Some expatriates, or expats, find this concept difficult to deal with as we're accustomed to a different mindset. However, I'm surprisingly looking forward to a slower paced lifestyle. The one thing I'm going to have to adjust to are the delays with governmental stuff. For example, beginning January 1, 2016, the United Arab Emirates had a new law regarding work visas for expats go into effect.
Read about that here: http://www.balglobal.com/News/News/Details/tabid/1136/id/4931/categoryId/56/language/en-US/UNITED-ARAB-EMIRATES-Jan-21-2016-New-law-causes-work-permit-delays.aspx
What does that mean exactly? Well, here's an example. There are about 150 people who were supposed to leave for Abu Dhabi in JANUARY 2016. Yes, you read that correctly. Though delays are the norm, delays that long are not. Well, many reported in the recent weeks that they have received an email stating they they would not leave until August 2016! ARRGGHH! Now, what makes this difficult, is that these people have been without a job since last December. By the time they actually leave, they will have been out of work for 8 months. YIKES!
Luckily, it seems the government is working on a solution to the problem faced by the companies hiring expats as well as the expats themselves.
Read about that here: http://www.balglobal.com/News/News/Details/tabid/1136/id/4999/categoryId/56/language/en-US/UNITED-ARAB-EMIRATES-Feb-22-2016-In-country-process-available-for-work-permit-applicants.aspx
How does this affect Kevin and I? Well, our expected departure date is August/September 2016, but we're preparing for delays just in case. My research shows that in previous years most people were in Abu Dhabi by the end of October, beginning of November. However, the latest I've read about is the end of November. Either way, we have plans in place for survival. I'll be a substitute teacher since I will have to give notice at my current teaching post. Our apartment lease is up at the end of August; so we should be okay. But, if not, we're going to move in with someone. So don't everyone offer us their spare room all at once. LOL.
Until next time...
Insha'allah!
Ashley
Okay so I will also be going to work for ADEC in August and I have started to panic reading this. How common is it for people to not leave on time?
ReplyDeleteCatherine from what I've read delays happen every year. Someone in one of the fb groups said you have a 70-75% chanee of leaving on time. Well those are good is but I would much rather know that being delayed is a possibility and be prepared than to not know and be up the creek without a paddle.
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