Nursing job in Dubai (UAE)

[Nurturer3]

i am planning on moving from the usa to dubai and practice as a registered nurse. i have done hours of research and feel very comfortable with my decision. however, there are some questions i have that i cannot seem to find the answers to. i am hoping someone is currently working in dubai from the usa or knows of someone who has worked there or is working there. my questions are:

1. how easy is it to find a furnished apartment in the city.

2. how necessary is a car or could i rely solely on public transportation/taxis to get to work, go to the market etc.

3. do i need to pay taxes in the usa on the money i earn in dubai.

4. would my age (44 years old) hinder my job prospects.

any information/help would be greatly appreciated.

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[Silverdragon102, BSN]

As far as I am aware you need to declare your income when you submit your annual taxes but may not (can not guarantee) have to pay taxes

[dolly123]

1. How easy is it to find a furnished apartment in the city.

While it is not hard to find a place, be aware that Dubai is a very expensive place, in some areas even more so than the US. Many folks who work there, tend to live in the neighboring emirates and commute to work. ofcourse if your employer gives you accommodation, thats a whole other issue.

2. How necessary is a car or could I rely solely on public transportation/taxis to get to work, go to the market etc.

Again it depends on where you live. buses and taxis are not bad, some public transport is not airconditioned which is terrible in the heat. A car is good to have, but some apartment buildings do charge extra for parking spots, so make sure you know that ahead of time.

3. Do I need to pay taxes in the USA on the money I earn in Dubai.

If you are a US citizen or green card holder and file taxes here, you need to pay tax on your income earned there.

4. Would my age (44 years old) hinder my job prospects.

You will find differences in the work ethic as compared to the conditions here. The US has probably the fairest and the best rules on equal opportunity, and the best merit based job assessment and assignments. Of course no place is perfect, but there are rules for appeal in the workplace here that are probably the best in the world. Dubai is NOT as good. I have worked there and I know.The unspoken hierarchy is Arab nationals--> Arab non nationals-->whites-->Asians. If it sounds like overt racism it is and folks often know it and leverage it in their own interests. There is also a strong element of sexism.Younger is always better if one is looking for an unfair advantage. Differnt nationalities form cliques and are pretty clannish. A woman has to be actively assertive to hold her own in the workplace there. The employment rules are not fair, so be sure you negotiate your contract well going in. I had fought for my rights, but at the end of the day my workplace was not a happy place to be. I made a lot of money (tax free, as i was not a us citizen then), i make less here now, but I would still pick the Us as a better place to work in.

Hope this helps!

[Hieb]

Wow, great reply to the questions. I've been searching forever for anyone to answer my questions so you answered these great.

Thanks for sharing what you experienced!!! Much appreciated!

[MOOSEMAN]

Let me try to answer a few of your questions:

Rent is very expensive, however it is usually provided in your contract

Age : Max age is 60 however most contracts are 1-2 yrs so 58 is the magic number

Taxes: You claim it as foreign income which $85,000 is tax exempt. IRS has all the info. 330 days of employment is the magic number, not in a single tax year but in 12 cons months. IRS explains well this requirement.

There are a few state side based companies that contract with most major hospitals I UAE. Just google. Hope this helps. Mike

[fwblueyes]

Nurturer3 - I came across your post tonight & was just wondering if you made it to Dubai & how things are for you?