UAE-based Filipinos let's connect here =)

cind3r3lla · June 2013

@langgam37.. sabagay.. sana mag-pick-up ulet ang construction industry sa Aus. inshallah. ^:)^

filipinacpa · June 2013

Hello po! My job offer ako from Dubai. Ask ko lang sana what does it mean about inclusive of accommodation, transpo, food, etc. Will that mean na hindi nila shoulder yung expenses ko for house, food and transpo? Thank you!

This is their email:
"Your starting salary will be Dhs. 4,000/= (inclusive of accommodation, transportation, food, etc...)"

lock_code2004 · June 2013

@filipinacpa - your totaly monthly salary will be broken down into:
- basic salary
- transpo allowance
- housing allowance
- food allowance (if any)

akino · June 2013

@filipinacpa , to be honest prang masyadong mababa ung offer sayo, mahal din kc ang accomodation at cost of living sa dubai..

filipinacpa · June 2013

Hi all! Hope you could help me decide on this. I am having doubt to accept the job offer po eh. Yun nga, parang mababa. Tho I admit I lack experience which is 3 years lang, I am a CPA and MBA too. Here's their email po:

~~
Dear Sheila Marie,

Regarding the information you read about an average salary of an entry level accountant in UAE (Dhs. 5,900/=) on net which is just statistic report and does not mean accurate.

Concerning the cost of living in Dubai (normal one), I will personally tell you that you are in a wrong figure. I have made a sample list of monthly expenses that you need to cover your costs, such as:

1. Accommodation (Bed Space) - Dhs. 600/= (this type of bedspace is above average
and located in area which accessible for everything like mall, restaurant, supermarket, hospital, bank etc.)
2. Electricity and Water Bill - Dhs. 130/= maximum charge for summer season
3. Food - Dhs. 250/=
4. Personal expenses - Dhs. 150/= personal hygiene& basic needs
5. Transportation - Dhs. 350/=

Above list will give you a total of Dhs. 1, 480/= so this amount will be your monthly (starting) expenses.

Also, we would like to bring to your kind attention that we also got a lot of great candidates for the position through our Agency there in Philippines which we offer the same and you were chosen from a group of excellent candidates as he believes that you are looking for a long term career and professional experience which we are confident to inform you that our company can provide you.

Anyhow, Mr. Marwan is pleased to extend the offer of employment at the following conditions:

· a startingof AED. 4,000/=(all inclusive) + AED 500 increase after 3 months subject to your performance.
· a 3 years contract in our firm based on our company policy which is most of the companies here in UAE is having the same especially for expatriates’ employees.

Note: 1. UAE Ministry of Labour imposed an agreement of 2 years contract for an employee.
2. Salary may be revised during your contract with us and will not be remain as it is.

If you choose to accept this job offer, please send your confirmation to me at your earliest convenience. When your acknowledgement is received, we will send you employee Formal Offer Letter.

We look forward to welcoming you to our team.

~~~

Parang gusto ko rin naman tanggapin kasi iniisip ko baka mas mapadali pag apply ko for Australian PR. Tapos audit firm pa sya sa Dubai. Yun nga lang, medyo takot din ako since baka mahirapan ako makauwi. My friends and family told me to decline. Kayo ho? Ano po ma advise niyo please??

Thank you so much!

lock_code2004 · June 2013

@filipinacpa -
- medyo mababa ang offer.. but i guess because konti pa nga lang experience mo..
- did they tell about vacation and ticket every year to the phils?
- if you dont mind, would you kung saang area ang office?
- may mga friends ka ba sa dubai, who can help you pagdating mo dun?like looking for a place to stay...etc... ?
- check mo ang dubizzle.com for room/bedspace rents.. medyo alanganin yung bedspace 600aed na sinasabi nya... that means 4 kayo sa room... but you can find 600 bedspace na 2 lang kayo sa room, pero malayo sa dubai city..

filipinacpa · June 2013

Yes po they mentioned yung 1 month paid vacation leave + free tickets every year.
Eto po ang location: Dubai: Burj Khalifa Area, Ontario Tower

jvframos · June 2013

@filipinacpa -

in my opinion, medyo mababa young offer nil a sayo considering na CPA ka pa. i don't know about the 600dhs bedspace but I think masyado mababa jun. yes. you might find one but the condition might not be that conducive for you. But it still depends sa lifestyle mo, if you think you can make both ends meet then why not... catch lang, 3 years might be too long. what if di mo say magustuhan? can you terminate contract? read the contract and see if it will work both ways, at di one sided lang. just my thought.

jvframos · June 2013

@lock_code2004, hello sir.... few words of wisdom naman please. medyo confused na kami what path to take.

just today, on my 4th try, lumabas na yung result ng june 8 exam ko. i got L-7.5, R,W & S - 7.0; obs 7.0. ok na.... kaya lang given this still, 50pts + 5 SS = 55 pa lang ako so need ko pa try ulet to get 8.0 to get at least 20pts sa ielts.

ang baba na kasi ng score ko sa age kasi 40 y/o na ko and 5 years lang nacount sa employment ko kasi di relevant yung 5years of teaching architecture sa inaaplyan ko na draftsman. and my other experience outside 10 years di na daw counted sabi ng agent ko.

di ko kasi alam san kukunin yung kulang na 5 pts. otherwise, me may opt to apply for visa 489 para mabigyan kami ng 10pts. kaya lang temporary visa yun, need pa namin to wait for another 2 years bago makapag apply ng PR. what do you reckon sir? advise naman please.

lock_code2004 · June 2013

@jvframos - at this point na medyo marami na changes sa immigration guidelines/fee/etc..
kung wala na talagang additional points na makukuha, i would definitely go for visa 489..

Other options
- retake IELTS - weigh risk/probability of you getting an 8.0, additional fee/time...
- partner's point - additional fee, long assessment time..

i assume you will be applying for WA SS,
- by Jul 1, they will change their SS application process
- you will wait to get an invitatition to apply for SS, unlike today just complete your EOI and na pwede kana mag-apply directly sa SS immediately..
- so if you are decided, i suggest apply now, on or before Jul 1...
- Also, consider that by October 2013, WA SS will change their criteria, and WA list of occupations available for sponsorship..

think about this...
- you might exert too much effort trying to get more points, and then later on hindi naman pala achievable...
- by the time you decided na wala ng ibang option but to apply for visa 489, baka hindi na pala pwede dahil marami ng changes..
- apply for visa 489, and then pag nasa AU na, find a job/settle with your family.. then saka na isipin ang PR visa, you have 4 years to think/act/strategize about that..

it is now or never.. with the current changes in immigration process/cost and your age,
time is your major consideration..

cind3r3lla · June 2013

@filipinacpa... ang baba ng offer sayo.
medyo off ang calculation nila sa food huh... sa 250aed per month, it means, 1x a day ka lang kakain sa 1 araw sa halagang 10aed per day. At 5 days of each month ay hindi ka kakain.
10aed na pagkain ay snack box ng KFC yan, abonado ka pa ng 1aed.

since sila na rin ang nagbanggit na 5,900+ ang entry level ng accountant, can't they offer that rate to you? i negotiate mo pa.

langgam37 · June 2013

@filipinacpa try mo pa i-negotiate, and do a little background check na rin siguro dun sa company. In my opinion din, medyo di realistic yung figures na binigay nila regarding monthly expenses. Dhs600 bedspace is not above average, tapos as @cind3r3lla has mentioned, di kasya yung less than Dhs10 per day for food. Hope this helps

jvframos · June 2013

@lock_code2004 thank you for the advise. You were right, its now or never... the more i delay this, the more changes in the immigration process. yesterday, we have submitted the EOI and will be submitting the WA SS application later today. As we do this, we told ourselves that whatever it may take, we are willing to face it in exchange of better life in AU. True, what is two years... sooner we know its 2 years is over. GO na to and beat the july 1 change is SS system. :-)

thanks again.

breil · June 2013

@lock_code2004
Good day po..i'm here na naman to ask infos..may inaaplayan akong agency sa web lang, same for Australia din..nag reply yung agency sabi pag nasa Australia na ako i can contact them for a job application..ano kayang klaseng visa ang dapat kung aaplayan? I'm an Electrical Engineer based here in UAE..

lock_code2004 · June 2013

@breil - there are two ways:

a) employer sponsored visa - kung may employer na willing magsponsor sayo..
- continue to apply online.. pwde din maka swerte..
- tsambahan lang...it may take some time.. difficult but not impossible

b) skilled migrant visa - process your own PR visa, IELTS>>skills assessment>>visa
- you have your own visa, your own cost.. but you will not be dependent sa employer
- kahit mwalan ka ng work, you can stay in AU indefinitely
- read this thread: http://www.pinoyau.info/discussion/1073/important-information-how-do-i-start-my-application/p1

cind3r3lla · July 2013

pwede bang magpabili ng Ozzy simcard kahit wala pa sa Aust?
uwi kasi ako ng Phils ng Dec. I have a month para mag-apply online before mag-settle ng january. Gusto ko sana magkaron ng Aust simcard panlagay sa CV. positive thinking lang na may tatawag agad... hehehe.

dft · July 2013

question po sa mga taga UAE (andito po ako sa doha) any related experience pls. Plano ko kc mag stud visa. early next year, balak ko na habang andito pa sa doha mag aplay na ako ng stud vis. halimbawa pag na aprov pd ba na uwi ako sa pinas tapos dun na ako mangagaling papuntang aus.? gusto ko dn kc magbakasyon muna bago umalis kung sakali. sabi kc at sa mga nababasa ko medyo mas maganda aproval rate kung dto kna sa ibang bansa nag aplay kumpara sa pinas. shukran!

globetrotter · July 2013

Wala po bang EB ang mga taga UAE - specially mga taga Dubai??? Kita-kits naman!!!

jvframos · July 2013

@globetrotter that's a good idea. sana nga mgkaron tayo ng eb.... it will be a good avenue for sharing experiences and meet in person and pinky oz aspirants from uae.

langgam37 · July 2013

@globetrotter great idea!

lock_code2004 · July 2013

magpapa-iftar daw si @langgam37

globetrotter · July 2013

PM nyo lang yung may mga gusto, its our way of sharing na rin sa mga nagpprocess pa lang ng mga papers kung paano natin natapos ang pag-aapply ng visas...Im due to fly this August na rin kasi at medyo dumadami na rin tayo mga taga UAE na nag-aapply!

langgam37 · July 2013

@lock_code2004 No probs... basta before sunset. hehe

jvframos · July 2013

iset na ang EB ng mag taga UAE before magfly si @globetrotter. dubai kami, we can come kung san ang agreed meeting place.

Metaform · July 2013

Nakaka-miss ang init ng Dubai ngayong umuusok ang hininga ko sa umaga on the way to work. Sarap maglakad sa Safa Park!

jvframos · July 2013

@Metaform sobrang init dito ngayon, yesterday 47degree ang temp. di lang yun, sobrang humid pa. ibang iba ang weather dito ngayon compared last year.

Metaform · July 2013

@Metaform sobrang init dito ngayon, yesterday 47degree ang temp. di lang yun, sobrang humid pa. ibang iba ang weather dito ngayon compared last year.

Around this time last year umabot pa ng 50. Kailangan pa buksan yung pinto ng kotse at maghintay ng 10 minutes bago ako makasakay.

engr_maylene052581 · July 2013

@langgam37 boss tama ka dyan, dati boom din ang construction sa Au... ngaun pag nag aaply ako mahigpit na sila at and sabi kailangan nila ng may local experience... kung kelan dumating visa ko wala namang tumatawag ngaun.... hay... :-(