Work Permits
It is important to obtain a work permit, or as they call it in UAE, a labor card, which is aquired for the employee by the employer before entry to the city, and is approved by the Ministry of Labor.
If you came to the country on a family residency through a UAE-based sponsor and then decided to seek employment, it is your employer and not your sponsor who should apply for your labor card.
Visit http://business.abudhabi.ae for more information regarding other requirements needed to obtain a work permit.
The processing fee to obtain a labor card amounts to about 1,000 AED (Emirate Dirham) or around US$275 and is generally valid for up to three years. Renewal must be done within 60 days of expiry.
Employment Situation
The expatriate community remains the major contributor to the city and the country's workforce. In fact, there are about 2.6 million expatriates employed in the UAE, and in the capital city of Abu Dhabi migrant workers compose 74.4% of the population. To further affirm the significance of the expat community, according to a Reuters' survey, the UAE is the third largest sender of remittances in the world.
Despite the efforts for ‘Emiratisation' of the labor market, because of the economy's growing needs for workers, the opportunities for expats are still abundant. ‘Emiratisation' refers to the government initiatives to give priority of employment to UAE nationals.
Abu Dhabi has the largest share of hydrocarbon wealth in the entire UAE (95% of oil and 92% of gas), making it the largest oil producer in the country. This translates to a need for more workers in the oil industry. In recent years, the world has also turned its eyes to Abu Dhabi for its fast developing real estate and tourism industry.
This recent diversification of the city's economy has generated jobs for thousands of expats. The capital city has veered away from the traditional newspaper and magazine ads and established a website called Jobs Abu Dhabi, accessible through http://adsic.abudhabi.ae in order to attract expat workers. This site provides around 3,000 jobs, for various industries such as teaching, call centers, and IT.
No wonder that the unemployment rate in Abu Dhabi remains low at 3.5%.
Business Culture
In Abu Dhabi, the general policy for working hours per week is mandated by The Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi based on the nature of work.
Generally though, the city applies a 48-hour workweek. Work can start as early as 7 or 8 in the morning and end at either 3 or 4 in the afternoon. As of 2009, the government is working on improving labor law to designate a wage protection system to ensure that salaries are paid on time and in accordance with that stated in employees' contracts.
Since Abu Dhabi is now a mixture of communities from all over the world, the culture is somehow more open and flexible in comparison to the rest of the Middle Eastern nations. However, as an expat, it is still essential to remember that Islam is the religion observed in the city, and thus, these practices should be respected.
The Islamic tradition places great emphasis on generosity, respect, and modesty. Thus, make sure that you adjust your work wardrobe to their more conservative nature.
Establishing good business relations are important for the people of Abu Dhabi, so make sure to accept social invitations for parties or gatherings. Do not schedule meetings during prayer time, especially during Ramadan, as these times are sacred to Muslims. Keep in mind customary greetings like "As-salam alaikum," (peace be upon you) to which the reply is "Wa alaikum as-salam," (and upon you be peace).
If there were just one reason to choose Abu Dhabi for an exciting new life as an expat, it would have to be the endless employment possibilities in this city.
More Expat Resources
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