The UAE was ranked 18th out of 59 destinations in the world for overseas workers to work and live abroad, according to a new survey by global network InterNations.
The list was dominated by Asian and South American locations, with Taiwan leading the ranking for the third year in a row followed by Mexico, Costa Rica, Malaysia and Portugal, according to the Expat Insider 2021 study published on Tuesday.
Kuwait, Italy and South Africa were at the bottom of the list.
The categories in the seventh edition of the survey of more than 12,000 overseas workers included quality of life, the ease of settling in, working life, personal finance and cost of living.
Respondents also discussed how the Covid-19 pandemic had affected their life abroad. However, these responses did not influence the overall ranking, the report said.
"Expats consider the UAE to be a peaceful, safe and stable country with a lot of travel opportunities and a good transportation infrastructure," Malte Zeeck, co-founder and co-chief executive of InterNations, which has 4 million members, told The National.
“Most are also very happy with the quality of medical care in the UAE. Lastly, the UAE is an ideal destination for expats who are worried about the language barrier, as most expats find it easy to get by without speaking the local language.”
Among the GCC countries surveyed by InterNations, Bahrain led the rankings in 12th place, followed by Qatar at 17, Oman at 24 and Saudi Arabia at 42.
While Bahrain did well in terms of ease of getting settled and working abroad, it scored low on the personal finance front. Qatar also scored poorly in terms of the cost of living category.
Expats consider the UAE to be a peaceful, safe and stable country with a lot of travel opportunities and a good transportation infrastructure
Overseas workers in the UAE are happy with the quality of life and the ease of settling in – with the country securing a ranking of 17 for both categories. The country also ranked well in the working abroad category (28th), which covers career prospects and job security.
In terms of cost of living and personal finance, the UAE came in at 44 and 56th, respectively, according to the study. About 35 per cent of overseas workers in the country earn up to $25,000 a year while 25 per cent earn at least $100,000 a year.
About three in 10 overseas workers in the UAE said their disposable household income could not cover their daily living expenses, compared with 23 per cent globally, while another 21 per cent said they had a disposable income of less than $12,000 a year, compared with 15 per cent globally.
"The UAE is known for its glamorous, fast-paced lifestyle. Those who try to keep up with it will find themselves with less disposable income than the rest," Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at financial advisory AES, told The National.
“Remember the 50:30:20 rule – 50 per cent of your income should go towards your housing, food and bills while 30 per cent goes to discretionary spending such as restaurants and concerts and 20 per cent towards your investments.”
The UAE “barely compares to other global cities” such as Zurich, Hong Kong or New York when it comes to cost of living, said Mr Ritchie.
“It all comes down to how you manage your money. Do not take on unnecessary debt, avoid glamorous purchases, save what you can and live where you can afford to,” he said.
Meanwhile, under the quality-of-life category, the UAE was ranked third in the safety and security subcategory after Finland and Singapore. Nearly all overseas workers (95 per cent) said they felt safe in the UAE compared with 84 per cent worldwide, the survey said.
With the UAE performing well in the ease of settling category, 93 per cent of overseas workers said they found it easy to live here without speaking the local language, compared with the global average of 54 per cent.
Moreover, 67 per cent of foreign workers said they were comfortable with the local culture, compared with the global average of 63 per cent, while 69 per cent described it as easy to grow accustomed to, compared with 65 per cent worldwide.
Under the working abroad index, 75 per cent of foreign workers in the UAE rated the state of the local economy positively compared with 62 per cent globally, while 47 per cent said they are happy with local career opportunities.
Meanwhile, 25 per cent of foreign workers in the UAE said the Covid-19 pandemic affected their work or businesses while 16 per cent said their personal finances were affected.
In the long term, 25 per cent of overseas workers believe their personal finances will be affected the most by the pandemic, while another 20 per cent expect to feel the biggest change in their work or business.
Top 10 locations for overseas staff to work and live:
- Taiwan
- Mexico
- Costa Rica
- Malaysia
- Portugal
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Ecuador
- Canada
- Vietnam
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The years Ramadan fell in May
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
5pm: Reem Island – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Farasah, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi
5.30pm: Sir Baniyas Island – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: SSR Ghazwan, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Astral Del Sol, Sean Kirrane, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6.30pm: Al Maryah Island – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Toumadher, Dane O’Neill, Jaber Bittar
7pm: Yas Island – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Mukhrej, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Saadiyat Island – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 2,400m; Winner: Celestial Spheres, Gary Sanchez, Ismail Mohammed
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The specs: Macan Turbo
Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee
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