The lure of a life in the Gulf

It is a sentiment you hear often when you speak to expatriates in the Gulf: "I came here on a year's contract. That was 17 years ago." The lure of a life that comes with exciting career prospects, a step up in accommodation standards, no tax, virtually zero crime, year-round sunshine (if you can bear the intense summer heat), impressive international schools and health facilities, direct flights to much of the world and a wealth of leisure opportunities is simply too much for many incomers and their families to walk away from - whatever the attractions of home.

Employers in the Gulf certainly pull out the stops to attract and retain the professionals they need, especially where skills are in short supply such as experienced pilots, engineers and managers. People relocating to a different country for work often find they have to fend largely for themselves - from finding schools to arranging accommodation. Most major recruiters in the Middle East take that headache away. In many cases, housing, education and healthcare come with the package.

© Juergen Hasenkopf/Rex Features Enjoyment is there to be had, but respect for authority and hard work are the norm

However, working in the Gulf is no holiday. The region's successful companies have been effective mainly because they have high customer standards and expect their staff to maintain these. Respect for authority and hard work are the norm. It is tempting too to think of Dubai with its glitzy beach hotels, upmarket shopping malls and glamorous nightlife as a hedonistic paradise. Enjoyment is there to be had, but remember at all times that in every Gulf state, Islam is the official religion and dominant culture. While there is a great deal of tolerance of individual beliefs, expatriates live there as guests, not citizens.

Of course, laws and customs vary from country to country, with Saudi Arabia - with its bans on alcohol and women drivers - the strictest. But even in liberal and relaxed Bahrain and Dubai, certain aspects of "Western" behaviour are simply not accepted. Co-habiting couples are expected to be married, drinking and displays of affection in public are a no no, and while in most of the Gulf, dress codes are fairly loose, showing too much flesh away from the beach is disrespectful and can get you in trouble. During the holy month of Ramadan, standards are higher and eating and even drinking water can only be done in the daytime behind closed doors.

While there is a flourishing and informative English-language media in much of the region, do not expect lively political debate or to learn about the latest scandal involving a public figure. Governments headed by hereditary rulers quietly issue decrees and newspapers and broadcasters do not rock the boat. Even as Dubai's economy went into meltdown 18 months ago, and the government had to be bailed out by Abu Dhabi, local current affairs programmes were doing their best to play it down. Murky court cases involving abuse or fatal accidents on construction sites - if reported at all - appear as small, sober reports buried in the inside pages of newspapers.

© Rex Features

For those prepared to accept these contraints, the opportunities are considerable. For many expatriates, it is the best of both worlds: you can shop at Gap and Marks & Spencer, drink Bavarian beer, Yorkshire ale or Californian chardonnay, follow the English Premier League on television, send your children to schools that teach the same curriculum as home, go to a Paul Weller concert or watch the latest release at the cinema. In Dubai there is even an artificial snow slope and ice skating rink. At the same time, you can scuba dive or play golf year-round, run a car for a few dollars a week and immerse yourself in a rich, local culture without having to learn more than a few polite phrases of Arabic.

Coupled with that there is the attraction of working for an employer that is almost certainly in growth mode. Rather than sitting out a strict seniority system for years, first officers find themselves being fast-tracked into command and managers find their promotion prospects enhanced. And it is not a case of being locked into a particular business for the duration of your posting. A small amount of red tape aside, taking up a fresh challenge with a different employer or even in a new country is reasonably easy.

Source: Flight International