Finding A Job In Dubai As An American

Americans can find a job in Dubai by updating their LinkedIn account, utilizing the many job listing sites for Dubai, and becoming familiar with what types of jobs are in high demand locally. Because the majority of people in Dubai speak English, Americans shouldn’t worry about a language barrier.

Are you an American who is in the thick of finding a job in Dubai? Are you an American who will be living in Dubai but hasn’t yet started searching for a job? Do you want help knowing where to get started?

This Pacific Prime blog post is perfect for you. As you continue, you’ll read 5 tips about how to find a job in Dubai as an American and a series of lists with dozens of job ideas and their average annual salaries. We’ve gathered the most in-demand jobs in Dubai and English-speaking jobs for Americans.

After finishing this article, be sure to check out our posts about what to expect when living in Dubai and our analysis of the cost of living in Dubai.

If you aren’t yet aware of what the healthcare system in Dubai is like or whether or not the hospitals in Dubai are considered high quality, you’ll want to learn more about these topics as well before you move.

Please reach out to Pacific Prime if you have any questions about this or other posts you read from our blog. We’re happy to help!

Start by Comparing
Insurance Plans Online

Browse and Compare 50,000+
International Health Plans

Compare NOW

How Americans Can Find a Job in Dubai

Americans finding a job in Dubai should become familiar with the local job market, update their LinkedIn account, and apply during peak recruitment season in Dubai. These and other tips will help Americans highlight their unique qualifications for positions available in Dubai.

If you currently live in the United States while hunting for a job in Dubai, you’ll begin your search online. Explore online job portals, get to know what types of jobs are opening up in your given field, and start networking with the 20 companies or so you are most interested in working for.

We also recommend Americans who are moving to Dubai use the following tips when looking for a job in Dubai:

1. Personalize your CV for every application. Make sure you revise your CV to cater to every application to send out. Consider who that employer or company is looking for to fill their vacancy. Highlight your credentials, experiences, training, and skills that make you a great candidate for that specific role.
2. Apply during peak recruitment season. According to Dubai recruiters, January and February are some of the best months in the year to apply for a job in Dubai. Americans will want to optimize their job search by actively searching and applying at the beginning of a year, even extending through May.
3. Search for Dubai jobs through online job portals. Some of the most popular Dubai job search sites include ae.indeed, Gulf Talent, Bayt.com, Dubizzle, LinkedIn, and Naukrigulf.
4. Only apply for what you’re qualified to do. It may be tempting to apply for as many jobs as you can, but recruiters aren’t looking to hire someone for a position they are only partially qualified to fill. With that in mind, be careful to only apply for jobs you feel roughly 80% or more qualified to perform. This will increase your likelihood of being an attractive candidate.
5. Optimize your LinkedIn and social media profiles for Dubai. The majority of Dubai recruiters use LinkedIn, so make sure your profile is updated, comprehensive, and active. Adjust your keywords to frame your interests and qualifications as a future Dubai professional.

In the following sections, we will list dozens of potential jobs Americans can apply for. The average salaries included are from SalaryExplorer.com.

High Demand Jobs in Dubai for Americans

Among the high-demand jobs in Dubai are medical professionals, accountants, cybersecurity professionals, coders, marketing professionals, teachers, and administrators, to name a few. Americans who have skills in any of these fields are in a good position to apply for these highly needed roles.

These are the skills that are in high demand in Dubai:

1. Finances
2. Cybersecurity
3. Coding and Web Development
4. Administration
5. Marketing and Social Media Marketing
6. Language
7. Teaching
8. Personnel Management
9. Medical Services

Our Top Insurance Recommendations for UAE

• Worldwide Coverage (excluding the US)
• Access to Cigna's trusted global network of hospitals and doctors
• 4 Core Insurance Plans

Get a Quote NOW

• World-leading Health Insurance Provider for Expats
• Quick and Efficient Claims Process
• Maximum Plan benefits up
  to USD 5,000,000

Get a Quote NOW

Here is a list of jobs in high demand for Americans in Dubai and their ranges of annual average salaries:

1. Accountant

a. USD $15,500 (AED 57,000) – USD $53,580 (AED 196,800)

2. IT Security Analyst

a. USD $48,000 (AED 175,200) – USD $74,400 (AED 273,600)

3. Web Developer

a. USD $19,800 (AED 72,720) – USD $68,600 (AED 252,000)

4. Elementary or Secondary Education Teacher

a. USD $23,676 (AED 87,000) – USD $103,560 (AED 380,400)

5. Administrative Assistant

a. USD $13,000 (AED 48,000) – USD $37,500 (AED 138,000)

6. Data Entry Specialist

a. USD $6,200 (AED 23,040) – USD $20,000 (AED 73,440)

7. Marketing Specialist

a. USD $21,500 (AED 79,080) – USD $65,000 (AED 238,800)

8. Human Resources

a. USD $16,100 (AED 59,160) – USD $79,000 (AED 290,400)

9. Nurse

a. USD $20,000 (AED 73,320) – USD $57,100 (AED 210,000)

10. Primary Care Physician

a. USD $50,000 (AED 186,000) – USD $161,700 (AED 594,000)

American expats moving to Dubai may be curious to learn whether or not it is cheaper to live in Dubai or the United States, and we’ve got a blog post that talks all about it!

English-Speaking Jobs In Dubai For Americans

Americans who want to find an English-speaking job in Dubai should consider working at the US Embassy or as a nanny, a dentist, or a customer service manager. Keep in mind that nearly 70% of Dubai’s population are other expats, and most of them speak English.

This means there will be a wide array of opportunities to find a job as an English speaker.

To find a job, you should first consider if you want a job that requires you to only speak English or if you have bilingual skills you’d like to use as a necessary aspect of your position. Knowing what you’re looking for will make a big difference as you search for jobs.

Some common languages you may hear in Dubai in addition to English are:

• Arabic
• Hindi
• Gujarati
• Urdu
• Malayalam

Be sure to only apply for jobs that you qualify for, including having the necessary language skills as part of the job description.

Here is a list of English-speaking jobs in Dubai for Americans and their ranges of annual average salaries:

1. Consular Associate at a US Embassy

a. USD $45,290 (AED 166,300) – USD $66,510 (AED 244,300)

2. Fraud Investigator at a US Embassy

a. About USD $53,250 (AED 195,500)

3. Graphic Designer

a. USD $13,500 (AED 49.920) – USD $47,000 (AED 172,800)

4. English Teacher

a. USD $21,000 (AED 77,040) – USD $62,000 (AED 226,800)

5. English-Speaking Live in Nanny

a. USD $9,300 (AED 34,440) – USD $27,600 (AED 101,400)

6. English-Speaking Tour Guide

a. USD $13,300 (AED 49,200) – USD $43,700 (AED 160,800)

7. English-Speaking Driver

a. USD $5,500 (AED 20,520) – USD $17,300 (AED 63,720)

8. Database Administrator

a. USD $24,800 (AED 91,320) – USD $79,000 (AED 290,400)

9. Dentist

a. USD $66,000 (AED 242,400) – USD $194,300 (AED 714,000)

10. Customer Service Manager

a. USD $34,300 (AED 126,000) – USD $112,700 (AED 414,000)

If you’re curious to learn if Americans are paid more in Dubai, read our blog post that tells you!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Americans get a job in Dubai?

Americans are able to get a job in Dubai and work if they qualify for a work visa in the United Arab Emirates. Americans who only speak English also shouldn’t be too concerned about the language barrier because with over 70% of the local population being expats, most businesses speak English.

Is it easy for Americans to get a job in Dubai?

Trying to find a job in Dubai is about the same difficulty level for Americans as it is in the United States. Dubai is a popular place, which makes the market competitive. Americans will want to know which jobs are in high demand so they can see if their skillset makes them attractive to recruiters.

Are there a lot of Americans in Dubai?

There are about 40,000 Americans living in the United Arab Emirates with the majority of them residing in Dubai. US citizens make up a large percentage of the Western population that lives in the UAE.

What types of jobs do Americans get in Dubai?

Americans working in Dubai can find English-speaking jobs such as being a Consular Associate at the US Embassy, a live-in Nanny, an English Language Educator, or a Web Designer. Americans have also found jobs in finance, cybersecurity, and coding.

Is it more affordable to live in Dubai or the US?

It can be 49% more affordable to live in Dubai than in the US. This, of course, depends on where exactly in the United States you are comparing living expenses to and what your personal living preferences are. Dubai is more affordable than New York, Miami, and Las Vegas.

Our Top Insurance Recommendations for UAE

• Worldwide Coverage (excluding the US)
• Access to Cigna's trusted global network of hospitals and doctors
• 4 Core Insurance Plans

Get a Quote NOW

• World-leading Health Insurance Provider for Expats
• Quick and Efficient Claims Process
• Maximum Plan benefits up
  to USD 5,000,000

Get a Quote NOW

Conclusion

From IT to marketing to healthcare, there are plenty of available positions for Americans to find a job in Dubai. In fact, as you search for a job and get excited to begin a new life in the United Arab Emirates, expats will want to consider the best places to live in the UAE so they can secure a job in the best city.

Expats moving to Dubai should also read our articles Finding a Job in Dubai as a Canadian, Living in Dubai as an Expat, and Moving to Dubai – A Comprehensive Guide.

Do you know what happens if you don’t have medical insurance in Dubai? Well, there’s a law that requires all residents of Dubai to have an insurance policy that meets the law’s minimum requirements. Pacific Prime is here to support you as you pick your policy, your provider, and your benefits.

Contact us to learn about the best Dubai providers and compare quotes online by yourself. Our free insurance quote generator is a unique resource we are proud to share with the public. It grants you the ability to see dozens of insurance providers and their plans side by side. Give it a try!

• Author
• Recent Posts

Serena Fung

Head of Content at Pacific Prime

Serena Fung is the Head of Content at Pacific Prime, a global insurance brokerage and employee specialist serving over 1.5 million clients in 15 offices across the world. With 6+ years of experience writing about the subject, she aims to demystify the world of insurance for readers with the latest updates, guides and articles on the blog.

Serena earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Canada. As such, she is an avid advocate of mental health and is fascinated by all things psychology (especially if it’s cognitive psychology!).

Her previous work experience includes teaching toddlers to read, writing for a travel/wellness online magazine, and then a business news blog. These combined experiences give her the skills and insights she needs to explain complex ideas in a succinct way. Being the daughter of an immigrant and a traveler herself, she is passionate about educating expats and digital nomads on travel and international health insurance.

Latest posts by Serena Fung (see all)

• Health Insurance for Newly Approved Green Card Holders - October 8, 2024
• Health Insurance for Green Card-Holding Parents - October 8, 2024
• Senior Green Card Holders’ Health Insurance - October 8, 2024