The United Arab Emirates (UAE) consists of seven Emirates’ and Dubai is the most popular destination of them all. It is situated on the southern shore of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula. Dubai is the second largest Emirate after Abu Dhabi and is usually recognised as the ‘Pearl of the Persian Gulf’.
Dubai’s population is estimated at 1.5 million, a huge difference from 183,200 in 1975. Dubai is one of the most multicultural cities in the world with the expatriate community covering most of the population, with less than 10% of the total being national Emiratis.
The state of Dubai is commonly referred to as a city because it has been distinguished as the most modern and cosmopolitan environments in the Emirates, especially due to its rapid technological transformation over the past few decades.
Dubai is a landmark for innovation; some might even compare it to the computer game Sim-city where expansion has no limit. The city boasts remarkable skyscrapers, such as the world’s current tallest building, the Burj Dubai, and is also in the process of developing one of the most technologically advanced buildings in the world – The Pad. This is based on the idea of an iPod; this residential tower is set to be embedded with the latest gadgets that will have the power to change interior design and window views to almost anything imaginable.
Sheikh Mohammed is the ruler of Dubai. It is said that he is primarily responsible for making Dubai what it is today; a modern high flying city thriving from commercial investments. Sheikh Mohammed’s most significant business proposal was the introduction of Dubai’s world class airline, the Emirates.
The city of Dubai gains higher returns from its tourism unlike many of the other Emirates, as revenue from oil only accounts for around 6% of Dubai’s gross domestic product. The city’s oil is decreasing by the year and therefore cannot be depended upon. That is partly the reason why there has been a construction boom in order to diversify its economy in the expansion of commercial and corporate activity. Dubai has therefore become a world famous city through innovative real estate projects, sports events, conferences and Guinness records.
Although Dubai has been transformed into a man-made hi-tech city, it still has a strong Islamic culture with a stretch of historical buildings by the Creek. Whilst some may view this as a conflict of old meeting new, it is also considered to be a captivating city that offers both extremes; a traditional past interlinked with modern day
Dubai Culture Culture in Dubai is rooted in Islamic traditions that form UAE National's lifestyles. However, the UAE is tolerant and welcoming to foreigners who do not practice the religion of Islam. Expatriates are free to practice their own religion, alcohol is served in hotels and the dress code is liberal. Women don't face discrimination. Courtesy and hospitality are one of the many virtues of Dubai. Rulers are keen to maintain their culture and do so through a number of practices. One is promoting sporting events that are representative of their past. Falconry, camel racing and dhow sailing are still popular in Dubai. The official language of the country is Arabic, however most people in and out of the workplace communicate in English. There are so many different nationalities in Dubai, English finds common ground with most people. The majority of road and shop signs, restaurant menus etc. are in both English and Arabic. Dubai is a cosmopolitan city and visitors can dress however they like. Still, a good amount of respect for local customs is appreciated. In deference to local customs and norms it is a good idea for visitors not to wear very short, tight clothing, at least until such time as they are comfortable with the city. UAE nationals usually wear their traditional dress. For men this is the dishdasha or khandura, a white full-length shirt-dress. It is worn with a white or red checked headdress known as a gutra. In public women wear the black abaya, a long black robe that covers their normal clothes. They also wear a headscarf.
迪拜(Dubai)简介
迪拜是(迪拜市(英语:Dubai 阿拉伯语:دبيّ))是阿联酋第二大酋长国,面积3885平方公里,占阿联酋总面积的5%。2002年人口达111.2万。迪拜的经济实力在阿联酋也排第二位,阿联酋70%左右的非石油贸易集中在迪拜,所以习惯上迪拜被称为阿联酋的“贸易之都”,它也是整个中东地区的转口贸易中心。 迪拜拥有世界上第一家七星级酒店、全球最大的购物中心、世界最大的室内滑雪场,源源不断的石油和重要的贸易港口地位,为迪拜带来了巨大的财富,如今的迪拜成了奢华的代名词。
迪拜政府所在地为迪拜市。迪拜市是阿联酋第二大城市。此外,该酋长国还有哈塔镇和杰贝尔阿里港等地。每年10月至来年3月是迪拜气候最好的时节,迪拜总的来说属亚热带气候,冬天气温在10-30℃,夏天最高达48℃度。迪拜的官方语言为阿拉伯语,但英语是最主要的商业语言。
经济产业以金融业、石油贸易、货运业、旅游业等为主。
位于阿拉伯半岛中部、阿拉伯湾南岸,是海湾地区中心,与南亚次大陆隔海相望,被誉为海湾的明珠。它沿海岸线呈西南到东北的走向,长30公里,最宽处10余公里。一条长约14公里的海汊将它分为两部分,东南部分称为迪拉,西北部叫巴尔杜拜。靠海汊的迪拉地段最为繁华。海汊从南到北,建有戈尔胡德桥、马克西姆桥和山代盍隧道,将西部连在一起。面积3980平方公里,约占全国总面积的5%。人口226.2万人,约占全国人口的41.9%,为人口最多的酋长国。
迪拜是七个阿拉伯联合酋长国中的面积第二大酋长国(次于阿布扎比),是阿联酋的经济中心。
迪拜是阿联酋第二大酋长国,一座现代化的商业城市。也是整个中东的商业、金融业中心,乃至中东的旅游圣地。它曾被评为中东地区商务、旅游、购物的三大第一。
商务第一:
迪拜是中东地区最大的商品集散地,同时也是最大的免税港,开放的政策和宽松的环境,吸引了成千上万的商人蜂拥而至寻求商机。每年召开的各种大型国际博览会更为这些来自世界各地的商家提供了难得的贸易机会。据统计,80%的轻工业产品来自中国。
旅游第一:
位于波斯湾南岸的阿联酋有着明媚的阳光、金色的沙滩、宁静的海滨是旅游度假的理想场所。素有沙漠绿洲之称的迪拜共有500多家现代化酒店,其中包括世界之最的七星级酒店Buj Arab。迪拜的夜生活非常丰富,酒吧、夜总会营业到凌晨三点钟结束。全城整夜灯火通明,有着神话般火树银花不夜天的优美夜景。
购物第一:
阿联酋食品进口完全免税,其他商品一律只征收4%的进口关税,仅此,而无其他任何税收。旅游者可在此地选购到价格优惠的世界名牌产品。每年三月的迪拜购物节日和九月份的夏日惊奇(大减价活动)更加增添了这座城市的繁荣和独特的魅力。
Built on a natural harbor, Dubai is a former fishing/pearling town, founded (when the ruling Al Maktoum family settled at this point) in 1833. While it’s always drawn expatriates, Dubai – and the Al Maktoum family struck it lucky and struck it rich with 1966’s oil’s discovery. Frantic development and influxes upon influxes of foreign workers and tourists followed. After Arabic and Persian, English is now the third most widely spoken language in the city. The Shopping Capital of the Middle East, as its known, has a proliferation of enormous hotels, mind bogglingly big malls and, for now at least, similar sizes of construction sites.
The surrounding Arabian desert, city’s architecture and monuments are awesome. Enticed by these and the city’s fabulous shopping and beaches more and more tourists are discovering Dubai, including vacationing GIs, visitors from neighboring Arab states and countries, Europeans and many cruise stopover visitors. Dubai offers great dining and trendy nightclubs are plentiful, whether you want to socialize Asian, American or European-style.
While Dubai does display an impressively modern image, there are still some important dos and don’ts. Public displays of affection should be avoided. The same goes for public consumption of alcohol (or ay kind of consumption or smoking in public during Ramadan - www.holidays.net/ramadan/). Don’t photograph Muslim women and don’t sit in such a way that the soles of your feet point at anyone.
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Background
Dubai is one of the seven Emirates (states) that joined together in 1971 to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The other members are Abu Dhabi (the capital), Ajman, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain (each Emirate is named after its main city).
Favourable business conditions and shrewd investment decisions have led to Dubai becoming one of the Gulf’s most successful and rapidly expanding economic environments and Dubai is now firmly established as the business, financial and commercial hub of the region. It is a prosperous and diverse market and the employment growth required to match its expansion provides excellent opportunities for both clients and candidates.
Indeed, Dubai has the fastest growing population in the world and is home to an exciting, diverse, multi-cultural blend of young, dynamic, professional people all enjoying the unrivalled quality of life the Emirate has to offer. People are drawn to the City as much for lifestyle reasons as for the outstanding employment prospects on offer.
As with the other Gulf states, oil and gas underpin the Emirates’ economy. However, across the Gulf economic diversification has been encouraged, to the extent that non-oil business now accounts for over half of gross domestic product. Major projects include petrochemicals, downstream oil refining, telecommunications, aviation and tourism. The UAE as a whole has the highest per capita income in the Arab world.
Current recruitment environment
Currently, all of the Emirates are developing their economies rapidly, in particular the capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi. However, Dubai continues to take the spotlight through its bold plans for growth and the scale of its construction projects. Their plans, promoted by the ruling Al-Maktoum family and supported by enormous oil revenues, are to turn Dubai into a global commercial hub to rival other major financial and trading centres in the world.
Whilst in recent years much publicity has been focused on the world class hotels and dazzling residential complexes that are shooting up, the government has also made significant moves to attract foreign businesses to base themselves in Dubai. Key to this is the development of a multitude of free trade zones covering every industry. These allow 100% foreign ownership and tax free earnings, along with state of the art offices and technological infrastructure, offering an extremely tempting business environment. Perhaps most important of these free trade zones is the Dubai International Financial Centre which, with more open rules of entry, is now attracting investment banks, insurers, fund managers and private equity firms to the region. The centre aims to be home to 250 international financial firms by 2009.
In addition the free trade zones, Dubai businesses are rapidly diversifying and becoming more international in their focus. Regional banks are expanding due to the boom in consumer and corporate banking, and numerous companies are taking advantage of the property, leisure and retail explosion.
In these fast-moving times the government is mindful of the need for the region to be considered a transparent, well regulated and safe place to do business. To this end, local regulation has been closely based on and US models and there have been major initiatives in recent years including the development of the Dubai Financial Services Authority and the Securities and Commodities Authority. This has been reflected in the ongoing requirement for compliance specialists where there is major shortage of experienced professionals.
In other areas of corporate governance, internal audit is going through something of a transition. Although generally well established in the region, many organisations now recognise the need to become more sophisticated in their approach with a greater operational and risk based coverage. In many cases this requires re-staffing with more appropriately experienced professionals. Whilst, to a certain extent, the local market, particularly Big 4 firms, can offer these resources, recruitment from outside the region is also a necessity.
Risk Management in all its forms is also a discipline that is understaffed. The rapid expansion of the banking and financial industry requires credit risk analysts and managers to deal with new business, whilst growing investment banking and capital markets activities have prompted the need for market risk specialists. Operational and enterprise wide risk management are also relatively undeveloped in the region and are now being addressed by many organisations.
With the current economic growth in Dubai expected to continue until at least 2010 and the ongoing progression of corporate governance in both the Dubai and wider Middle East markets unlikely to slow, there will continue to be some exceptional opportunities. For many the lifestyle in Dubai alone would make it an attractive location, but it is fair to say that this is now complementary to a challenging and really positive career move.
Salaries in Dubai
One of the most immediate and attractive aspects of working in Dubai is that fact that there are no personal taxes levied against income from employment. This is not as an incentive to attract foreign investment, it is simply a result of a long established policy, as direct taxation is against the traditions of the entire United Arab Emirates. This means that if you work in Dubai you will enjoy and benefit from your entire salary; you will have considerably more disposable income than you are used to, you will be able to enjoy the benefits of the offshore financial world; and you will be able to afford an affluent lifestyle.
Without taking the tax benefit into account, salaries in Dubai are usually similar to or greater than those paid in western countries. In the past, remuneration packages were split into various elements: basic salary, car provision or allowance, housing provision or allowance, medical cover, education for children and air tickets for home visits. Today, employers tend just to pay a salary that covers all these expenses, although in some cases there are performance-related or other bonuses.
Working hours & overtime
The working week in Dubai tends to vary between 40 and 48 hours, depending on the particular company’s policy. Office hours are usually from 8.30 or 9.00am to 5.30 or 6.00pm. There are no differences in time keeping between summer and winter, however, in the month of Ramadan, the working day is reduced to six hours. Legally this should apply to all staff, but many companies only apply it to Muslims, who fast during daylight hours.
Friday is the Muslim rest day and, if your company has a five-day working week, the other day off is usually either Thursday or Saturday. Saturday is the more popular choice for international companies, as taking Thursday off would mean a reduction in the number of operational days in common with much of the rest of the world. Conversely, other companies insist on Thursday, as the school ‘weekend’ is Thursday and Friday.
Employment permits / visas
For a foreign national to work in the UAE, an employment visa or permit is required. These are issued by the Immigration Department, following approval from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Employment permits / visas allow the holder to enter the UAE once for a period of 30 days and are valid for a period of 2 months. When the employee enters the country on the basis of secured employment, the sponsoring company should then arrange to complete the formalities of residence stamping.
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Geography:The second largest of the seven emirates which made up the United Arab Emirates, Dubai is located on the southern shore of the Arabian Gulf. It has an area of some 3,900 square kilometers. Outside the city itself, the emirate is sparsely inhabited and characterised by desert vegetation. The other emirates are Sharjah,. Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.
Economy: Oil contributes just 20 per cent of economic production. Trading, manufacturing and services - including tourism - now dominate the economy.
Key Attractions:
A taste of Arabia with cosmopolitan lifestyle
Year-round sunshine
Uncrowded, clean, sandy beaches
Crime-free environment
Tolerant and welcoming society.
Getting There:
Dubai is less than eight hours from Europe and the Far East
Some 80 airlines provide direct links to more than 120 cities world wide
Efficient immigration, baggage handling and customs formalities
London is seven hours away, Frankfurt six, Hongkong eight and Nairobi four.