Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Working in Dubai

I'm moving to Dubai. But I am wondering who will pay for the air ticket. I undertake the costs regarding visa here but as to the air ticket which really matters a lot. It is so expensive.

Is there any items in Labor law in Dubai stating that the company should pay for the ticket? And usually do companies pay for the tickets when their employees come from their home countries?

Thanks!

the employer is responsible for ALL recruitment expenses, this includes a return air ticket.

if you break your contract before the period is fully worked out, the employer can ask for a pro-rata payment for the balance of the ticket expenses to be deducted from your final settlement.

if you change employer during your period of employment the new employer has to take over the responsibility of providing you with a flight home, your old employer can also ask the new employer to reimburse him for the balance of the ticket payment.

dbxsoul, thanks a lot for your answer.

What if you move to Dubai, looking for work while on a visit visa, and a month later secure a position? Does the company pay for your original ticket for relocating to Dubai?

No, as you are already in the country the employer is not responsible for reimbursing your travel expenses. He is how ever responsible for your exit ticket when you leave (see posting above on conditions).

I have noticed that in the past few months a lot more companies are advertising positions where the candidates have to already be "in the country" - simply to save some cash...

Thanks buddy.

BTW, for visit visas on arrival (I'm Canadian), I hear I need to have some photos available for them, not just passport or drivers license. Do I need to bring passport size photos which they can take to process my visa?

Just throwing this out in this post in case you know.

Cheers,
AB

They normally don't require photos for visa on arrival as they simply stamp it into your passport and scan the original passport. Most other visa applications are done on-line (even visit visa's through travel agents), here they simply require a good quality full face passport sized jpg file.

I would recommend though that you bring a batch of passport photos with, about 12 should do as they do require a number for various things like residency, labour card, medical test etc.

dbxsoul wrote:No, as you are already in the country the employer is not responsible for reimbursing your travel expenses. He is how ever responsible for your exit ticket when you leave (see posting above on conditions).

I have noticed that in the past few months a lot more companies are advertising positions where the candidates have to already be "in the country" - simply to save some cash...

I am planning to look for an English teaching job starting early next year. I was expecting to secure the job before my arrival and that the employer would provide airfare (I have read elsewhere that they usually do.)--hopefully for me as well as my wife. If I have certification and years of experience, how realistic are my expectations?

Also, should I be concerned that I will not be in my home country (and not in the UAE) when I do my job search online? That is, if the employer provides airfare, does it have to be from my HOME country? I am American, but I will be in China; should I expect the employer to buy my/our ticket(s) to the UAE?

I would appreciate anyone's input on this airfare issue because obviously it makes a big difference. Thank you.

Hi there,

It really depends on the employer; legally they have no obligation to provide your wife with a ticket, unless of course she is also a teacher and is also going to be employed by them. Having said this, some employers extend certain benefits (such as air tickets) to spouses and siblings, this was considered a pretty standard perk a few years ago; now days this tends to be the exception rather than the rule.

If you have an employer who is prepared to pay for your inward ticket I don’t see any issue about whether they are paying for a ticket from China or the US, as the tickets are pretty much the same in price.

Most companies pay for the ticket (for annual vacation and end of service) to “point of entrance” in your home country, they do not cover local flights or internal travel.

Thanks for your reply!