Job Discussion Forums

nielsen · Joined: 30 Oct 2011 Posts: 6

Just a little knowledge please..and please...I'd like to hear from somebody who actually has his feet on the ground in Abu Dhabi.

I have just accepted a job with the UAE Military....I'll be moving there in January.

My question is this...My partner will be joining me and needs some kind of work. He has a few years of EFL experience in Japan and a CELTA cert.
He'll be working on his Ph'd dissertation for the most part..and just needs a part-time job to get some kind of legal status.
I have a decent job and a furnished apartment...so it's not a question of money or anything ..it's just a visa issue.
He's a Danish citizen with an MA (Manchester U.) in Art History.

Any thoughts, advice would be much appreciated...I worked in the Emirates years ago..and I realize things have changed there since the "90's...a lot!

So, I'd love to hear from some people living and working in the UAE... now 2011. I know you're out there!

thanks;
Niel

Sleepwalker · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 454 Location: Reading the screen

Be careful - you would be unwise to move him into your apartment unless you're married. You never know who's watching and reporting.

If you are married, then you can sponsor him.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

I'm suspecting same sex couple here, and the Gulf doesn't recognize same-sex marriages.

VS

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

Also, homosexuality is a crime in most Muslim, including UAE, countries. That's not to say it isn't happening but it is punishable under the law.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Would two men rooming together be considered automatically dodgy there? Our Saudi students in the Netherlands roomed together without apparent shame.....

Obviously I mean so long as no-one makes it clear that they are a couple.

It's Scary! · Joined: 17 Apr 2011 Posts: 823

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

It is all about being very discreet, and taking care to make no enemies of neighbors and work mates.

VS

Shimokitazawa · Joined: 16 Aug 2009 Posts: 458 Location: Saigon, Vietnam

There are a lot of homosexuals working in TEFL, particularly the British Counsel. So, I would infer then that there are homosexual men working int he UAE, also. So I suppose people are doing it.

I also agree that it might be tricky and for sure you would not want to make any enemies at work or in the neighborhood. Because once they put two and two together and have some reason to report you, that may cause you serious grief.

Frankly, going to that part of the world with that kind of lifestyle isn't the wisest decision.

Badar Bin Bada Boom · Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 7:52 am Post subject:

What two Saudi students do in the Netherlands is totally irrelevant. If you have a same-sex "partner" in the UAE then you need to live in separate apartment buildings / villas and just visit each other. Forget about living together. Obviously it's best if both people have jobs in the country.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

nielsen · Joined: 30 Oct 2011 Posts: 6

Sorry guys...

I have been away from the computer for a few days...

Thanks for your in-put..but I am sure we can handle the hard-looks and approbation of our "friends and neighbors". (in my experience..it is usually fellow Western expats who are the most censorious in this regard.).

Anyway.no one answered my question...can my friend Tom get a part-time job in Abu Dhabi?

Advice please!..From somebody with his feet on the ground in the UAE...

n.

Badar Bin Bada Boom · Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 8:16 pm Post subject:

Hard looks and approbations?? What planet are you on, and are you not "listening" to people who've spent a decade in the UAE recently? Neighbors RAT ON YOU and get you jail time, lashes and deportation. Hello!

johnslat · Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 8:44 pm Post subject:

Wiki has a pretty good page:

LGBT rights in United Arab Emirates (short answer: there aren't any)

From the Wiki site:

"The United Arab Emirates includes the Emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras al-Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain, Ajman, Fujairah and Sharjah. Sexual relations outside of a traditional, heterosexual marriage are a crime and punishments range from jail time, fines, deportation, and the death penalty. A person may also face forced hormone treatments which may include chemical castration. Adultery is also a crime, and a person convicted of homosexuality may also face charges of adultery if they have a spouse while having sexual relations with a person of the same-sex.
"Federal Penal Code

Article 354 of the Federal Penal Code states, "Whoever commits rape on a female or sodomy with a male shall be punished by death." While English translations of the Arabic text are in some dispute, it is generally felt that this is a prohibition against rape, and possibly consensual sodomy.

The Federal Penal Code does not replace the legal system of each emirate, unless it is contrary to the federal law, and thus Sharia law remains in place. Hence a person could be charged on this federal penal code, or under a local (emirate) penal code.

Abu Dhabi

Article 80 of the Abu Dhabi Penal Code makes sodomy punishable with imprisonment of up to 14 years. Several news reports have revealed how the law is typically enforced. Cross-dressing would likewise be illegal."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_United_Arab_Emirates

Yup, more than "hard looks and approbation," I'm afraid. In fact, you can forget about the approbation:

"Definition of APPROBATION

1
obsolete : proof
2
a : an act of approving formally or officially
b : commendation, praise"

Regards,
John

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

That is the laws, but the reality is that few are prosecuted. The key is to be aware of the risks and handle yourself accordingly.

And none of us need our feet on the ground to answer your question. Yes, your partner can probably find part-time work in Abu Dhabi. Best chances are in one of the chain language schools that hire people on an hourly basis with no benefits. The problem will be his visa. He will have to do visa runs regularly, which tends to get old rather quickly.

Anyone know how long the tourist visas are these days? Will he have to exit every 30 days?

VS

Badar Bin Bada Boom · Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 10:54 am Post subject:

Thirty days--yes. I make fairly frequent runs to the Emirates and I'm there now, in fact.

Dubai has seen a spate of prosecutions for sexual misbehavior. I wouldn't live with a gf outside of marriage in the UAE because there's always a self-appointed muttawah type nearby unless you're in some high-class condo with mostly foreigners who mind their own business.

Forget about gay couples. They tend to be a quite noisy when whispering sweet nothings--I can hear them three doors down the hallway. Stupid to live together in a country where it's forbidden by law.