# Thinking of relocating to Dubai from UK



## mary.i.am (Mar 24, 2017)

Hello all!

I am starting this new thread as a new member as I could really use some advice from the community.

I am a UK female citizen currently working in an Online Marketing Manager position for a global tech brand. My husband is self employed and runs his own chauffeuring business. Recently I have been considering moving to Dubai for change of lifestyle and have the following queries i could use help with.

1. My husband and I are wanting to start a family next year. From browsing the net it seems as though maternity leave in Dubai is only 3 months paid - compared to 12 months in UK (with 6 months paid in my current company). Do any of you guys know if the maternity leave can be felxible and extended beyond three months? (As you can understand I cannot ask these questions at interview stage with a prospective employer!)

2. What is childcare like? Are there many available nurseries/daycare centres for children below school age? Can you give me an indication of costs ie. £60-£70/day in UK.

3. Can someone tell me what the school hours are? Ideally we would want our child/ren to attend a British school - would the hours be 8.30am-3.30pm as per British times?

4. Would we be able to get by without being able to understand basic Arabic?

5. How easy do you think it would be for my husband to set-up his chauffeuring business in Dubai? I have heard that the roads and traffic are a nightmare.. My husband specialises in corporate travel - is there opportunity/demand out there?

I look forward to your responses


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## QOFE (Apr 28, 2013)

1) The three months paid maternity leave is only guaranteed for government employees and that only came to effect March 1 this year. It's only six weeks paid leave for others; some companies might offer three months too. 

Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad approves 3 months paid maternity leave for Dubai government employees | GulfNews.com

Maternity leave will increase for many workers in Dubai from March - What's On Dubai

2) Nurseries are expensive. See the below list to get some indication of fees:
Dubai nurseries

3) School hours: School timings in UAE: To change or not to change? - Khaleej Times

4) Yes, plenty do get by without any Arabic. It is advisable to learn at least some.

5) I don't know how feasible it would be to set up a chauffeuring business here. It sounds like it would have to be licensed via RTA. Dubai opens up limousine and taxi services to private sector - Emirates 24|7 I don't know if there is any money in this.

It sounds like you would be there breadwinner and planning to start a family nearly straight away might not be a great move. Cost of living is very high here. Why do you consider a move? Most likely you would be better off staying in UK.


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## mary.i.am (Mar 24, 2017)

Thank you for your response QOFE.

The move is purely life-style choice/consideration as I am a Muslim woman and the European headscarf ban ruling in the workplace will affect me and my career. Although I am British and love it in the UK, i ideally want to work somehwere where I will not be judged for wearing a headscarf at work. 

You are right that I am the main breadwinner, hence, the decision needs to be well thought through 

It is a shame that the maternity leave is a lot shorter. Sounds like it may be wiser to wait until after having a child to relocate.

Appreciate your feedback!


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

mary.i.am said:


> i ideally want to work somehwere where I will not be judged for wearing a headscarf at work.
> !


Yet there are quite a few workplaces in Dubai where that may _not_ be the case


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## mary.i.am (Mar 24, 2017)

Hi Tropicana,

Are there many headscarf-wearing women in professional managerial positions there?

I am lucky in the sense that my company is looking into whether it may be possible for me to transfer to their Dubai office, so it might be a little 'easier'.


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## ThunderCat (Oct 28, 2015)

If you are the main bread winner and you plan to get pregnant right away when you come to Dubai, then that wouldn't be a good idea. You even seem to have plans for more than a child. If your husband doesn't get a permanent job in Dubai then definitely stay in UK.

The headscarf is not a problem here at all. 

About three quarters of people in Dubai don't speak arabic. 

Plenty of British schools, and the timings are nearly the same as in UK.

Whether nurseries are expensive or not, that would depend on how much you earn. Plenty of good nurseries here in Dubai costing around 10-12k AED/ per term. Roughly 10k USD annually.

Regarding Chauffeuring business, the market is pretty much saturated imho.


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## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

Another dreamer, you have no idea do you. You've never been here either have you.

Best stay in the UK and claim the benefits.


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## shabs1 (Oct 2, 2016)

The Rascal said:


> Another dreamer, you have no idea do you. You've never been here either have you.
> 
> Best stay in the UK and claim the benefits.


thats a bit harsh, no?
says ur originally from Somalia and now living in England?!?!?


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## notdave (Jul 11, 2015)

Hi shabs1, 

Erm... you follow stuff much on here much?

Rascal -> Somalia... pffft... I nearly choked!

Erm... Not sure who you're sticking up for in this argument...

It is amazing how *nobody ever* wants to hear that their dreams may not be connected to to reality. 

I like to think that I would never be the one to deprive people of their dreams... but also I will not be the one at the Bur Dubai hilton trying to bail them out when they are in debt up their eyeballs because they have one ear and three mouths, rather than the usual arrangement...

Many people here make a great living...
Some do ok (that's my bracket)
*MANY* have to leave... due to "unforseen" (despite forewarnings) events...
Others... are trapped here... or imprisoned, for things that would be quite normal in most of, the rest of the world...


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## notdave (Jul 11, 2015)

And to the OP.

Erm... I am going to be quite blunt (please do not take this the wrong way, however it may sound to you.

1) - Online marketing manager!
Erm.. have you checked your market out?
If you already have an online business that allows your existence to be "wherever", then Dubai may be an option.
If you want to be an online marketing manager/executive, unless you have a degree/mba in an appropriate subject, your options will be less than limited, unless you have good, or prior, contacts in the region!

You will be in competition with people who think that 10k AEK/month is a lot of money!

2) - Limo/Chauffeur Business, erm, I'm not quite sure how to break this to you, there are more limo's and limo drivers in Dubai, than there are in most places in the rest of the world! The vast majority drive somebody else's Lexus for Careem/Uber... and themselves. The registration processes are almost prohibitive (to the point where they would discourage a non-skilled person, with just driving skills from coming here). That isn't a pop at anybody... I am just trying to say... the driver for hire market here is *SATURATED* and prices are quite low... compared to most places.
My boss has a personal driver to drive his collection of Range Rovers, Mercs and other cars... for less than 4K(AED)/month (he does have a "drivers quarters" in his villa... so the driver, and the maids live on site... and are available 24/7).


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## shabs1 (Oct 2, 2016)

notdave said:


> Hi shabs1,
> 
> Erm... you follow stuff much on here much?
> 
> ...


I just thought it was a bit harsh for rascal to say "Best stay in the UK and claim the benefits"!!! and the Somalia thing - Im guessing Rascal hasnt come to the UK for the weather!!!


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## QOFE (Apr 28, 2013)

shabs1 said:


> I just thought it was a bit harsh for rascal to say "Best stay in the UK and claim the benefits"!!! and the Somalia thing - Im guessing Rascal hasnt come to the UK for the weather!!!


I'm guessing one of the reasons Rascal left the UK probably was due to the weather. I'm pretty sure he's never even set a foot in Somalia! He likes to play "nationality bingo"...


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## notdave (Jul 11, 2015)

Nationality bingo... how very dare you...


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## The Rascal (Aug 6, 2014)

notdave said:


> Nationality bingo... how very dare you...


I know, we can't help being avid globetrotters and "Wherever we lay our hat, that's our home", to paraphrase a Paul Young song - showing my age there.


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## Tes1 (Mar 25, 2017)

Hi

Relocating did not go well for me, I left London for dubai with a lot of expectations and now I am going back to London. I suggest you come and find out things for yourself if you have some spare time before making any big move. I hope it goes well for you. Best of luck xx


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