Once considered an unimaginable place to shift to for most of the people, Dubai has fast become another home in the eyes of many around the world, especially Australians. Its very pro-remote work approach and innovative digital space have, in effect, become a hub of creativity and new ideas. The availability of a remote-working visa has attracted professionals to Dubai and also helped it become a preferred destination for digital nomads on the global map.
Dubai: A Brief Overview
Dubai is amongst the most luxurious cities in the world, found in the United Arab Emirates, with wonderful architecture. Dubai is, in effect, a hub of digital nomads, as innumerable informal facilities, great infrastructural provision, and a high-profile life bring the city closer to being good for business.
Spaces like coworking spaces, cafés, and other work-friendly amenities are both available and in plenty for the digital nomad working in Dubai. Among those coworking spaces, some popular ones include The Cribb, AstroLabs, and Impact Hub Dubai—all of which provide high-speed internet and comfortable seating, among other facilities.
Additionally, the city is endowed with a remarkable culture and exciting entertainment. World-class restaurants, shopping malls, and tourist attractions like the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall make the city a wonder to visit.
Tourists can entertain themselves with diving, fishing, exploring historic places, etc. Casual visitors can travel to this city with business infrastructure, modern facilities, and a confined culture to inspire remote workers to work in literally any place around the world.
Why Dubai Attracts Digital Nomads
Dubai is one of the most attractive destinations for digital nomads in search of new adventures. With more and more Australians preferring Dubai as their remote work base, the business culture and infrastructure are ideal.
Connectivity and Tech Infrastructure
Dubai has some of the best technological infrastructures, therefore making it one of the choicest locations for Australian digital nomads. This place enjoys excellent internet connectivity, advanced coworking spaces, and modern conference facilities making work uninterrupted and effective from a remote location.
Business-Friendly Environment
Dubai houses a business-friendly environment, and that is the reason why it attracts Australian digital nomads. The city offers a tax-free income, a stable economy, and a supportive environment for startups and entrepreneurs. The strategic location of Dubai makes easy access to key markets in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, which makes it a perfect hub for business expansion internationally.
Lifestyle and Leisure Opportunities
Dubai comes with umpteen lifestyle and leisure opportunities, which makes Australian digital nomads consider this place. The city is a nightlife hub, a paradise for shopping, and offers other indulgences along with a rich cultural heritage. Furthermore, Dubai has a warm climate with beautiful beaches, which provide the backdrop for outdoor fun.
Settling in Dubai
The first thing that a digital nomad from Australia must consider is the visa requirement to be in Dubai. Luckily, Dubai provides different types of visas to allow the Australian digital nomad to stay in Dubai for a predetermined amount of time.
The most common type of visa is the UAE Remote Work Visa, which allows them to stay for up to one year and work full time. In addition, a visa provides the digital nomad access to all the critical amenities like health, banking, and education.
When in Dubai, the Australian digital nomads can get the following types of accommodations: serviced apartments, hotels, and co-living spaces. When choosing a place, the smart decision is to pick one located near the city's business districts and have access to public transportation.
In addition, there are various coworking spaces that are available. These have features like unlimited high-speed internet, meeting rooms, and other various necessary amenities in aiding the digital nomads in working efficiently.
In terms of health, Dubai has some of the best health facilities in the region. There exist public and private hospitals that are committed to the provision of quality healthcare. Health insurance from diverse providers can be made to be quite affordable for the digital nomads.
Work-Life Balance in Dubai
Entertainment and Dining
Dubai provides a variety of entertainment and dining opportunities, from high-end restaurants to street food markets. Australian digital nomads will love the nightlife in Dubai, where they are full of tall bars, clubs, and lounges. It offers a lot of cultural events and festivals during the year, giving appropriate opportunities for Australian digital nomads to socialize. The only drawback is that you will not find any casino in Dubai, the exact opposite of most bars in Australia, which welcome relaxed individuals playing lucrative games with the best casino bonuses in Australia.
Outdoor Activities
Dubai is a city that provides many outdoor activities for the digital nomad who adores an active lifestyle and exploration. Enjoy jogging, cycling, swimming, and even water sports in the many parks, beaches, and open sporting facilities in the city. A digital nomad may even use the warmth of the place by skydiving and dune bashing. You can go desert riding on camels and sandboarding in Dubai too.
Networking Events
Dubai is a city of business and entrepreneurship, allowing Australian digital nomads the opportunity to network with other similar professional personalities. A large number of networking events, business conferences, and workshops are distributed throughout the year, offering several networking occasions for a digital nomad to interact with other professionals and become familiar with the new trends and updates in various fields.
Challenges and Considerations
Cultural Sensitivity and Adaptation
Dubai is a city with a multicultural base. Australian digital nomads will hence be required to adapt and adopt the political sensitivity of the Duluxians to avoid confrontation and culture shock situations.
For example, in public places such as shopping malls and mosques, it is undesirable to dress indecently. Additionally, only licensed places are allowed to sell alcohol, and public displays of affection are intolerable. Adaptation to the local customs will keep the Australian digital nomads away from conflict situations and ensure their stay is enjoyable.
Cost of Living
Dubai is an expensive city for Australian digital nomads. However, this cost of living can be harmonized. For example, the digital nomads will opt for shared rooms or less costly apartments.
They are also expected to use the cheapest modes of transport and shop at the local markets for groceries and foods and do their cooking. More importantly, they will use public transport to avoid costly taxi services.
Healthcare and Insurance
Dubai has a great healthcare system, although it is very expensive if you do not have insurance. Therefore, this paper recommends that, prior to visiting Dubai, all Australian digital nomads should have bought a comprehensive health insurance policy. This will allow them to cushion the cost that comes with the requirement of medical treatment at any one time. In addition, they should carry a copy of their insurance and emergency contacts at all times with them.
In conclusion, Dubai offers several benefits for Australian digital nomads; however, heed should be taken to the challenges and considerations before starting the journey. By keeping cultural respect, managing the cost of living, and being covered by comprehensive health insurance, the Australian digital nomad will have no problem enjoying his time in Dubai.
Images credit: Shutterstock
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