Pinoy style : How to visit Dubai then apply for a job
Base on my personal experience some of the following are few tips you have to read and take note when planning to visit and find a job in Dubai.
Required Documents
Transcript of Records, Diploma and PRC Certificate if any, are the usual documents you need to secure when going to Dubai.
Procedure to process the documents:
Diploma and TOR - must be certified as true copy by your school registrar, authenticated by your regional CHED office, Malacanang, Department of Foreign Affairs and UAE embassy. You have to personally secure the authentication except in UAE embassy which you have to send via Fedex with enclosed managers check of Peso 1,400.
PRC Certificate - must be authenticated by PRC, Malacanang, DFA and UAE embassy. (The same procedure for Diploma and TOR)
These documents are needed in order to secure working visa in UAE, but it is not necessary to bring together with you in your flight to Dubai as this are not requirement in applying for a job. Yet not necessary but it is advisable to bring it with you as it will be needed when you are hired immediately and the processing alone in the Philippines will approximately 5 weeks.
While the processing of the authentication of your documents is under development, get ideas about UAE in websites that are available in the internet.
Ideal timing
Summer in the Middle East starts mid March and ends late October, temperature is rising up to 45 degrees so this is not the ideal time in walking on Dubai streets to apply for a job. Also at this season, managers of companies are normally out on vacation.
Avoid also the month of Ramadan as the office timings are shorten to 5 hours.
Ideal timing to visit UAE is from October to March as the whether is fine and there are lot of festivals thus requiring more jobs.
Exchange Rate
Money in UAE is called Dirhams (AED, Dhs), This is approximately equivalent to 13 pesos in Philippine money and fixed to 3.68 per 1 US Dollars.
How much visa and air fare costs?
Visas are pre-arranged, it means you have to apply for it while in the Philippines. If you have friends that were already in the UAE, they can help you to to get a visa.
Typically Filipinos are entering the UAE ports by using tourist visa, tourist visa holders are not allowed to work in the UAE, but they are allowing visitors to apply for a job. This type of visa including air ticket for one way is Dhs 2,700 – 3,000. Please note that you have to pay at this range only, otherwise it’s too much. (Airline ticketing agencies will issue back and forth tickets to tourist visa holders as Dubai authorities are assuming that you are returning back, this is dummy ticket only, you don’t have to pay for it.
Above rate is the regular rate that Dubai based agents are charging, you can check the standard rates here and here for more detailed information.
Visa expiry
Tourist visa holders are allowed to stay in the UAE for 60 days. The visa is valid 30 days from the date of issue. If it is not utilized in the validity period you need to apply for new one. The 60 days count will start from the date you set foot on UAE land.
This means that you have 60 days for job hunting. If you did not find job in 60 days, it is nessesary to leave the county for a visa change. Usually the exit point is in Kish or Qeshem islands in Iran. There is no limit for visa change, you can do it untill you got a job.
Kish and Qeshem visa change
Kish and Qeshm islands are 45 minutes from Dubai via chartered flight, the whole package of visa change ranges from Dhs 1,350 to 1,600 including the visa, return ticket, one day hotel accommodation, and breakfast meal. Usual staying period in these islands while waiting for the new visa is 2-3 days, you are lucky if you can go back to Dubai at the same day of your departure.
Above rate is the regular rate that Dubai based agents are charging, you can check the standard rates here and here for more detailed information.
Once you got your new visa and landed to Dubai, you have another 60 days to find a job.
Job hunting
In Dubai the job competition is tough, but once you got a job it is rewarding. Our main competitors here are our Kababayans also and the Indians which sometimes being favored because of their cheaper salary rates.
Job market in Dubai is awesome, everyday you can read in newspaper ads and internet postings whatever job you are looking for. However as I’ve said the competition is high. One good way is to look for vacancies suitable to your experience and apply as many as you can in one day so the possibility of being called in an interview will increase. Take note that every minute of your stay have cost so don’t consume a day without releasing a single CV in your hand. Don’t concentrate on few job openings; make a target of at least ten applications in one day.
There are some times of discouragements and depressions but you should not stop dreaming because of the money and time you invested.
How much pocket money needed.
To give you an idea of the cost of living in Dubai:
Bed space rent - Dhs 500 – 750 (4-8 persons sharing in one room)
Water and electricity - Dhs 60 – 100
Food - Dhs 250 per month will be fine
Personal things - Dhs 50 is enough
Bus fare - Dhs 1.50 minimum fare
You also have to allocate extra amount on internet rent, Fax, printing and mobile SIM card plus load as these are necessary when applying for a job.
Base on my experience Dhs 2,000 – 2,500 will be sufficient for two months.
For more informations read the Dubai Handbook and Dubai Guide.
These informations are only based on my personal experience so it will be better if you will also ask your friends who are already in Dubai on some tips how to successfully enter in Dubai and eventually land a job here.
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