Work visa: no sponsor, no contract
In the UAE you cannot arrive and look for work on your own: the work residence visa is processed by the company that hires you. Without a sponsor, you can only enter as a tourist, and that does not allow you to work or open a bank account.
The alternative for self-employed people and entrepreneurs is to set up your own company in a free zone or mainland and obtain the investor visa, which includes residence for you and your family. This is the route used by many Spaniards who relocate on their own.
Salaries and cost of living
There is no legal minimum wage in Dubai: the market sets salaries, and for qualified expatriates they tend to be high. The package often includes housing, medical insurance and flights, on top of the base salary.
The cost of living, especially rent and schools, is high. Negotiate accommodation or a housing allowance, because it is the item that most affects how much you have left each month.
Taxation: 0% personal income tax
There is no personal income tax in the UAE: your gross salary arrives in full in your account. There is also no tax on dividends or wealth. VAT is 5% and is paid on consumption.
What you must monitor is your residence: if you stay outside Spain for more than 183 days and establish residence in the UAE, you stop paying tax in Spain on your worldwide income. There is a double taxation treaty between Spain and the Emirates, but the tax move must be planned carefully.
Payroll in the UAE: WPS
Salary must be paid through the WPS (Wage Protection System), which verifies that the company pays on time and by bank transfer. There is no Social Security for expatriates: instead, the company pays an end-of-service gratuity when the contract ends.
That gratuity is equivalent to about 21 days' salary for each year worked during the first five years. It is an item to take into account if you change jobs or return to Spain.
How to look for work from Spain
Expatriate job offers move through LinkedIn, local portals and recruiters. The sectors with the highest demand for Spanish profiles are technology, finance, logistics, hospitality and customer service.
Before accepting, confirm who covers the visa, accommodation and health insurance. An offer without housing or insurance loses much of its appeal once you calculate the real cost of living.
