Introduction: A New Playground for the Wi-Fi Warriors:
It’s 7.00 pm sharp on the local time in Dubai. Ron walks into the classy, futuristic Dubai Festival City Mall and sits on the balcony of the top floor. He glances towards the vast, windswept, sprawling Dubai horizon in front of him where he can observe the faint glow of the twilight kissing and merging into Dubai’s skyline in a brilliant, evocative manner. He now logs into his laptop to attend a meeting in New York. It’s 11:00 AM in New York (Eastern Standard Time, EST) already.
Didn’t you feel transported even if for a fleeting moment or two to the imaginary panoramic view of the Dubai skyline by the situation described in the introductory paragraph? Well, if you do, you are not the first one because that is how a working day in Dubai will look like if you choose to migrate to this place as a remote worker.
“Freedom is the new currency, and remote work lets you earn it daily.”
Spurred by the catalytic events of the pandemic, the oft-neglected work-life balance is now up for a serious and radical redefining. The pandemic has triggered a fresh appraisal of work and family life in a completely new rainbow of light and made us all stop for a moment.
The word flexibility has now assumed paramount importance in the parlance of every job seeker and job hunter alike. Dubai, for a plethora of positives, has steadily emerged as a global hub of remote workers. Connecting the trifecta of Asia, Africa, and the European continent, Dubai is poised beautifully to cater to the varying work demands of the three most important continents of the globe.
Dubai: A Jet-Setter’s Office Space with a View:
It’s no wonder that Dubai’s steady rise as a premier remote work destination across the globe is solidly founded on an array of reasons. Dubai has positioned himself in a good enough manner in Mercer’s Quality of Living Survey 2023. However, this has not been an accidental inclusion. Dubai has worked on several factors to come to this ranking.
In another survey by the property consultancy firm Savills, Dubai has ranked as the first place to reside and work, especially for the globetrotting, jet setters known by the more affable moniker of remote workers in its 2023 executive nomad index. So, what are the positives that Dubai offers to the band of remote workers that have made it the hotspot location for remote work?
- Tax-free income
- High-speed internet
- Vibrant lifestyle
- Safe and secure environment
- Business-friendly environment
- Strategic location
- Modern infrastructure
- Favourable visa policies
- High quality of life
The contagion has necessitated a paradigm change in the list of priorities for both employers and employees alike. And one of the criteria of the “new normal” is the oft-neglected factor of flexible workspace. Buoyed by a Cushman & Wakefield survey that let us see the importance of flexibility in the workspace in a completely new light, Dubai comes up with several co-working workspaces that offer more than what meets the eye.
Here’s the list of the first five co-working spaces in Dubai that offer energy, diversity, and productivity-inducing office space. These co-working spaces that welcome the start-ups as well as the established businesses are:
Many of these co-working office spaces offer various fringe benefits like printer, scanner, cleaning service, complimentary coffee, pantry items, pet access, recreational games, outdoor space, wellness room, mother’s room, and parking among other things.
The One-Way Ticket to Visa Freedom:
Dubai offers the Digital Nomad Visa to all eligible remote workers coming to this wonderland in connection with remote work. The specifics of the Digital Nomad Visa are these:
- Eligibility: Remote workers, freelancers, and business owners
- Minimum Income: $3,500 monthly income
- Visa Duration: 1 year, renewable
- Dependents: Allowed
- Work Restrictions: Cannot work for UAE-based companies or conduct business within the UAE
- Requirements: Passport, health insurance, proof of income, bank statements
- Application Process: Online
- Fees: Visa fees and processing fees
- Benefits: Tax-free income, high-speed internet, vibrant lifestyle, and more
Residing in Dubai can be an exceptional experience. Dubai is exotic and exciting in equal measure. The city has a rich lifestyle, equally complemented by various spots of recreation and creativity that can work as a stimulus to your work. However, the cost of living can be a bit high for anyone starting there.
Finding affordable apartments can be a challenge and a one-bedroom apartment can cost approximately USD 22,000-323,000 per annum. Neighbourhoods like Al Quoz, International City, and Dubai Sports City can provide you with relatively affordable options. Furthermore, you can diversify your efforts with various online real-estate portals like PropertyFinder and Bayut.
Co-working Spaces, Coffee, and ‘Collab-mania’:
The world of technology is a hot and happening domain with evolving know-how in a myriad of areas constantly creating new brush strokes on this big canvas of technology. If you do not attend those tech meetups and conferences you will be lagging in the digital race to remain relevant. These opportunities are more than just socializing or networking.
These events offer a goldmine of connections that can facilitate your next move up the professional ladder. Not only many tech openings are filled through such connections but you also get a chance to rub your shoulders with all those who are busy in orchestrating the next big move in your tech niche.
Dubai offers many such tech meets and networking events and they are an absolute must-visit if you want to further your cause in this race and make it big. Such meets are:
- Step Conference
- ArabNet Digital Summit
- Dubai Tech Week
- AI Everything
- Future Blockchain Summit
- EmTech MENA
- GISEC – Gulf Information Security Expo & Conference
- The Big 5 Digital Festival
- Dubai World Trade Centre IT Expo
Attending a tech meet like these above ones is not only just listening to the whispers of the future but also taking an active part in shaping it.
Desert Days, Beachy Vibes, and Sky-High Office Breaks:
Dubai offers a multitude of recreational activities like camel rides, desert safaris, or visiting Burj Khalifa for example. You can always relax and soothe your tight nerves around places like restaurants, beaches, and supermalls.
Furthermore, Dubai is almost a central place to three continents Asia, Africa, and Europe. So, you can always pack your bags and land in places like Maldives or Oman.
From Souks to Sushi: The Culture Buffet:
Dubai is home to over 200 nationalities which should sound interesting to anyone who has an open mind and attitude especially one who likes to socialize and hobnob with the local communities. This is such a wondrous cultural melting pot of local and international cultures that you get a superb opportunity to enrich yourself with exotic, grotesque anecdotes and events that leave a lasting impression on you.
Dubai has a rich standard in matters of culinary tastes and many restaurants in Dubai boast of Michelin-starred chefs to delight and salivate your taste buds with some absolute lip-smacking cuisines at the weekends or any private soiree.
Besides local cuisines in Dubai are a wonderful extension of the authentic Emirati experience that money cannot buy. It offers a delectable and immersive dip into the local foods and the captivating Bedouin backdrop of those foods. Also, there are a lot of fairs like the Dubai Shopping Festival and Gulfood Fair which occur annually.
Conclusion:
So, in a nutshell, Dubai presents a very compelling offer that you can’t refuse. It is strategically located at the heart of the globe which lends it a beautiful centrality in terms of access. It is a hub of many technology-related events and affairs that should keep you busy. And then there is the lifestyle perk that nobody can remain immune from.
If you are planning to shift to Dubai anytime soon, Dubai will be ready for you always with its virtual reality tours that can sweep you off your feet even before you have moved an inch from your hometown. So, why delay further? Get set, pack your bags, and fly off to Dubai!!
