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Moving to the Gulf for work — your first 30 days checklist

7 June 2026·4 min read

Your flight from Manila lands at Dubai International at 3 a.m. You have one suitcase, an offer letter on your phone, and a phone number for the company PRO who promised to meet you. Welcome to the start of your Gulf chapter. (If you have not signed yet, read our GCC employment contract guide first.) The first 30 days in any GCC country are a blur of paperwork, queues, and unfamiliar systems. The expats who set themselves up well in the first month tend to settle faster and avoid expensive rookie mistakes. Here is the checklist that experienced expats wish someone had handed them at the airport.

Week 1, survival mode. Get a local SIM on day one. A tourist SIM works for the first month, then upgrade to postpaid once your residency is processed.

Hand your passport to the company PRO.

This is a normal first-week step so the company can process your work permit, medical, and residency. You should get a written acknowledgement. Your passport is returned usually within 2 to 4 weeks after the residency is stamped. Never hand it to anyone other than your registered HR or PRO.

Medical fitness test.

Required across the GCC for residency. Your employer arranges the appointment, usually a blood test, chest X-ray, and screening for communicable diseases. The test is simple but a positive result for certain communicable diseases can lead to deportation, which is a hard reality.

Week 2, residency and Emirates ID or Iqama.

Once your medical is clear, your employer applies for the residency visa. In the UAE this includes the Emirates ID, in Saudi the Iqama, in Qatar the QID. The card takes 1 to 4 weeks to be issued depending on the country and emirate. The Emirates ID, Iqama, or QID becomes your primary identity for everything from banking to renting to upgrading your SIM.

Open your bank account.

You need your residency to open a bank account at most major banks. Bring your passport, residency stamp or Emirates ID, salary certificate from your employer, and proof of address. Major banks include Emirates NBD, ADCB, FAB, Mashreq, HSBC in the UAE; SNB, Al Rajhi, Riyad Bank in Saudi; QNB, QIB, Doha Bank in Qatar. Many now offer digital onboarding.

Week 3, housing if not company-provided.

If your employer is not providing accommodation, Dubai uses Dubizzle, Bayut and Property Finder; Saudi uses Aqar and Sakani; Qatar uses Property Finder and QatarLiving. Sharing is common and budget-friendly for the first year. Never pay a deposit before viewing in person. UAE rent is still mostly by 1 to 4 cheques per year.

Transport setup. Get a public transport card, Dubai's Nol, Riyadh's metro card, Doha Metro card. Check if you can convert your home country driving licence. UAE allows direct conversion from UK, Australia, USA and several others. Otherwise you take the local driving test.

Week 4, settling in and admin wins. Get your salary certificate from HR for rental and banking. Set up utilities, internet and mobile postpaid online (DEWA, SEWA, ADDC apps in UAE, SEC and STC apps in Saudi). Register with your embassy, free and helpful if you ever need consular support.

Understand the weekend and working hours. UAE weekend is Saturday and Sunday since 2022, Friday a half day. Saudi, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait run Friday and Saturday weekends. Working hours typically 8 to 6 with lunch break, reduced during Ramadan.

Get your health insurance card. Your employer is legally required to provide medical insurance in UAE, Saudi and Qatar. Confirm the insurer, the hospital network, and your direct billing eligibility. Carry your insurance card with your residency.

Build a small support network early. Find two or three other expats from your country at your company or building. Join community WhatsApp groups for your nationality and city. Religious centres, embassies, and community pages serve as great information hubs.

Financial hygiene from day one.

Set up a savings habit immediately. Many expats land in the Gulf, get caught up in the lifestyle, and 2 years later have saved nothing. Decide a fixed percentage of your salary, even 20 percent, that goes directly to savings the day it lands. Send remittances on a fixed schedule rather than random transfers, and keep your end-of-service gratuity in mind when planning long-term savings. Compare remittance services like UAE Exchange, Al Ansari, LuLu Exchange, Western Union for the best rates to your home country.

Things you can ignore in the first 30 days. Buying a car, you can manage with public transport and ride-hailing. Buying property, do not rush. Investments and trading accounts, focus on settling first. Long-term insurance products, ignore the salesmen calling you on day one.

The Gulf rewards people who set up their basics right in the first month. Spend the time, follow the checklist, and you will be steady by week 6.

For Gulf job openings and practical settling-in resources, Career Club is free to use from the app home screen, helpful both before and after you arrive.