Getting a job in Dubai as a woman

[Cuppaqueen]

Any MNetters living and working in Dubai? What's the job market like for professional women? And are working hours/ conditions family-friendly? My DH may be offered an opportunity to move there on a good contract but I am not going unless I can work too! I would have a spouse visa initially so would need to get sponsored once there.

Any advice/ insight welcomed!

Loads of professional women. Whether hours are family friendly entirely depends on the sector and the company involved as in the UK. Mine aren't but they wouldn't be in London either.

You can work on a spouse visa but you'll need to get a work permit.

Sorry meant to say, you're going to have to give details of your sector and experience level to get a response on what the job market's like. Being a woman isn't an issue though.

Thanks Karak

I'm in marketing & comms - CV mostly big blue-chips/ multinationals. Looking online it seems there are plenty of opportunities.

Shouldn't be an issue but I can't comment on how family friendly as it's not my industry. There are a lot of regional head offices for big companies in Dubai. I suspect that you'll find culture/ hours follows the parent company a lot.

I have lived in Dubai for 17 years and work for a multinational company. There are many women in senior positions and no gender discrimination. However although Dubai is a great place it is definitely work hard play hard type of place. Many companies have regional HQ here so you could be expected to travel across ME and Africa like me. Western concepts of part time or flexi time are rare and the working day is generally longer than 9 to 5. School is 730am to 230pm so you will need help at home to look after kids til you finish work. There are good career opportunities but as a working mum you have to be very organised and the pace of life is generally more hectic here. I still enjoy it loads ☺