True.. There is a HUGE Salary disparity between Westerners and Africans.. Unless you have a foreign degree mehn your job package fit no make sense as you expect o.

samplanner:
@op you have tried but you haven't told them about lots of social restrictions in the uae.

1. drinking of alcohol in public places is not allowed.
2. hugging or kissing a girl in open places is not allowed.
3. eating in public places during Ramadan is also not allowed irrespective of your belief.
4. if you are not a visitor from the western countries you may find it difficult to obtain a residence visa.

uae is a nice place to be only if you can abide by their rules. bcs I can remember in previous years, a British woman was raped but the Dubai authority jailed her for adultery disregarding the fact that they knew she was raped. there are lots of things to consider b4 going to the uae. make good research before settling down there.

Adiwana:

my couz got her job in arund 2010 but gt married in 2009&2day her husband hasnt joined her..has done everytn humanly possible.and i said she works in an airline so presumably,her job is safe

what about her salary, do you care to know?

onatisi:
and how easy is it for them to get a 2 year residence permit from nigeria ?u know it is almost impossible . What must have happened in ur case is ,maybe u have someone in dubai who has links good enough to secure u that job. Back to ur question,they ended up as cargo boys when they couldn't secure any salary job and their 1 or 2 months visa most often got expired. The uae employment market is now filled with qualified people with good experience from india and all other countries.if one is to compete and secure a good job as urs that person needs good qualification plus experience and 2 years residence permit. That is what the 2 engineer guys on this thread in qatar are saying.

I don't live in Qatar....but Dubai. What I said applies more to Dubai. But I can confidently tell you that Qatar labour law is even worse cos I have worked on projects all over the middle east because of the nature of my job. But I live in Dubai

People should not get the OP wrong o. He is not against anyone leaving naija, he is just telling how things work over there. I see this an an eye opener and if I shoumd decide to go there, I know how the process goes. I do not think he was castigating anyone in his post.

This guy just said the real situations of things in this country.

The country is expensive but facilities are worth the value of the expense.

Comfortable ones are few but suffering ones are plenty. I see em in many places, Abu Dhabi and Dubai especially.

People decide wisely before you make the switch.

ohumonkama:
Hey guys, just to help put things in perspective. The fact is that things are not as rosy as it sounds in the article.
I can confidently tell you that there are more Nigerians/ Africans suffering here than there are comfortable ones.

Doing menial jobs here will only frustrate the life out of you as the labour laws are not as advanced and as protective as the western world.

Also the cost of living here is a lot higher than Nigeria so if you don't earn a very good salary you will be barely surviving talk less of having anything to send back home. So though the salary might sound much to you when you convert it to Naira but here is is really nothing.

Finally companies here especially the local ones exploit workers so when they promise you housing and all sorts you never really get the picture. Most Nigerians here doing those menial jobs live 3 to 5 in a room ( bedspace) if not more. When you earn a salary of about 1000dhs i.e. 50,000 which is what most security guards, cleaners etc earn, you can hardly afford a life.

Like the OP rightly pointed out, it's very hard to rise above that level cos any job you try to get next will rate you based on your previous employment profile which is logical.

The truth is, most Nigerians that promise people jobs here don't tell them the truth. They just tell them about jobs with housing, free air tickets annually and free transportation. But they don't tell about the deplorable state they will be living, the meager salary they will be earning and the way they will be exploited after working their heads out. I have met engineers and bankers who resigned their jobs to come here because someone has offered to help them get a job here only to find out its menial job they are employed to do.

Few facts to help you make the right decision
1. What kind of company will employ you without a proper interview? Any job you get without a proper interview will be that of a labourer. Even if you are a banker in Nigeria. As is the case in any country in the world, any credible professional job you are getting will start with a phone interview followed by a face to face interview.

2. If you are a professional in Nigeria already, you stand a chance of getting a good job but it will still take a little while to get the BEST so you must have enough money to go in and out of the country for visa change after your visa expires. Note that the first offer is not always the best. If you can get someone to house you before coming, then you are in the best position to settle down and get the best cos housing will eat the larger chunk of your money.

3. What you need to get the best jobs here (Dubai) and is same anywhere in the world including Nigeria. Which is your degree, experience and professional certifications. With this you are good to go.

4. If you are offered a job here, negotiate for your medical allowance. Though this comes with all professional jobs as it is in the labour law, but most companies don't extend it to labourers. Health care here is extremely expensive but world class. Other allowances you can get are education allowance for your kids, transport allowance and travel allowance etc

5. If you want the best jobs, apply to multinationals and not local companies..same principle applies in Nigeria.

6. You will be excluded from many priviledges if you earn less than Dhs 7000 (#350,000).Like low interest loans, ability to sponsor your family members on visit visa's or residence visa for your spouse if you are married etc. Even when renting a house they will ask for your salary certificate.
So if you are a professional coming to work here, bargain well.

7. You will be sponsored by your employer for residence visa (3years visa usually) of which Qatar is worst where you get 5years. So if you get on the wrong job like a menial job 3 to 5years of your life might just be on standstill roaming around in circles with no meaningful progress. If you try to leave these companies before the employment period is over you will be banned from the country for 6months.
But a point to note is that in Dubai, there are 2 types if work visas. The Labour visa and the freezone visa. If you are on the free zone visa then you can change
Your job without any issues. But change of job is generally not so easy for labourers.

Note: I have been living here and working for over 4 years in the Oil and Gas industry as an Engineer so I have seen all sorts of people in different precarious situations. And what most of them say is "they never told me it will be like this".

Concerning lifestyle here...sure it is wonderful and fun but you need to have the money to enjoy it or else you will be worse off than remaining in Nigeria.

I hope this helps someone. Thanks

Gooci:


but gein a 6000aed job myt take long o.. we wan marry early nkor

even thou if you are getting 2000dirams nd you are sure of paying ya bills, you can bring her in but search for job in another company to get a residence permit. You will go to your company if they can free you to live outside dre accommodation nd to pay u ya aos allowance, you will need to provide ya wedding certificate thou

another thing i see in this bad abroad/ good nigeria thing is that, so people are used to good/smooth life right from birth, some people mayt consider earning 1800-2500dhms as very low, its jst a matter of wat we are xposed to.
even right from the university, av been living with 15people inside one room( am sure Great Ife people can testify to this), so to me, its somthing m used to.
av been working for over a year now with 45salary. tell me, what can i do with 45k, feeding isnt part of it, tfare isnt part of it, nd dem no born me well to rent house(i wan diee ). If i had been in uae for over one year, earning as low as 1500aed,(wen am left with feeding). I wuld av better than i am now(by God's grace). I am very sure some people will not even touch there salary as a result of business they are doing to support themselves. everywhere has its negative sides, we jst av to be dtermined nd pray to God to favour every decision you make

byworld:
even thou if you are getting 2000dirams nd you are sure of paying ya bills, you can bring her in but search for job in another company to get a residence permit. You will go to your company if they can free you to live outside dre accommodation nd to pay u ya aos allowance, you will need to provide ya wedding certificate thou

som1 jst told me resident permit is thesame as emirate id card. my plan is to hustle for 2-3yrs, get married nd bring my wife. Afterwhich she will aslo get a job too

ohumonkama:
Hey guys, just to help put things in perspective. The fact is that things are not as rosy as it sounds in the article.
I can confidently tell you that there are more Nigerians/ Africans suffering here than there are comfortable ones.
Doing menial jobs here will only frustrate the life out of you as the labour laws are not as advanced and as protective as the western world.
Also the cost of living here is a lot higher than Nigeria so if you don't earn a very good salary you will be barely surviving talk less of having anything to send back home. So though the salary might sound much to you when you convert it to Naira but here is is really nothing.
Finally companies here especially the local ones exploit workers so when they promise you housing and all sorts you never really get the picture. Most Nigerians here doing those menial jobs live 3 to 5 in a room ( bedspace) if not more. When you earn a salary of about 1000dhs i.e. 50,000 which is what most security guards, cleaners etc earn, you can hardly afford a life.
Like the OP rightly pointed out, it's very hard to rise above that level cos any job you try to get next will rate you based on your previous employment profile which is logical.
The truth is, most Nigerians that promise people jobs here don't tell them the truth. They just tell them about jobs with housing, free air tickets annually and free transportation. But they don't tell about the deplorable state they will be living, the meager salary they will be earning and the way they will be exploited after working their heads out. I have met engineers and bankers who resigned their jobs to come here because someone has offered to help them get a job here only to find out its menial job they are employed to do.
Few facts to help you make the right decision
1. What kind of company will employ you without a proper interview? Any job you get without a proper interview will be that of a labourer. Even if you are a banker in Nigeria. As is the case in any country in the world, any credible professional job you are getting will start with a phone interview followed by a face to face interview.
2. If you are a professional in Nigeria already, you stand a chance of getting a good job but it will still take a little while to get the BEST so you must have enough money to go in and out of the country for visa change after your visa expires. Note that the first offer is not always the best. If you can get someone to house you before coming, then you are in the best position to settle down and get the best cos housing will eat the larger chunk of your money.
3. What you need to get the best jobs here (Dubai) and is same anywhere in the world including Nigeria. Which is your degree, experience and professional certifications. With this you are good to go.
4. If you are offered a job here, negotiate for your medical allowance. Though this comes with all professional jobs as it is in the labour law, but most companies don't extend it to labourers. Health care here is extremely expensive but world class. Other allowances you can get are education allowance for your kids, transport allowance and travel allowance etc
5. If you want the best jobs, apply to multinationals and not local companies..same principle applies in Nigeria.
6. You will be excluded from many priviledges if you earn less than Dhs 7000 (#350,000).Like low interest loans, ability to sponsor your family members on visit visa's or residence visa for your spouse if you are married etc. Even when renting a house they will ask for your salary certificate.
So if you are a professional coming to work here, bargain well.
7. You will be sponsored by your employer for residence visa (3years visa usually) of which Qatar is worst where you get 5years. So if you get on the wrong job like a menial job 3 to 5years of your life might just be on standstill roaming around in circles with no meaningful progress. If you try to leave these companies before the employment period is over you will be banned from the country for 6months.
But a point to note is that in Dubai, there are 2 types if work visas. The Labour visa and the freezone visa. If you are on the free zone visa then you can change
Your job without any issues. But change of job is generally not so easy for labourers.
Note: I have been living here and working for over 4 years in the Oil and Gas industry as an Engineer so I have seen all sorts of people in different precarious situations. And what most of them say is "they never told me it will be like this".
Concerning lifestyle here...sure it is wonderful and fun but you need to have the money to enjoy it or else you will be worse off than remaining in Nigeria.
I hope this helps someone. Thanks

ohumonkama:
Hey guys, just to help put things in perspective. The fact is that things are not as rosy as it sounds in the article.
I can confidently tell you that there are more Nigerians/ Africans suffering here than there are comfortable ones.
Doing menial jobs here will only frustrate the life out of you as the labour laws are not as advanced and as protective as the western world.
Also the cost of living here is a lot higher than Nigeria so if you don't earn a very good salary you will be barely surviving talk less of having anything to send back home. So though the salary might sound much to you when you convert it to Naira but here is is really nothing.
Finally companies here especially the local ones exploit workers so when they promise you housing and all sorts you never really get the picture. Most Nigerians here doing those menial jobs live 3 to 5 in a room ( bedspace) if not more. When you earn a salary of about 1000dhs i.e. 50,000 which is what most security guards, cleaners etc earn, you can hardly afford a life.
Like the OP rightly pointed out, it's very hard to rise above that level cos any job you try to get next will rate you based on your previous employment profile which is logical.
The truth is, most Nigerians that promise people jobs here don't tell them the truth. They just tell them about jobs with housing, free air tickets annually and free transportation. But they don't tell about the deplorable state they will be living, the meager salary they will be earning and the way they will be exploited after working their heads out. I have met engineers and bankers who resigned their jobs to come here because someone has offered to help them get a job here only to find out its menial job they are employed to do.
Few facts to help you make the right decision
1. What kind of company will employ you without a proper interview? Any job you get without a proper interview will be that of a labourer. Even if you are a banker in Nigeria. As is the case in any country in the world, any credible professional job you are getting will start with a phone interview followed by a face to face interview.
2. If you are a professional in Nigeria already, you stand a chance of getting a good job but it will still take a little while to get the BEST so you must have enough money to go in and out of the country for visa change after your visa expires. Note that the first offer is not always the best. If you can get someone to house you before coming, then you are in the best position to settle down and get the best cos housing will eat the larger chunk of your money.
3. What you need to get the best jobs here (Dubai) and is same anywhere in the world including Nigeria. Which is your degree, experience and professional certifications. With this you are good to go.
4. If you are offered a job here, negotiate for your medical allowance. Though this comes with all professional jobs as it is in the labour law, but most companies don't extend it to labourers. Health care here is extremely expensive but world class. Other allowances you can get are education allowance for your kids, transport allowance and travel allowance etc
5. If you want the best jobs, apply to multinationals and not local companies..same principle applies in Nigeria.
6. You will be excluded from many priviledges if you earn less than Dhs 7000 (#350,000).Like low interest loans, ability to sponsor your family members on visit visa's or residence visa for your spouse if you are married etc. Even when renting a house they will ask for your salary certificate.
So if you are a professional coming to work here, bargain well.
7. You will be sponsored by your employer for residence visa (3years visa usually) of which Qatar is worst where you get 5years. So if you get on the wrong job like a menial job 3 to 5years of your life might just be on standstill roaming around in circles with no meaningful progress. If you try to leave these companies before the employment period is over you will be banned from the country for 6months.
But a point to note is that in Dubai, there are 2 types if work visas. The Labour visa and the freezone visa. If you are on the free zone visa then you can change
Your job without any issues. But change of job is generally not so easy for labourers.
Note: I have been living here and working for over 4 years in the Oil and Gas industry as an Engineer so I have seen all sorts of people in different precarious situations. And what most of them say is "they never told me it will be like this".
Concerning lifestyle here...sure it is wonderful and fun but you need to have the money to enjoy it or else you will be worse off than remaining in Nigeria.
I hope this helps someone. Thanks

Nice points! You have laid out the facts well, especially from an "insider".

managermahmud:
Good piece of write up..
There is something that we Nigerians fail to understand. U'll meet most of the youths huzlin to travel out to go and huzle without knowing that when they travel out, that effort they make to huzle, wen they apply same effort her in Nigeria, they'll make same or even more profit sef.
Now wen they succeed in travling out and exhibit same lazy attitude whch they already exhibit here in Nigeria, they'll be forced to go into drug trafficking where they think they'll make shap shap money, without still knowing that the risk in such 'business' is far greater than d fuccking profit... It'll then end 98% of them in prison, they'll then be calling for help to serve their jail term in Nigeria(Nigeria that u abandoned to go and huzle elswhere) some sef, it'll cost them their lives
On this note! I urge my fellow Nigerians to quench d ambition of traveling out to hustle. If u can't make it in ur father's land, it'll b extremely difficult for u to make it elswhere.
#ILoveNigeria
#ILoveMyFathersLand



*modified*
Front page pls Mr admin

I disagree with you on the bolded statement...I travelled out to do my masters degree and i got a job barely one month i resumed school...If i was in Nigeria, how possible would that have been??...Truth be told, there are more opportunities in developed countries than in Nigeria...Just make sure you are travelling with the right aim.

Myluv1:


Your folk's 3months visa will definitely give way for a new work visa which in this case grants him eligibility for a licence. There are job positions which will not qualify you for driving. The type job on your work visa determines that. Hope you understand now..

I'm thinking emirate card replaced that of labour since last year... I don't live in the UAE now though

did i jst say 3months i meant 3yrs visa

Gooci:

yeah bro.. coming on an emplymnt visa. what do you kno about dubai taxi(dubai transport authority)??

little but it a good offer if you are working with them, de are own by Dubai government

seunoni34:

Only hopeless people travel out of nigeria for "greener pastures".
You can make it here if you are smart enough.

sorry to say but I think you are very ignorant

Gooci:

som1 jst told me resident permit is thesame as emirate id card. my plan is to hustle for 2-3yrs, get married nd bring my wife. Afterwhich she will aslo get a job too

am the same person

byworld:
little but it a good offer if you are working with them, de are own by Dubai government

exactly wat i was told, i await my employment visa any time from now nd am still connecting with my friend undergoing the training currently. Everythin has been smooth with him so far

byworld:
am the same person

so yu re also myluv1

Gooci:

pls xplain to me. bt i will be working with dubai transport authority, so the emplmnt visa dey will issue me shld make me eligible for the license. And i av som1 going thru the process currently, so far, no false alarm. seem he stays in Abu mail or na Abu mall, the guy he's staying with is a taxi man, so no problem of accommodation

That is why I said you need to ask your contact. You have to be sure and convinced. Don't be afraid to be inquisitive. Goodluck!

ohumonkama:



I don't live in Qatar....but Dubai. What I said applies more to Dubai. But I can confidently tell you that Qatar labour law is even worse cos I have worked on projects all over the middle east because of the nature of my job. But I live in Dubai

I only used the 2 engineers as example of why ppl need to be trained and skilled before leaving. And you haven't answered my question how many of all these travel desprados youths in nigeria can afford to buy a 2 year dubai residency permit which costs well over 500k visa only?u know the condition 80% of these travellers end up in.

To me,UAE is better than Nigeria.i've been in UAE since May 2014 and glory be to God at least I'm earning just 3000AED but still planning to earn more than that. When I was in Nigeria I couldn't secure a job and just within 6days of my visit to UAE I secure a job of 3000AED with accommodation and transportion provided only God can help us in Nigeria

This is a must read for anyone who intends to take the plunge to seek for 'greener pastures' in the desert (funny right; seeking for greener pastures in the desert) - The dark side of Dubai (Dubai): http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html

I know it's practically on the 'long side' for an article, but I promise it's worth every syllable for a long (educating) read about the dark side of the so called 'blooming/booming city in the desert'.

My own short story for not taking the 'Dubai plunge':
After graduating from a top university with a good undergrad and masters degree (in the United kingdom) I was faced with the dilemma of securing a job (to garner some experience before coming back home) due to the the UK's not so friendly immigration policy;despite the fact that I had four job offers. So I was left with two options: come back home - were even finding a place for my NYSC PPA (after i was rejected in the initial place of my assignment) was more stressful than getting my degrees not to mention getting a REAL job without knowing any 'Oga at the top'.
My second option was to relocate to a country were I can find a job - which after much deliberation I had a huge consideration for Dubai because I've been there once (when I started travelling and I liked it) and also because I 'heard' that it has a welcoming atmosphere for job seekers due it's 'booming' economy. So I started doing a research to find out whether the prospects of finding a job in Dubai was worth the effort - that's when I came across the aforementioned article. I was in denial after reading the write up at first because that wasn't the Dubai I saw when I first visited. Then I started contacting people I knew in dubai including the Nigerian travel agent in Dubai who arranged my first trip there and his revelation was a striking echo of the article which was a good sign of caution for not taking the so called 'Dubai plunge'.

With all this said, it might turn out to be a 'great plunge' and adventure for you depending on what you're ready to go through and how lucky you are getting a good job offer.

Myluv1:


That is why I said you need to ask your contact. You have to be sure and convinced. Don't be afraid to be inquisitive. Goodluck!

i got you perfectly... i will ask him ASAP. cuz i had the option to choose btw security guard nd d driving. i was contemplating on going for security, bt my friend convinced me that dubai taxi makes more sense, the agent also persuaded to get the driving that it will pay in the long run, so i took that of driving. I so much luv this thread that made front page

thanks myluve

muyiwa22:
To me,UAE is better than Nigeria.i've been in UAE since May 2014 and glory be to God at least I'm earning just 3000AED but still planning to earn more than that. When I was in Nigeria I couldn't secure a job and just within 6days of my visit to UAE I secure a job of 3000AED with accommodation and transportion provided only God can help us in Nigeria

anoder encouragemnt

Gooci:
another thing i see in this bad abroad/ good nigeria thing is that, so people are used to good/smooth life right from birth, some people mayt consider earning 1800-2500dhms as very low, its jst a matter of wat we are xposed to.
even right from the university, av been living with 15people inside one room( am sure Great Ife people can testify to this), so to me, its somthing m used to.
av been working for over a year now with 45salary. tell me, what can i do with 45k, feeding isnt part of it, tfare isnt part of it, nd dem no born me well to rent house(i wan diee ). If i had been in uae for over one year, earning as low as 1500aed,(wen am left with feeding). I wuld av better than i am now(by God's grace). I am very sure some people will not even touch there salary as a result of business they are doing to support themselves. everywhere has its negative sides, we jst av to be dtermined nd pray to God to favour every decision you make

most pple believe dat it's wen u go to uk or USA dat u earn a better life and de keep aiming so high, so wen de hear about Dubai salary, de keep shouting de prefer to stay at home. Go to uk nd USA too, some are living a difficult life nd it happens every where. You can imaging a security guard in Abu Dhabi d capital of Dubai earning as much as 3500dirams monthly, your luck matter most. USA, Canada and some European countries are better than Dubai yet you see dem everywhere working in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
.....

Gooci:

so yu re also myluv1

byworld:
but I like to remember u also dat, dre are many Nigerians with bsc holder dat were jobless for d past 6yrs nd many end up as a cab or bike rider....I only av ssce with me nd am earning 2400dirams per month with free accommodation with transport, 2 months salary bonus every 2yrs plus free ticket to ur home country to nd fro....ma monthly salary for dis security guard is #118,000 with ssce, can you get such offer in Nigeria?

Bros don't mind that dude! Even a MSC in Nigeria won't earn that your salary! Many Bsc are roaming the streets! God Bless You sir!

Myluv1:

sorry, tot yur also dsame as byworld ni

With N500,000 you can start Solar Generator Business here in Nigeria and make great profit and help people out of power outage by doing som
You can even establish small scale industry where you will bé assembling parts of Electronics products.

Gooci:


i got you perfectly... i will ask him ASAP. cuz i had the option to choose btw security guard nd d driving. i was contemplating on going for security, bt my friend convinced me that dubai taxi makes more sense, the agent also persuaded to get the driving that it will pay in the long run, so i took that of driving. I so much luv this thread that made front page

thanks myluve

You are welcome.
Being able to drive is very advantageous. There is a high demand for drivers licence holders in firms, especially sales and marketing. Infact most job interviewers will ask if you possess one. So it's technically hard to see a licence holder who is without a job

delishpot:
To me, Nigerians are running out of naija due to [b]bad life in naija.[\b] If Naija was safe, believe me many people living abroad will return home. Do you think they dont. Know how fertile naija is?

" bad life in Nigeria" nooooo bad infrastructure and bad leadership.

darediamond:
With N500,000 you can start Solar Generator Business here in Nigeria and make great profit and help people out of power outage by doing som
You can even establish small scale industry where you will bé assembling parts of Electronics products.

nobody is saying there isnt opportunity in NIgeria,. Even with 60k business from dubai to nigeria, yu can make 60k net profit

Nice one,we don take note

onatisi:
and how easy is it for them to get a 2 year residence permit from nigeria ?u know it is almost impossible . What must have happened in ur case is ,maybe u have someone in dubai who has links good enough to secure u that job. Back to ur question,they ended up as cargo boys when they couldn't secure any salary job and their 1 or 2 months visa most often got expired. The uae employment market is now filled with qualified people with good experience from india and all other countries.if one is to compete and secure a good job as urs that person needs good qualification plus experience and 2 years residence permit. That is what the 2 engineer guys on this thread in qatar are saying. I know many fraudsters that went to dubai in 1999 and the first thing they did was to pay the fee for 2 years visa which I think was around 2k dollars or around that then. But tell me how many of these hustlers can pay 500k naira for visa only today.

dats wat am saying too if you can get me ryt ma man, d first tym I came here in Dubai was 2011 nd d only jobs I was getting offer for were cleaner nd security guard den nd de were paying jst 1200dirams but I was I rather go back to Nigeria dan taking dos offer, but wen I heard dat de v increased security guard salary to 1800 with 4days off which is Friday but if u wanna work on Friday de pay twice of nd it makes it 2400dirams, so I contacted one of ma guy dat stayed back den nd he advised me to com on an employment visa in 2012. So am not saying it easy to get direct employment visa by yasef, of course you need to have someone in that can help you out.