Dubai life for newly arrived expat professionals

Dubai is a favourite for expats desperate for a chance to develop their careers, but what’s it really like to live there?

The majority of expat professionals in Dubai are on reassignment from their multinational employers, and make up around 80 per cent of the emirate’s entire population. Almost everyone speaks English, making the chore of learning Arabic a voluntary exercise rather than a business necessity. For those on relocation, immigration protocols are taken care of by their employers, and long-term expat residents can and do help with finding suitable accommodation for new arrivals.

For most expats, culture shock is minimal, with many saying it’s just like a large US or UK city but with more diversity as regards residents. Most Dubai nationals who’re actually in work are employed by the Dubai government, leaving expats to get on with working and socialising within their own communities. It’s comparatively easy to find friends from the home country, and group social events take place every week all across the city.

For younger expats, dating online or via apps is popular, with many finding partners outside their own culture. As regards the nuts and bolts of running a business, it’s far more complicated as permission to operate in certain areas requires a local Emirati sponsor and serving alcohol in a bar or restaurant is only possible if the venue is incorporated with a hotel. Now seems to be a good time to relocate to Dubai, as 2019 is being labelled as the Year of Tolerance with the emphasis on peace and co-existence between the international, regional and local communities.

Newly-arrived expats may well note property prices and rental are far less extortionate than in previous years, mostly due to oversupply at a time of diminishing demand. Prices are expected to continue to fall throughout this year, as new developments all over the city have yet to come on the market. Waiting to make a purchase until the end of 2019 seems to be a favourite expat strategy at the moment.