Construction and Engineering -Jobs and Careers in the Middle East -International Construction Recruitment

When seeking employment in construction in the Middle East, there are numerous things to consider. Dubai is a top choice, yet Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman also present appealing job opportunities. This blog article is specifically aimed at British Expats who wish to live and work in the Middle East. Although, Stafford Lawrence recruits and hires a wide-variety of nationalities for construction and engineering job vacancies across the Middle East.

Stafford Lawrence Ltd works with several well-known Construction Consultancy and engineering clients to recruit and hire candidates in Quantity Surveying / Commercial Management, Project Management and Engineering (Architectural, Civil, Structural, Electrical and Mechanical) professions. Our Middle East vacancies cover Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Saudi, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. N.B We do not work with main contractor or subcontractor organisations in the Middle East.

This blog briefly covers salaries, visas, age limits, holiday allowances and much more for the Middle East.

This information is gathered from more than 20 years of recruiting candidates for clients within the Construction Sector in the Middle East.

Salaries are discussed in more detail on a seperate blog page. Salaries in the Middle East

Working with a Recruiter for Job Vacancies in the Middle East- Middle East Construction Recruiter

Many candidates prefer to work through a recruiter to apply for jobs and vacancies in the Middle East. Other candidates prefer to apply directly or to send their CV via a contact they already know.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Our clients are known to us. Our clients pay our candidates. If you are going to work anywhere in the Middle East and are NOT working through a recruiter, you MUST do your due diligence. It takes nothing to drop a message to someone who has previously worked with the organisation you are looking to work with. Some organisations do not pay their candidates. If you do not get paid you won’t be able to pay for your accommodation and you will be thrown out of the country or worse imprisoned. DO NOT get caught out.

What are the Benefits of working with a Recruiter like Stafford Lawrence Ltd?

  1. Stafford Lawrence Ltd recruits for vacancies for several consultancy clients across the Middle East.
  2. Feedback is always provided on your CV. Middle East recruitment can be fast or incredibly slow. Feedback is usually within 2 weeks, longer if there is a national holiday. You won’t be the only candidate under interview. Some companies are looking for multiple candidates 10-20. It is not like the UK where you might be the only candidate for one vacancy.
  3. Our staff can advise on salary bandings. We ensure it is financially viable for you to move to the Middle East. You do not have to take our salary advice, that is up to you. If we feel you are pricing yourself out of the market, we will tell you. But ultimately it is your decision.
  4. Stafford Lawrence Ltd will only present your CV to clients with live vacancies. If you are not successful the first time we can continue to submit your CV to new job vacancies in the future.
  5. We work with you to secure an offer as well as assist you with all the paperwork required for your visa. We also keep in touch until you arrive at your destination and beyond.

Terms and Conditions – International Construction Recruitment

N.B You are already deemed to be on our client’s recruitment system if you have applied directly, via a friend, or another recruiter within 6-12 months. We therefore cannot resubmit your CV to the same client, even if it is a new vacancy. This also applies to gathering feedback. We cannot gather feedback for candidates who have applied via a friend, or another recruiter. GDPR prevents disclosure. So, if you are going to apply through that friend…. make sure that they are sending your CV to the right person and chasing feedback for you. After all, it’s their job to chase for feedback on your CV, right?……

Accommodation in the Middle East

Question “Will they provide me with Accommodation?”

  • No. In general, clients will provide you with an accommodation allowance every month( see salary information) which is part of your monthly total package salary.
  • Some remote location job vacancies provide you with hotel accommodation and food on top of your basic salary package.
  • You can look at accommodation and costs on the Internet, our advice is to wait till you get over there. There are plenty of expats already there who can provide you with information on the best places to look. Our clients can also assist you and recommend the best places.
  • There are plenty of ex-pats working for the company you join, who will be able to provide the name of a good rental agent.
  • Most companies will provide hotel accommodation for the first few weeks/ month. Most clients will put you up in a hotel for a few weeks when you arrive, you must then source accommodation in that period and it’s much easier and cheaper to do it when you are ‘on the ground‘
  • Accommodation in Saudi is slightly different and is provided on a compound. Our clients can advise on this.

Another helpful website with information about visas in most Middle Eastern locations is https://www.justlanded.com/

Middle East – Pensions – Middle East Packages

Question: “Do they provide Pensions in the Middle East?”

In many Middle East countries, a pension scheme is not provided. Pensions are not part of your package for a Middle East career. Stafford Lawrence Ltd cannot provide financial advice on pension schemes. We do advise that you ensure that you have a provision for your retirement. You may be enjoying a high salary as an ex-pat, and reap the rewards of living and working in the Middle East, but everyone retires at some point. Advice on how to ensure you have an adequate pension as an ex-pat is available on the Internet. Please read below on retirement ages in the Middle East as these have changed recently.

Middle East Tax – Work in the Middle East

Question: “As an Expat, do I need to pay tax on my income?”

  • Qatar does not currently levy income tax on expat individuals’ salaries, wages, or allowances.
  • UAE does not levy income tax on expat individuals’ salaries, wages, or allowances.
  • Saudi Arabia does not levy income tax on expat individuals’ salaries, wages, or allowances. A new levy has been introduced in Saudi Arabia on expat dependents. Further information can be found on the following sites.

Saudi Arabia Collects New Tax On Expats – Expat Network

UK Govt Website -Tax on foreign income

More information on Salaries for Job Vacancies in the Middle East can be found on our other blog page.

Required Qualifications to Work in the Middle East

Question: “What qualifications do I need for a job in Dubai, Saudi, Bahrain Oman Kuwait or Qatar?”

That depends on the Job Vacancy. When clients approach a recruiter, it is usually for a candidate that they can’t find themselves. All vacancies that we recruit for in the Middle East require a minimum of a 3-year BSc Degree Qualification and sometimes Chartered Status. MRICS MAPM MCIOB CEng PEng. Some companies and countries ask for a Full-time degree qualification rather than a part-time degree qualification. In certain instances, some clients ask for a 4-year degree rather than a 3-year degree.

Our clients ask for a 3 Year Degree Qualification in a subject that is related to the position you wish to obtain, this is for Visa purposes. So for example a 3-year BSc Quantity Surveying Degree for a Quantity Surveyor OR a 3-year BSc in Mechanical Engineering for a Mechanical Design Engineer. MSc Qualifications are counted as an additional Qualification NOT your base qualification. So if you have a 3 year BSc Degree Qualification in Sports Sciences and an MSc in Quantity Surveying and MRICS, it is sometimes difficult to obtain a visa. Dont shoot the messenger, that’s just how it is sometimes and it depends on who the client is.

N.B We work with Construction Consultancy, Cost Consultancy and Engineering Consultancy organisations and candidates. We do not work with Contracting organisations or candidates.

Years of Experience required for Middle East Job Vacancies

Our vacancies will stipulate years of experience. Clients tend to request candidates with a specific number of years of  POST DEGREE experience for positions. A client may ask for 10 years of post-degree experience. We therefore cannot take into account years of work experience before you attained your degree qualification. You might have worked 5 years whilst studying for your degree part-time, unfortunately, we cannot count this as years of full-time post-degree experience. So if you attained your Degree Qualification in 2020, you have 4 years post-degree, despite working 5 years before you attained your degree. This is considered as only 4 years experience NOT 9 years. Yes, it is harsh.

For Associate Directors in the Middle East, our clients usually stipulate no less than 15-20 years of post-degree experience. Someone with the title AD in the UK might have to settle for the title Senior Quantity Surveyor, so be aware of this when applying for vacancies. It’s not all about the title over there it’s about experience. Our clients tend to ask for 10 years of post-degree experience for Senior Quantity Surveyor vacancies, any less than this you are considered a Quantity Surveyor.

What Position Can I Expect- Middle East Quantity Surveyor Job Vacancies

Question: “I am a Senior Quantity Surveyor and I want an Associate Director position”.

Candidates without previous experience in the Middle East will be offered a position title similar to the one they currently have. Read the above notes on years of experience and title.

It would be difficult to suggest that you could, ‘hit the ground running‘ without previous Middle East experience. OK, you might be very smart, but there will be different ways of working, and different contracts- FIDIC. We suggest you learn to walk for the first 3-6 months, gain experience, complete probation, and then start chasing titles. You might have to take a step back to take a step forward. Dont get hung up on a title.

Holiday Allowances in the Middle East

Holiday Allowances differ slightly from country to country. The majority of our clients who are Construction Consultancy organisations offer between 22-25-30 days ( dependent upon the company) holiday per annum, plus all national holidays ( of which there are quite a few). You can check the internet for the number of National holidays in a particular country every year. Other national holidays are announced throughout the year.

WARNING: Some companies in the Middle East still quote calendar days for holidays, be aware of this! All the clients we currently work for state Working Days.

It is very important to remember, that holiday allowances are across the board in these companies for EVERY member of staff. They will not negotiate holiday allowances for anyone. It doesn’t matter one iota if you are getting 27 days in the UK, or if your uncle had a rotational leave back in the 1970s (they rarely do rotational leave now). Rules are rules, they offer the same to everyone, and this is company policy. Trying to argue your case for extra days as you might do in the UK, is futile.

Which Middle East Country is Best for Me?

Dubai is the most popular work destination and preferred choice for most candidates and for families but salaries have come down considerably over recent years. There are fewer projects and more candidates. Competition for Job Vacancies in Dubai is very high, clients can pick and choose their candidates. You can still earn a good tax-free salary.

Unmarried couples can now live and work in Dubai. Due to the law, it is illegal to live as an unmarried couple in Saudi, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar. With so much competition for Job Vacancies in Dubai, Qatar is the next choice followed by Saudi Arabia. Salaries in Saudi Arabia for Quantity Surveyors and commercial managers tend to be higher than in Qatar, however, salaries in Saudi have also seen a reduction, because of candidates becoming available from Oman and Dubai where projects are slowing.

Saudi currently has lots of projects Hotels, Resorts and Theme Parks, Saudi Arabia or KSA ( Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) is more restrictive than other parts of the Middle East. It has improved considerably over recent years. Women are now allowed to drive and are welcomed in construction and engineering positions. In terms of salary, it is on a par with Qatar, possibly slightly more.

For some further useful information on living in the UAE, Saudi, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain  Expat Network website  

Jobs and Careers for Women in Construction and Engineering in the Middle East

Over the last 20 years, we have recruited women into construction and engineering job vacancies across the Middle East. There are several women in construction at all levels across the industry.

Saudi Arabia KSA is actively encouraging women in the Construction and Engineering sectors in Saudi Arabia -KSA. Stafford Lawrence Ltd has recently placed several women into a variety of job vacancies in the Kingdom.

Can I take my boyfriend/ girlfriend with me to the Middle East?

Due to new laws in Dubai, you can now only go to Dubai as an unmarried couple. You cannot currently go to Saudi as an unmarried couple and we would not recommend it in Qatar. Although you might have heard there are couples who do. You are working in a Muslim country, you must respect the laws. All our clients adhere to these laws very strictly. Failure to do so would impact their business.

Can I take my family to the Middle East- Working in Dubai, Saudi, Qatar and Oman

Yes. The majority of companies can provide Married or Family Status positions. We do not recommend taking your family and children to work in any remote location.

Is there a Beach?

Yes, would you believe it! We are asked this question a lot. The reply is always the same “Do you have a beach in your current position in Stoke/ Manchester/ London”. Alas, we are not a travel agency, this is a job. There are beaches, but we are not selling a holiday and there’s plenty of sand so if you are a golfer, you can certainly practice your bunker shots. Remember, you are looking for a job or career, to WORK in the Middle East.

Age Limits for Work in the Middle East – Retirement Age in the Middle East

Question : “Is there an age limit to work in the Middle East”

Sometimes, because of the nature of the work, clients ask us to find candidates under a certain age. It is difficult to get a visa over the age of 55 or 60, particularly in Saudi. There are ways around this if the client is keen to have you on board. There are UK nationals working in the Middle East who are over 70. Currently, the retirement age for expatriates in Saudi Qatar and Dubai is 60. It is difficult for organisations to provide visas after the age of 60 due to insurance. The recently announced move to force Saudi Arabia’s expatriate employees to retire at the age of 60 is set to cause much controversy in the kingdom.

Recent Press- The full article can be found on the following webpage – Expatriate Employees Retirement Age Saudi

N.B As a recruitment organisation, our clients ask for specific requirements. If our client states that they cannot obtain a visa for anyone over 60, we have to adhere to that requirement. There may be client-side organisations who are able to bend the rules, but we and the majority of our clients cannot. We work to certain parameters and respectfully have to work within GCC laws. 

Securing a Work Visa, Residents Visa or Iqama in the Middle East

Question: “How long does it take to get a work visa for the Middle East?”

When you have an offer for the Middle East, you have to start the process of obtaining a visa. The timescale is currently 1-3 months depending upon location. Our clients have a team to help you.

In all countries, you will need a work visa or Iqama ( Saudi) or a resident visa to open a bank account. Life would be difficult without one.

The following are the requirements.

  • Attestation of your qualifications. Your qualifications/ marriage certificates belong to you, the cost of attesting them is sometimes down to the candidate. But some clients do pay for this.
  • A police clearance check. (see below on Criminal Convictions)
  • A medical examination
  • Vaccinations (Please check the internet for current rules and guidelines on vaccinations)
  • The client pays all visa fees and medical.

In some special circumstances, if the client requires your services immediately, they will take you over on a business visa and then secure your resident visa whilst you are in the country.

Police Clearance Checks 

Question: “I have a criminal conviction, will I still be able to go to the Middle East?”

Part of the visa paperwork requires a Police Clearance Check. If you have a criminal conviction on your record, you will not be able to obtain a visa. You can make a plea to have certain minor convictions removed from your UK record.

What Construction Projects will I be working on in the Middle East

That depends on your experience. If you are a Buildings Specialist- Hotels, Resorts, Mixed Use, Commercial, Leisure and Entertainment projects. If you are a civils professional there are Roads and Highways, Bridges and Dams or Rail projects. There are so many great projects to work on in the Middle East.

Can I take my Pet to the Middle East?

This information relates specifically to Dogs.

You can take your pet with you if you are going to work in the United Arab Emirates or Qatar, it is slightly more restrictive in Saudi Arabia. There is a lot of information available on the internet.

DUBAI & QATAR Every dog must have a microchip and up-to-date vaccinations this is mandatory. The registrations are valid for a year, and you have to re-register your pet every year.

Visit the pet traveller website for detailed information the Basics are detailed below:

  • Register and vaccinate your dog.
  • Use a lead and mask in public.
  • Make sure your dog is not on the prohibited breeds list
  • Don’t take your dog to prohibited dog areas or let your dog harm other people and property
  • Clean up after your dog

SAUDI- All of the above apply but the paperwork process can be more difficult for Saudi than other GCC countries. Expats who go out to Saudi to work should think seriously about taking their pets. We dont advise it, it is very hot.

Saudi Arabia is governed by the Shari’a, which is the Islamic Law. According to Wahhabism, animals, and dogs, in particular, are deemed impure creatures. Thus, Saudi authorities used to prohibit dogs as well as cats from entering the country for years.

International Construction Recruitment Consultants – Stafford Lawrence Ltd 

Every country has slightly different requirements. We have only covered the basics here. If you are keen on living and working in the Middle East, please get in contact.

Please visit our International jobs page for our current job vacancies.

You can email admin@staffordlawrence.com if you have any questions about any of the job vacancies on our website.

Job Vacancies for Quantity Surveyors in the Middle East – Middle East Construction Recruitment

All our UK Middle East and International job vacancies are on our website OR you can follow us to receive updates on all our latest vacancies by following our LinkedIn Company page.

Below are just a few of our Middle East Vacancies

Middle East Jobs and Recruitment for Quantity Surveyors MRICS Quantity Surveyor jobs in the Middle East Saudi

Saudi, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi QS Jobs in the Middle East

Associate Director Job Vacancy Middle East MRICS Cost Consultant Recruitment

You can also find more of our Job Vacancies for MRICS Quantity Surveyors on the RICS Recruit job vacancy website.

Tips on Writing your CV for work in the Middle East – Construction Candidates

Our blog also provides useful information on how to write your CV and writing Tips for Middle East Vacancies.

Salaries offered for Middle East Job Vacancies are discussed in more detail on our separate blog page.