Most of the contract's are open ended and require 30-days notice to be given to the Employer. If however you want all the FREE benefits associated with your contract e.g. FREE air ticket, visa, accommodation, meals, medical, uniform etc. most companies will require you to stay for 2 years.
Many of the costs incurred by your Employer are written off during the first year and if you resign after 12 months of service some companies will request that you pay only for your air ticket back home. After two years of service you will be given a FREE air ticket back to your city of departure. If however you wish to extend your contract with the same company, they will issue you with a FREE air ticket to return to Dubai when you take your leave.

WHAT ACCOMMODATION WILL WE GET AND DO WE SHARE WITH OTHERS?

In the hospitality industry, you will always get FREE accommodation. Some companies may provide an accommodation allowance in certain circumstances. It will be same sex accommodation i.e. you will not share with the opposite sex. Your position will usually dictate what type of accommodation you will get - that is either sharing an apartment and a room with maybe 1 or 2 other candidates or possibly your own small apartment if you are in a management position. The apartments/flats/villas are of European Standard which means they are basically furnished but may require you to add some kitchen utensils and cutlery. A set of sheets, pillow case and towel is also recommended, as you may be provided with only one set. You could of course purchase items in Dubai once you get there and see what you require instead of taking items you may not need. Only you can make it look like a home. We will provide a set of notes for you which will include a list giving you some idea of which items you would need to take.

WHAT ARE THE COSTS INVOLVED IN APPLYING FOR A POSITION?

We do NOT charge for Presentations or Interviews or for trying to secure a position for you with our clients in Dubai. Once we have your C.V., appropriate photographs and copies of your passport, we will then start sending this information out to our clients in Dubai.There is no cost involved until you have been offered a position and sign a contract. We then require an administration fee of R2 500.00 to be paid. That is all - there are no further costs.
Once you have been interviewed, all we ask of you is that you are honest with us. If you are not serious about working in Dubai, if your family does not want you to go or if for some reason you change your mind, please inform us as it is unprofessional of us to put C.V's forward of candidates who are no longer available. Please remember that it could take a couple of months before you could be placed. As it is not possible for us to keep in constant contact with you, please be assured that we are working to find a position for you and will contact you as soon as we have any news for you. You are welcome to keep in touch with us to inform us you are still interested.

HOW DO I NEED TO DRESS IN DUBAI?

Hotels will provide their staff with uniforms and expect their employees to be very well-groomed and smart, much like air and ship crew. Men will be required to be clean shaven and have neat hair. Women will mostly be required to tie their hair up and to wear some make-up while on duty.
Off duty you may dress much the same way you would dress in your own country and will not be required to wear the traditional dress worn by the Muslim women and men. However you should be respectful towards people of the Arabic culture and not walk around town dressed in skimpy clothing and beach gear whilst hanging onto your partner.
The temperature in Dubai can get extremely high, often between 38 to 50 degrees Celsius in Summer, so light fabric is preferable. It can get chilly though in the evenings during the winter months and in air conditioned establishments, so take some warm clothing.

HOW LONG AFTER I HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED WILL IT TAKE BEFORE I LEAVE?

There is no fixed amount of time that you will wait between being accepted for a position and when you depart for Dubai and if you are required to give one month's notice at your present employment this will be taken into account. It also depends on when the Employer requires you to start and how long the visas take to obtain. This can often vary between 10 days and 2 months. However once your Visa has been issued, it is usually only a matter of days until you fly, as the only obstacle is the availability of seats on the aircraft.

HOW OLD SHOULD I BE TO GO TO DUBAI?

Most of the Employers prefer the candidates to be at least 20 years of age. This is so because the candidate should then have sufficient experience for the position offered as well as be sufficiently emotionally mature to cope with the relocation to Dubai, being away from family and friends and the difference of the culture.
If you are over the age of 35 it may extremely difficult to find a position for you unless you are looking for a management position and have the necessary qualifications and experience.

I HAVE A PARTNER, CAN WE GO TOGETHER?

It is very difficult to place a couple in Dubai, married or not, due to the accommodation offered (see accommodation) and also a problem occurs if we manage to procure employment for one of you and not the other at the same time. Often the one who has not been offered a position influences the other to turn down the offer and of course this situation is not seen to be professional from our part.
If both of you have the correct qualifications for the positions offered and are willing to apply as individuals we will always try our best to get the other partner over as soon as possible. However you should bare in mind that we are agents and cannot dictate to clients who they should employ. Couples wishing to live together could rent their own accommodation in Dubai but it is expensive and although some companies may give a small living out allowance it would not be sufficient to rent your own accommodation and you would need to subsidise it.

I HAVE WORKED ON A KIBBUTZ, DOES THIS MEAN I NEED A NEW PASSPORT?

YES, but only if you have an Israeli stamp in your passport as customs will not allow you into Dubai with this stamp. However this does not mean that candidates of the Jewish faith cannot enter the country, as long as their South African passport is without the Israeli customs stamp. This regulation could change from time to time, so please consult your local UAE Consulate before applying.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I BREAK MY CONTRACT?

Breaking your contract in this case would mean that you have resigned from the company before your 2 year all FREE time is up. Costs to pay back will depend on how long you have been working in Dubai and the policy of the company. Most companies estimate your costs to be approximately R15 000.00 and the longer you work the less you will owe. Most of the costs are worked off pro rata in the first 12 months. If you wish to return home after 12 months, the Employer will usually require you to pay only your air ticket back. The terms of your contract should clearly state this and there are some exceptions.
You will not be held a "prisoner" in Dubai if you have not done anything against the law. If you resign, give the correct amount of notice required, pay your costs, purchase an air ticket, get your passport and leave. You need to be aware that Dubai does not have a free labour market and you cannot resign from one company and go and work for another as your present employer is your sponsor and it is his name or the company name on your visa. Visas are only transferable under special circumstances. In most cases, if you resign you will have to leave Dubai and as there will be a ban placed on your passport and you will not be able to return for 6 months. (This rule is shortly to be changed to 12 months.)

IF THERE IS A FAMILY EMERGENCY AT HOME, CAN I LEAVE & GO BACK?

This depends upon your Employer and the conditions of your contract, as well as the nature of the emergency. However we have had no problems with this in the past and Employers are usually very understanding and compassionate in the case of death or serious illness or accident. Some companies have assisted their staff financially to return home in these cases but would obviously need some reassurance that you will return. In some cases verification from the South African Embassy may be required.

IS DUBAI SAFE FOR WOMEN?

YES - it is extremely safe. Dubai has one of the lowest crime and rape rates in the world. However, be prepared for the men in Dubai to pay attention to you especially if you are a pretty South African girl! But have no fear - a simple smile and wave off will suffice. We receive numerous emails and telephone calls from our candidates over there and we can honestly say that nearly all of them really love Dubai. The women say they walk around at night with friends and never feel afraid. Most of them say they leave their apartment doors unlocked. We have so far had no reports of any of our female candidates feeling unsafe or having been harassed in Dubai. Enjoy the attention for what it is!

WHO MAY ATTEND THE FREE PRESENTATIONS?

Anyone who is interested in working in Dubai - but because we specialise in the hotel/restaurant industry we are mainly looking for candidates who are interested in working in the hospitality industry. If you have working experience in this industry, are between the ages of 20 - 35, are keen to go and live and work in Dubai, please contact us to enquire or book for the next FREE Presentation. Although the Presentation is FREE for you, we have to pay for the conference facilities, so we do need to know how many people are attending. If you have friends or family who are also interested in attending, they are welcome as long as you inform us.
Although the majority of our clients are from the hotel industry, we do get requests from other clients for positions such as Car Rental Representatives, Foreign Exchange Staff, Au Pairs, Engineering Staff, Tourism, Life Guards, Water Park Assistants. So no matter what you do, contact us and we may just be able to assist you. We will gladly keep your C.V. on file and actively market you to potential clients.

DO WE HAVE TO ATTEND THE PRESENTATION & BE INTERVIEWED?

YES! Placing people in jobs overseas is a responsibility for us and a big decision for you. In order for you to make an informed choice, you must get as much information about where you are going and what Dubai is like. I am sure that you would not like to arrive in a place and only then discover that it is nothing like you expected - or find out there were a lot of things you were not told about. If you attend a presentation, we know that ALL our candidates have been given the same information.
We also interview all our candidates individually after the presentation, so even if you send your C.V. via email or post it to us, you will still have to be interviewed before you will be placed with a client. Presentations are held regularly in most of the major cities in South Africa.

CAN I ATTEND A PRESENTATION EVEN IF I DO NOT HAVE ALL MY DOCUMENTATION AND PHOTO'S?

Yes. The most important thing is that you attend the talk and watch the videos and then have your individual interview. After that you can either email or post your C.V. and photos to us. If you are still waiting for your passport, you can fax or email us a copy of it as soon as you receive it and we will attach it to your file.

IF I AM OVERWEIGHT, WILL I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO FIND A JOB IN DUBAI?

The Hotels in Dubai are looking for experienced, presentable, well groomed and attractive staff members. One finds that in the hospitality industry, as in the airlines, that a healthy image is often desired and candidates of normal weight will find it easier to obtain employment.