Real Estate
If you are looking for rental or freehold options in Dubai, Better Homes (http://www.bhomes.com) is one of the leading real estate firms in the market, and has been established since 1986. Also worth looking at is the Hamptons International site (http://www.hamptons.ae/). Another good option is the Gulf News classifieds site (http://www.gnads4u.com/properties) which has fully searchable listings for properties throughout the UAE. Dubizzle (http://www.dubizzle.com/property-for-rent/) is a popular option amongst residents and bayut.com (http://www.bayut.com) has a large number of listed properties.
Career Consultants & Coaches
Sandpiper Coaching (http://www.sandpipercoaching.com/) has been established in Dubai for a number of years and provides career, coaching and assistance with job search skills such as CV writing and interview preparation.
Regional News Sources
Gulf News (http://www.gulfnews.com/home/index.html) has been published from Dubai for over 30 years, and contains a mixture of local, regional and international news. Other prominent UAE newspapers include The National (http://www.thenational.ae/), an Abu Dhabi-based publication, and 7 Days (http://www.7days.ae/).
There are English-language daily newspapers published in all of the GCC countries: Kuwait (http://www.kuwaittimes.net/); Bahrain (http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/); Qatar (http://www.gulf-times.com); Oman (http://www.timesofoman.com/); and Saudi Arabia (http://www.arabnews.com/).
For business-related news and information, the following sites are widely used: Emirates Business 24/7 (http://www.business24-7.ae); Zawya (http://www.zawya.com/); AME Info (http://www.ameinfo.com/); Arabian Business (http://www.arabianbusiness.com/) and MEED (http://www.meed.com/).
Labour Ministries and Labour Law Information
If you are working in the region as an expatriate, it is important to understand that the legal frameworks that govern your residency and employment are likely to be very different to those in your home country. These frameworks are also subject to change, and there are ongoing discussions within a number of the GCC countries regarding major reform of the sponsorship system. We highly suggest checking for further updates through news sources or directly with the relevant ministries:
Bahrain – http://www.bahrain.bh/
Kuwait – http://www.mosal.gov.kw/MOSAL/
Oman – http://www.manpower.gov.om/en/index.asp
Qatar – http://www.mol.gov.qa/english
Saudi Arabia – http://www.mol.gov.sa
UAE – http://www.mol.gov.ae/english/index.aspx
(A useful Q&A feature on the UAE Labour Law can be found on the Gulf News website (http://archive.gulfnews.com/uaessentials/ask_the_law/index.html)).
Please note that in the UAE and some other GCC countries, you will require attested educational certificates in order to obtain an employment visa. The process will vary according to your country of origin, so you are advised to confirm the details with your National Embassy or Consulate in the applicable GCC country. For example, the instructions for British Nationals for the UAE can be found on the UK Embassy website (http://ukinuae.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/living-in-uae/How-to-legalise-document). Please remember that the attestation process can be a lengthy one, and it is advisable to arrange this well in advance.
Other useful links
Explorer Publishing (http://www.explorerpublishing.com/) specialise in creating “Complete Residents’ Guides” for expatriates. Their publications include guides for Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.
If you are relocating to or within the GCC, Allied Pickfords (http://www.alliedtoallied.com/) are an established and well-known international removals firm.
For those relocating to Dubai, a new website called My Move Dubai (http://www.mymovedubai.com/) provides a lot of useful information as well as an interactive move planner to help you organise your relocation.
Two sites that may be useful for anyone moving to the region are http://www.expatwoman.com/ and http://www.expatforum.com/.
(Please note that DGHR is not responsible for the content of external websites. Please see the site Terms & Conditions for further information.)