sort of crisis was going to hit Dubai. It's only now that the local media openly report that there's trouble.


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## Fzn10 (Nov 24, 2008)

yeah i'm aconsultant engineer, building services design..is that the worst hit now?



dizzyizzy said:


> first of all, what industry are you in? not construction I hope!!


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

Fzn10 said:


> yeah i'm aconsultant engineer, building services design..is that the worst hit now?


yeah, unfortunately things are not rosy for the construction industry in Dubai. Is all over the news now, developers are now afraid there will be no demand for their properties, there have been rumours that the dubai metro project will be cancelled, rent prices are dropping (one property could have been advertised for more money last week and this week they are asking for less), half JBR is empty, etc. Also take a look at the latest threads from a few days, you will even see ones from people who unfortunately were due to move here but got their job offers withdrawn at the last minute, or by the time they had already arrived here! at least you still have your job over there!

i think is still too soon to tell what the whole impact will be, but it will be definitely negative. Is a fact that construction companies are now withdrawing job offers, not hiring, or even worse, letting people go (one developer let go 400 ppl and apparently the other one 200). People who have been recently let go from their jobs here in Dubai are probably your strongest competitors as they are already here, have local experience, and need to find jobs fast so are probably willing to lower their salary expectations. 

On the other hand, you may want to look in Abu Dhabi? That is where all the money is! Just ask Maz! She is in quality control for the construction industry and she was just telling us how Abu Dhabi money is likely now to be invested there instead than in Dubai. So add that to the general ****ty economy, and the prospects for the construction industry in Dubai are not good! 

My suggestion is to be patient and hold to your job back home! you dont want to rush things so you can come here, just to have your offer withdrawn at the last minute. It has been happenig lately and I reckon it will continue to happen.

Read the recent threads here at the forum and also the news at the regional newspapers (gulf news, etc.) and you will get the same feeling I guess -- that the scenario is just not very optimistic at the moment.


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## grasshopper (Aug 12, 2008)

Fzn10 said:


> yeah i'm aconsultant engineer, building services design..is that the worst hit now?


Construction and real estate are the sectors getting smashed most visibly at the moment. Where are you from? If you have a (relatively) secure job there, then I would seriously consider staying put for the time being. If you look through this forum, you'll see a lot of stories about people having their offers pulled at the last minute.

I hear construction in Abu Dhabi isn't slowing down as they still have all the money - so alternatively you could consider that as a destination?


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## Sparkysair (Jul 16, 2008)

AD definititely seems more secure at the moment - I work for an AD based construction / property management co and expansion and recruitment is ongoing. Having said that, they have strong ties to the AD government which provides security. Still, I think grasshopper is right, it's not a good time to take that leap if you have something secure where you are now. I'd suggest giving it 6 months and see what happens.


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Incidentally, did you see this... http://www.fxstreet.com/news/forex-news/article.aspx?StoryId=7cc5475c-1b95-4c7e-85c6-7125c1921aba 



> Dubai has decided to pull back on its building spree in light of the financial crisis, Mohamed Alabbar, a Dubai government official and chairman of Emaar Properties said on Monday.


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

dizzyizzy said:


> On the other hand, you may want to look in Abu Dhabi? That is where all the money is! Just ask Maz! She is in quality control for the construction industry and she was just telling us how Abu Dhabi money is likely now to be invested there instead than in Dubai.



Did I suddenly change jobs and people forgot to tell me 

I have so many friends in the UK who laughed at me when I said I wanted to move; some even said I had no loyalty to my then employer and that they are so big in the UK they could ride out a recession with ease! These same friends are now calling me every day and asking me about moving to Dubai cause apparently some of them are being made redundant in the New Year (not the greatest start to the year I must admit!). Being in construction, I always say the same thing 'you've missed the boat!'. AD is loaded but Dubai is broke at the mo (its debts are more than its GDP and all these lovely buildings were being financed by money coming from Abu Dhabi!) and if what's being said is true, I think recruitment will grind to a halt, at least for the next 12 months! If your job is secure, just stay where you are and start looking again in the next year or so! Moving out here right now could prove to be a costly mistake!


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

Maz25 said:


> Did I suddenly change jobs and people forgot to tell me


alright, is something related to quality... and on the construction industry.... isn't it??
lol


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

dizzyizzy said:


> alright, is something related to quality... and on the construction industry.... isn't it??
> lol



Quantity surveyor, my dear! Close enough - starts with 'qua' and ends in 'ty'!


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

Maz25 said:


> Quantity surveyor, my dear! Close enough - starts with 'qua' and ends in 'ty'!


aaah close enough for me.... habla español? lol


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## Fzn10 (Nov 24, 2008)

thanks for you're help everyone, think ill wait it out...


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