How Gulf healthcare packages are structured
A Gulf job offer rarely looks like a payslip back home. Understanding how the package fits together will help you compare offers fairly.
The usual components
- Basic salary. This matters because end-of-service benefits are usually calculated on it.
- Housing. Provided accommodation or a cash allowance.
- Transport allowance. Common in the UAE.
- Annual flights home, sometimes including family.
- Medical insurance.
- End-of-service gratuity, earned over your length of service.
- Annual leave, often more generous than in many other countries.
Tax
The UAE and Saudi Arabia don’t levy personal income tax on employment income. Your tax position in your home country depends on your residence status, so take independent advice before you move.
Comparing offers
Look at the total annual value and what’s included in kind, not just the monthly figure. We’ll help you make a like-for-like comparison.