Insights: General
Cultural awareness, expat life and practical guides for anyone building a life or career in the Middle East.
Latest Articles
United Arab Emirates: New Visa Application Process Requires Appearance at Typing Center
The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA) has introduced a new electronic system for submission of visa applications which requires the foreign employee to appear at one of approximately 600 approved typing centers in Dubai, but eliminates the need for multiple appearances at a GDRFA branch. Most entry permits for visitors
Hospitality firm Louvre plans 40 budget hotel in MENA by 2021
Louvre Hotels Group has announced plans to expand its presence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) by opening 40 budget and economy hotels over the next five years. Driving the group’s expansion in the region will be two of its fastest-growing brands – Première Classe and Campanile, said Rami Moukarzel, vice president –
Boutique developer reveals plan to build 2,200 Dubai homes
Ellington Properties, a boutique property development company, on Wednesday announced plans to build more than 2,200 residential units including apartments, townhouses and villas, in Dubai. The company, jointly set up by industry veterans and joint managing directors Robert Booth and Joseph Thomas, has announced a pipeline of 14 residential projects for the emirate. Ellington said
Kuwait strike boosts oil despite failure of Doha talks
Kuwait strike boosts oil despite failure of Doha talks Oil prices rebounded on world markets on Tuesday after a plunge caused by the failure of Opec and other producing nations, including Russia, to agree to a deal to freeze output at a meeting on Sunday in Doha. The main reason for Tuesday’s price recovery appeared
Teamwork: What does it mean for managers?
The picture of the modern office is becoming one composed of teams. It seems that the ladder system of individuals reporting to the next higher authority is going the way of the flip phone. Replacing it are semi-independent teams that interact with one another, only occasionally reporting to management at key milestones. In that scenario,
April 20, 2016
Read more about Teamwork: What does it mean for managers?
Dubai rents fall further on increased supply
Dubai: Housing rents in Dubai fell further during the first three months of the year as more residential units were delivered and property market conditions continued to soften, a leading real estate broker said. Property analysts, however, said that the rental decline is moving at a slower pace as the market moves closer to
April 20, 2016
Read more about Dubai rents fall further on increased supply
Dubai continues to remain a rental market
Dubai: Build, sell and then build some more – Dubai’s developers have stuck to this simple formula through every turn of the market cycle. Only rarely have they made a foray into creating rental properties, and mostly done by government-owned developers. For a private developer to do so was unheard of. It’s a fact that
April 20, 2016
Read more about Dubai continues to remain a rental market
Expat Employment for International Businesses
Global expansion can be a tedious process, many times companies turn to “expat employment” in their target country to have a sense of familiarity and security. This is a very common practice for companies to send existing employees to oversee the new operations. As we have discussed before in this Post, hiring an expat is not
Saudi construction industry to reach $148bn in 2020
The outlook for Saudi Arabian construction remains bright as the industry’s output value is forecast to rise at a CAGR of 7.05 per cent by 2020, compared with 6.35 per cent during the review period (2011-2015). However, low oil prices present major downside risks to the forecast. According to a report from Timetric’s Construction Intelligence
Have a question about the Middle East?
Our advisors are available to discuss your business setup, immigration or relocation requirements across the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
