Overall, professional with people of British, American and Indian
origin at the top executive level. Naturally the larger MNC's
have a more organized working atmosphere. Irksome as it may seem,
given the same or lesser levels of expertise it is said professionals
of white western origin are paid more for the same job than Asians
. In recent times natives of the Emirates have successfully adapted
to modern education and are doing very well. A large part of the
population seems to be from India/Pakistan/Bangladesh.
Working
in Dubai --some useful tips Since it is a compact country
distances are not a problem. Working hours vary quite dramatically
within the Emirate, based on straight-shift and split-shift timings.
Split-shift allows for an afternoon siesta and timings are generally
08:00 - 13:00 and 16:00 - 19:00. Straight-shift timings vary from
government organizations 07:00 - 14:00, to private companies observing
09:00 - 18:00. Some companies work the traditional 5 day week
with a Thursday afternoon/Friday weekend, although more private
companies are adopting a five day week, with a Friday/Saturday
weekend. Public holidays are set by the government and religious
holidays are generally governed by the moon.
During
Ramadan most organizations reduce their working hours, with the
public sector working a six hour day.
Taxation
The UAE levies no personal income taxes or withholding taxes of
any sort. The only noticeable taxes you are obliged to pay as
an expatriate are; in hotel food and beverage outlets, which constitute
10% municipality tax and 15-16% service tax; 5% municipality tax
of rental accommodation and 30% tax on alcohol.
Banks
Dubai has many large banks. (international) with all the standard
facilities.. There are plenty of ATM machines around Dubai, location
details can be obtained from the bank - most cards are compatible
with other Dubai based banks - some also offer global access links.
To open a bank account in Dubai you need to have a residence visa,
or to have your residency application underway. You will need
to present the banking advisor with copies of your passport -
personal details and visa, original passport, and a NOC from your
sponsor. Most banks set a minimum account limit - usually around
Dhs.2,000 for a deposit account and Dhs.5,000 for a current account.
Opening
hours
Sat-Wed 8am-1pm, Thurs 08:00-12:00. Some banks such as Mashreq
and Standard Chartered also open in the evenings from 16:30-18:30.
