Construction Jobs in Dubai

Considerations for Dubai Employment

While it may be true that hiring figures in the industry are lower nowadays compared to what they were three or four years ago, it's still true that Dubai is still a very attractive place to consider when looking for construction jobs overseas for a number of reasons.

Tourism and Construction in Dubai

First of all, all sorts of buildings continue to be built in the emirate. With the government's substantial investment in promoting the region's tourist trade, it's natural to expect the continuous creation of facilities such as resorts and hotels. Finished projects range anywhere, from small accommodations for travellers to mega-developments such as the Burj al Arab hotel.

Recreational facilities for tourists are likewise being built to entice people from all over the world to spend their holidays in Dubai. Shopping malls, leisure centres, amusement parks -- all these and more are in various stages of construction.

For another thing, Dubai is also enhancing its reputation as a medical tourism destination. Not surprisingly, hospitals and other medical and health facilities are also being constructed at a rapid pace.

With all the real estate development projects going on in the area, it's no wonder it's seen as an excellent backdrop for pursuing construction careers.

Construction Vacancies in Dubai

There are numerous job openings in Dubai's building trade, which can mostly be classified into onsite and offsite jobs.

Onsite jobs can range anywhere from helpers to bricklayers to machine operators to project supervisors and managers. Some types of jobs seem to be more in demand than others. For example, vacancies for engineering jobs in Dubai's construction industry almost always get plenty of space in the employment ads.

Offsite jobs, on the other hand, usually involve non-manual labour. Mostly you will see help wanted ads for these kinds of jobs that will require you to work in an office setting most of the time.

Skills required can vary according to the employer's needs: an accountant with experience in construction project costing, for example, can find at least several job openings he or she would be qualified to apply for. Other office job titles related to construction include quality control managers, property and facilities managers, and document control specialists.

Various factors come into play when it comes to wages. Your educational background as well as your work history are obviously major considerations.

Here's a sampling of what types of wages you can expect for certain kinds of positions in Dubai:

• Senior project manager: Approximately US$80,000 a year
• Senior project director: Approximately US$140,000 a year
• Senior electrical engineer: Approximately US$ 110,000 a year

Employees also enjoy perks in addition to their base salary. Some employers subsidize or even provide free housing, as well as allowances to help shoulder the cost of flights back home for vacation leave.

Keep in mind, though, that blue collar jobs, or those that involve manual labour, are not always the jobs with very high pay. The salaries earned by construction workers may seem high to people coming from Third World countries, but if you come from Western Europe or North America, such salaries might not be as attractive to you.

In general, if you are interested in finding good opportunities for construction jobs, Dubai should definitely be on your list for international career destinations to consider. It could very well give you an excellent opportunity for your career growth.