Remote Working for a UAE-based Employer
If you’ve got a cushy and flexible job in the UAE, why not jump on the remote working bandwagon? Better yet – do it from overseas. Whether you are to be back in your home country or to another country of your choice, working remotely from overseas gives you much-needed freedom and flexibility.
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In this Pacific Prime Dubai article, we’ll outline the three essential factors you need to consider: getting paid, paying taxes, and, of course, staying healthy. You then can make a better decision in whether or not you want to take up a position in a UAE-based company.
Further reading: If you’re in a reverse situation and have an overseas employer, find out about the remote work visa in the UAE and how to apply to work remotely.
Getting Paid: Can You Keep Your UAE Bank Account?
Fortunately, the answer is yes. You can continue getting paid by a UAE employer through a local bank. Many UAE banks offer a ‘non-resident bank account’. You can either change your savings or current account to a non-resident account with the same bank or apply for one with another.
It’s advisable to shop around as the requirements for a non-resident account can vary on the documents needed to apply or the minimum balance to be maintained. You should aim to find one that you’re eligible for or one that’s in line with your budgetary requirements. You’ll need to be present in the UAE to open a non-resident account and the documents you’ll need depend on residency and intentions of travel. It should take one to two weeks for your documents to be cross-examined with international security databases and for your account to be opened.
Here is a comprehensive list of the documents that you may need:
- Passport copy and UAE entry page
- Proof of residence in your home country
- Bank reference letter from your bank in your country of origin or anywhere in the world (may vary)
- Bank statements from your bank in your country of origin or anywhere in the world (may vary)
- Documents that prove why you need to open a UAE non-resident bank account (may be necessary)
- Information on the source of incoming funds.
- CV (may be necessary)
Note: If the documents from overseas aren’t in English, you’ll also need to translate them to English.
Paying Taxes: Do You Need to Pay Tax in Your Country of Residence?
One of the advantages of living and working in the UAE is that there are no income taxes levied on foreigners thanks to their unique taxation system. With that said, you’ll be ending your tax residency when you leave the UAE.
After a grace period, which varies depending on your target country, you’ll become a tax-paying resident of said country and will have to comply with all their taxation rules. As such, it’s important for you to look into this matter prior to moving and decide whether or not the move is feasible.
Note: If you’re moving from one tax-paying country to another, you may be able to check if there is a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) to claim the credit for taxes paid in the other country. Nevertheless, this doesn’t apply when moving out of the UAE as it isn’t a tax-paying country.
Staying Healthy: Should You Get Health Insurance?
As your UAE employer may cease to provide you with health insurance when you leave the country, it’s a good idea to check whether or not you’ll have access to adequate healthcare services in the country you’re moving to.
It might be worth securing an international health insurance plan anyways to receive the best healthcare anywhere in the world. Then you can skip the long queues associated with public hospitals, and not have to worry about footing sky-high medical bills yourself.
Get In Touch with Pacific Prime Dubai
If you’re not sure where to begin, you’ve come to the right place! As a global health insurance brokerage, Pacific Prime Dubai has over two decades of experience helping individuals from all walks of life secure the right coverage for their needs and budget.
We partnered with trusted insurance providers to offer international health insurance and many other types of health insurance. Our expert advisors can surely give you unbiased advice, a tailored plan comparison, and a free quote!
Contact us today!
With over 5 years of experience in the field, Suphanida spends the majority of her day synthesizing complex pieces of insurance-related information and translating this into easy-to-understand, engaging, and effective content across a variety of media such as articles, infographics, whitepapers, videos, and more.
Suphanida is also responsible for planning and publishing three whitepapers released annually by Pacific Prime: The State of Health Insurance Report, The Cost of Health Insurance Report, and The Global Employee Benefits Trends Report. Additionally, she handles the LinkedIn profiles of Pacific Prime’s Founder and CEO, as well as Global HR Lead.
Suphanida’s strengths lie in her strong research and analytical skills, which she has gained from her BA in Politics from the University of Warwick and Erasmus Mundus Joint MA in Journalism from Aarhus University and City, University of London.
Being of Thai-Indian origin and having lived, studied, and worked in Thailand, the UK, and Denmark, Suphanida also has a unique, multicultural perspective that helps her understand the struggles of expats and globetrotters.
Outside of work, she enjoys traveling to new places and immersing herself in different cultures.
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