# moving to Dubai without a job



## siddiqin1 (Jul 12, 2015)

Hello guys,

I've been wanting to come back to Dubai for the longest time and I think now the time is right. I am currently in the USA with a Bachelor's degree in Information Technology and 2 years working for HP. I have been applying to jobs for the past 3-4 months and haven't heard back anything. Is it a good idea to come to Dubai and look for jobs locally. I have some family so I can stay with them for a while while I hunt for jobs. Any advise on this? good idea or is it bad? 

Thanks for reading and helping out!!


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## Fat Bhoy Tim (Feb 28, 2013)

siddiqin1 said:


> Hello guys,
> 
> I've been wanting to come back to Dubai for the longest time and I think now the time is right. I am currently in the USA with a Bachelor's degree in Information Technology and 2 years working for HP. I have been applying to jobs for the past 3-4 months and haven't heard back anything. Is it a good idea to come to Dubai and look for jobs locally. I have some family so I can stay with them for a while while I hunt for jobs. Any advise on this? good idea or is it bad?
> 
> Thanks for reading and helping out!!


Wouldn't recommend it until September at the very earliest. I certainly would never recommend quitting and moving here to look for one, but a "holiday" - sure.

Realistically, with a degree in IT and two-years experience, you'll get offered entry-level jobs probably paying 1/4 to 1/2 of what you're on at best, as you're competing against thousands from the sub-continent.


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## imac (Oct 14, 2012)

what fbt said...

the flip side of that coin is, with your profile, applying online is going to end up being a pretty solid waste of time, realistically the only chance you have is if you are here in person... your odds of getting something by applying online are astronomical... 

wont say it can never happen, because it has happened to others, but the new horizons spacecraft had better odds than you do...


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## siddiqin1 (Jul 12, 2015)

FBT - thanks for the reply. I do a realize that it is a big risk to come to Dubai without a job. I am willing to wait couple months before making any moves to coming to Dubai. Do you think it might be a good idea to look to open some kind of IT business ?

IMAC - thanks for looking at the optimistic side of it. I feel like unless I'm living in Dubai, employers won't take me seriously. I'm willing to wait couple months and save money in the meanwhile and then look to come over. Fingers crossed...


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## chestnut (Apr 1, 2013)

What sort of job are you looking for? (i.e. I mean which area within IT.)


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## siddiqin1 (Jul 12, 2015)

chestnut - right now I work as a field service engineer for HP. meaning I deal with the break/fix of the hardware component. But I am open to other fields of IT such as networking, application support. etc.. Are you in the IT field?


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## imac (Oct 14, 2012)

siddiqin1 said:


> FBT - thanks for the reply. I do a realize that it is a big risk to come to Dubai without a job. I am willing to wait couple months before making any moves to coming to Dubai. Do you think it might be a good idea to look to open some kind of IT business ?
> 
> IMAC - thanks for looking at the optimistic side of it. I feel like unless I'm living in Dubai, employers won't take me seriously. I'm willing to wait couple months and save money in the meanwhile and then look to come over. Fingers crossed...


opening a business here is not as simple as hanging your shingle and printing a bunch of flyers, its a pain in the rear end and expensive... you need a sponsor - either a freezone or a local national partner, and once you pay for that, you have to pay for visas... and that is before you print your first business card... 

if you do come over, just keep in mind that eid al adha is in september, so post october would be your best bet... failing that, jan/feb is typically a good time to hit the streets with your resume...


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## iggles (Jan 4, 2015)

siddiqin1 said:


> Hello guys,
> 
> I've been wanting to come back to Dubai for the longest time and I think now the time is right. I am currently in the USA with a Bachelor's degree in Information Technology and 2 years working for HP. I have been applying to jobs for the past 3-4 months and haven't heard back anything. Is it a good idea to come to Dubai and look for jobs locally. I have some family so I can stay with them for a while while I hunt for jobs. Any advise on this? good idea or is it bad?
> 
> Thanks for reading and helping out!!



Let says you live in San Fran - would you move to New York with out a job, on a whim.

I know my answer.


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## siddiqin1 (Jul 12, 2015)

Imac - yea I do realize that is a long and complicated process to start up a business. I'm not in a rush to come soon. I just want to start looking around now and gather some info so I'm ready and not clueless when it does come time (ia). Even if it's towards the end of the year or early next year. I just want to be prepared. 

Iggles - yea I understand the point. What if you have no job and some money to "survive" for couple months and just have that feeling and instinct to make that next big move in life? I know, pretty exaggerated but if you felt really strong about it. What then ?


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

If you haven't done this already, since you work for HP why don't you start there? I'm sure you would be able to find some HR contacts internally or via LinkedIn. My first question would be to find out how much a field engineer working directly for HP makes and see if the salary fulfills your expectations. The other option is to approach the HP service partners, I am under the impression that this type of job does not pay as much as it does in the USA.


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## siddiqin1 (Jul 12, 2015)

dizzyizzy - i have been looking at HP jobs internally for Dubai's office but most of them are the management level and require much more experience :/ is there some job agency in Dubai that specializes in finding international talent and bringing them in ?


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

siddiqin1 said:


> dizzyizzy - i have been looking at HP jobs internally for Dubai's office but most of them are the management level and require much more experience :/ is there some job agency in Dubai that specializes in finding international talent and bringing them in ?


Not really, most agencies are a waste of time.


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## siddiqin1 (Jul 12, 2015)

Yea that's what I thought. So honestly what options do I have with my given situation ? I'm willing to come to Dubai and work my way up. But I do need some sort of way to make money and live legally.


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

siddiqin1 said:


> Yea that's what I thought. So honestly what options do I have with my given situation ? I'm willing to come to Dubai and work my way up. But I do need some sort of way to make money and live legally.


Not a lot of options I'm afraid. The type of role you are looking for is not specialized enough so you will face tons of competition of people willing to work for little money. To be honest I think you're much better off in the USA (I meet people at work every day who still see the USA as the ultimate place to be). But if you really want to move my advise would be to ask for some kind of extended leave so you give yourself at least a couple of months, and ask friends or family if you can stay with them in the meanwhile. May I ask why do you want to move to Dubai?


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## siddiqin1 (Jul 12, 2015)

Thanks for the honest answer. The reason I'm trying to go back is because I'm originally from Dubai (Born and raised). I've been living in USA currently but I recently just visited Dubai for 10 days in April and just fell in love how much they have developed and advanced. I really liked the laid back atmosphere too. Im only 24 not married so I just think it's a good time to go and try to cash in on dubai's growing economy. Just want a career change as well. But the extended leave is a decent option, I can really look into it if it comes down to it..


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## Felixtoo2 (Jan 16, 2009)

Oh to be 24 again!! 
If I had the chance to live and work in America there is no money on this earth (almost) that could make me come to Dubai. So for you to even consider giving up a decent job in the States to come here without a position is, in my view, at best naive. Make your money in the US and have your holidays in Dubai because the dream is always better than the reality.


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## siddiqin1 (Jul 12, 2015)

Yea living in the states does have it's advantages but we pay ridiculous amounts in taxes !! From my paycheck itself, I lose close to $500. I feel like I would need a job that pays around 15000 aed per month in order to live comfortably. Tough to find, I know...but I don't want to give up on my dream either, need to find some way or another...


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## SummerGlow (Jun 18, 2013)

siddiqin1 said:


> Yea living in the states does have it's advantages but we pay ridiculous amounts in taxes !! From my paycheck itself, I lose close to $500. I feel like I would need a job that pays around 15000 aed per month in order to live comfortably. Tough to find, I know...but I don't want to give up on my dream either, need to find some way or another...


I still think you will have to pay your taxes while abroad, if i am not mistaken


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## ccr (Jun 20, 2010)

SummerGlow said:


> I still think you will have to pay your taxes while abroad, if i am not mistaken


Depending on his nationality.

Status shown from US, but mentioned born and raised in Dubai = no idea about his nationality.

If he is American, then he is liable for some taxes if total is above certain value.


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## siddiqin1 (Jul 12, 2015)

I am a US citizen. Have a USA passport


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## siddiqin1 (Jul 12, 2015)

sophia - yea seems like that is the route to take. i would have some place to stay for a while but there is no time frame on how long it could take to find a job. I've been applying online for a month or so but haven't really heard anything back. i was suggested maybe to call them directly and see if i could speak to someone about the positions available. lets see...


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## siddiqin1 (Jul 12, 2015)

Thanks so much. Appreciate it


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