Your move to the UAE, made clearer.

All UAE Jobs is a free, independent guide to working in the UAE from abroad. Find out where to look for work, what to check before you accept an offer and how to plan your move.

Explore the topics

Pick a topic to find your first guide.

Where are you applying from?
What are you looking into?

How to get a job in Dubai from the UK

Check which roles match your experience before you apply.

Read the Dubai guide

Finding work in the UAE from abroad

Look for jobs that match your experience. Before you apply, check what the employer asks for.

Browse Finding work

UAE work visas and documents

Before you apply, check which documents the role calls for and who handles the work permit.

Browse visas and documents

Cost of living in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Start with rent and transport. Include school fees or health cover if you’ll pay them yourself.

Compare Dubai and Abu Dhabi costs

Moving to Dubai from abroad

Decide where you’ll stay before you fly. You can make a separate list for the things you’ll sort out after you arrive.

Read the Dubai moving guide

What All UAE Jobs helps you do

Start with the step you’re at: applying, weighing up an offer or planning a move.

If you’re exploring your options, start with how to find work in the UAE. Use the visa and document guides when you’re ready to make a list of questions for the employer.

When you have an offer, compare the pay, benefits and contract terms with what you’ll spend on rent, transport and everyday costs. That shows whether the offer will cover your monthly budget.

When you’re ready to move, use the moving guides to make two lists: what to do before you leave and what can wait until you arrive.

Office towers and a park in Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai. Photo: Guilhem Vellut, CC BY 2.0.

What’s inside each topic

Once you’ve picked a topic, use its checklist to choose your next step.

Finding work

Can I apply from abroad?

Start with roles that match your experience. Once you find one, check the employer before you go further.

Visas

What paperwork will I need before I start?

Before you gather documents, check which authority handles your job. If your job follows the standard MoHRE route, your employer applies for the work permit.

Pay

What should I check before I sign?

Compare basic pay, allowances and benefits before you sign.

Living costs

What will I pay each month?

Start with rent and the commute, then list the bills your household will pay.

Moving

What should I arrange before I move?

Confirm your start date and find somewhere to stay before you plan the rest of your first few weeks.

Seven emirates, one country

Although the UAE is one country, each of its seven emirates has its own capital and job market. If you’re also considering Saudi Arabia, you can explore it here as a separate country.

Abu Dhabi

The UAE’s capital is Abu Dhabi city, while the emirate of the same name is the country’s largest. Its main sectors include government, energy, finance and healthcare.

Capital
Abu Dhabi city
Area
67,340 km²
Guides about Abu Dhabi

Dubai

Dubai is the most populous emirate. It’s also the UAE’s main hub for trade, aviation, tourism, finance and technology.

Capital
Dubai city
Area
4,114 km²
Guides about Dubai

Sharjah

Sharjah is the only emirate with coastline on both the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. It’s known for education, culture and industry, while many residents commute to Dubai.

Capital
Sharjah city
Area
2,590 km²
Guides about Sharjah

Ajman

Ajman borders Sharjah. Although it’s the smallest emirate by area, it has jobs in trade, manufacturing and its free zone.

Capital
Ajman city
Area
259 km²
Guides about Ajman

Umm Al Quwain

A quiet coastal emirate with the smallest population of the seven, so its local job market is small.

Capital
Umm Al Quwain city
Area
720 km²
Guides about Umm Al Quwain

Ras Al Khaimah

Ras Al Khaimah is the northernmost emirate, between the mountains and the sea. Alongside its free zone, tourism and manufacturing are major employers.

Capital
Ras Al Khaimah city
Area
1,684 km²
Guides about Ras Al Khaimah

Fujairah

Unlike the other emirates, Fujairah lies almost entirely on the Gulf of Oman coast. Its port is one of the world’s busiest ship-refuelling hubs.

Capital
Fujairah city
Area
1,450 km²
Guides about Fujairah
Flag of Saudi Arabia: green with a white Arabic inscription above a white sword

Saudi Arabia

A separate country, not part of the UAE

Saudi Arabia has its own visas and employment rules, so check them separately if you’re weighing up both countries. Its Vision 2030 plan is driving projects in construction, tourism and technology.

Capital
Riyadh
Area
2,149,690 km²
Saudi Arabia and the UAE
Saudi ArabiaRiyadhUAE
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via geoBoundaries.

Plain answers. Checked facts.

The guides are free to read. When you need to check a rule or cost, start with the sources.

How All UAE Jobs guides work

  1. The short answer first

    Start with the short answer before working through the details. If it raises another question, read on for the steps and sources.

  2. The steps, in order

    The steps follow the order you’d do them in, so you can see what to check now and what can wait until you have an offer.

  3. Notes for your country

    Look for a country note if you’re applying from the UK, US, Australia or Canada. For example, it might tell you which documents you need or which licence to check.

  4. Sources you can check

    Check the date on the guide, because rules and costs can change. Follow the links to the official sources before you act.

How to get a job in Dubai from the UK

The short answer

Before you apply, look for roles that match your experience.

The steps

  1. Check what applies to you
  2. Compare the pay, benefits and costs
  3. Decide what to do next

Notes for your country

  • UKKeep a copy of your qualification details.
  • USCheck which tax rules apply to you.
  • AustraliaCheck which licence the role asks for.
  • CanadaNote where your documents were issued.

Sources

  • UAE government guidance
  • The relevant emirate’s services
  • Official guidance where you live

Three places to start

If you’re looking for a quick answer, start with one of these guides.

  1. Build an Abu Dhabi monthly budget

    Living costs

  2. Check staff accommodation in an offer

    Pay

  3. Check what you need to rent in Dubai

    Moving

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What to check in a UAE job offer