Job Offer Advice

[wally]

Hey Folks,

Got an offer of a job, monthly package is as follows:
18000 dhs basic salary
9000 dhs housing allowance
3000 dhs special allowance

I am holding out for 35000dhs / month total.

It also covers health care and bonus of between 7 and 15%.
1 return flight per annum.
They say it is only 5 days a week but the office is in Sharjah so would probably have to live in Dubai.
My girlfriend is looking at coming with me, but does not have work lined up.
So I would possibly have to support her for a few months.
We want to come home with at least 20k euros? But still still live a good life ( I am not talking drinkin chanpagne every night) but just to go out for dinner and a few beers at the weekends?

Would really appreciate any advice? As you understand it is long way to go for things not to work out financially or socially( not being married)???

Thanks in advance!!!
Wal

[sgilli3]

If job is in Sharjah, personally, I would live in Sharjah then.
The travel between the 2 emirates can be horrendous, and Sharjah has cheaper housing (your 108,000dhs per year housing would go a lot further...in Dubai...maybe a studio apartment, possibly a 1 bed)

Are you aware that it is illegal to live together here if you are not married.
Sure, there are some that do it, but you need to be careful.
You will not be able to get a lease under both names, nor will you be able to sponsor her.

The salary should be OK for 1.
Do you need to get a car?
Please factor in car/petrol, food, utilities etc

[wally]

Thanks sgilli3!

I have heard that if you are going from Dubai to Sharjah in the mornings that you are going against the traffic so it should only take 40 mins???

yes I would need to get a car!

We are aware that living together is illegal. But what actually happens if it becomes an issue? Warned / deported / jail?
Have also been told Sharjah is not a nice place to live and that people in Duabi are more tolerant of co-habitation?

[cairogal]

I would strongly advise against living w/ an unmarried partner in Sharjah unless you are prepared to tell pretty much everyone (colleauges, neighbours, etc.) that you are married.

Neighbouring Ajman is also a nice place to live for those working in Sharjah depending on where in Sharjah your company is located.

[cairogal]

We are aware that living together is illegal. But what actually happens if it becomes an issue? Warned / deported / jail?

Jail.

Have also been told Sharjah is not a nice place to live

It's a dry emirate, so no booze is sold w/ the odd and unexplicable exception of the Sharjah Wanderers-a rugby club w/ pool, crappy gym, and loads of expats that never seem to leave. Sharjah is the most conservative of the emirates, so absolutely no shorts, no sleeveless tops, nothing clingy (better to go w/ a 3/4 length sleeve) for women. No kissing in public-I would avoid holding hands, too. Sharjah has more Arabic speakers residing there (many from around the middle east chose Sharjah), too. Not nice to live in? Well, the traffic is, if anyone can believe this, worse than Dubai. The beaches are nothing to write home about (we always went to Dubai or a hotel in Ajman), either. Still, living in Sharjah has more of the experience of living in a foreign country that Dubai does, IMHO(done both emirates). I have friends who landed jobs in Sharjah 15 years ago and have never left (or moved over to Ajman).

I suppose it depends on what your tastes are and why you are moving to the UAE.

[sgilli3]

We actually love Sharjah for all the reasons Cairogal made.

We will be leaving Dubai for one of the other emirates in next 3 months, and cant wait.

We want the real experience..yes Dubai has some good points, but you could be in any city of the world.

The older parts of Dubai have soul + culture-the new parts-yuck (IMHO)