People all over the world move to Dubai for its quality of living, security, vibrant fun, zero taxes, and plentiful job opportunities. If you want to join the 40,000 Americans living in Dubai, you need to make sure you can sustain the lifestyle (Warning: Dubai is great, but it’s pretty expensive).
“But what if I didn’t finish college? Can I get a job in Dubai without a degree?” I’m here to answer this question for you. Plus, I’ll go over the best high-paying job opportunities that you can land, as well as help you stand out even without a degree. Let’s go!
Can I Get a Job in Dubai Without a Degree?
Here’s what you should know: Dubai recruiters are more interested in qualifications than degrees. So yes, you can get a job in Dubai without a degree. If you can prove that you are the best for the job, with the right skills and experience, it shouldn’t matter.
Someone in Quora who has been working in Dubai for 10 years said this, “I have come across so many people who are very successful in their careers who initially never had degrees. The idea is to keep a good approach, hard work, commitment and wait for the right opportunity.”
However, if you’re looking for a job without finishing college, you can’t expect high degree and white-collar jobs. Most of the time, these types of jobs seek out college graduates.
The bottom line: You can get a job in Dubai without a degree, but you usually can’t barge into the higher paying “white collar jobs” (unless you’re extremely skilled and experienced and can prove that).
Read More: How to Get a Job in Dubai From USA – Your Ultimate Guide
The 12 Highest-Paying Jobs Without a Degree in Dubai
Here are 12 of the highest paying jobs in Dubai without a degree:
- Technical electrician
- Security guard
- Call center agent
- Cashier
- Taxi driver
- Salesman
- Packing helper
- Receptionist
- Room attendant or housekeeping
- Airport Loader
- Waiter or waitress
- Fuel pump attendant
NOTE: The salaries that I will mention here are only average salary ranges. This will change depending on the company you work for, your experience, the location, and the growing Dubai job market.
1. Technical electrician
Remember, Dubai is a very vibrant city. And I mean in both ways, lively and bright. As more buildings are built, and more tourists flock in, the need for electricians is very high.
If you have the skills and work experience, you can easily find technical electrician jobs in various places, including hospitals, schools, shopping malls, stores, companies, and homes. Yes, even without a college degree.
As of November 2023, the average salary of a technical electrician in Dubai is AED 7,700 (around $2,000) a month. This is good enough to build a life in Dubai.
Read More: When Is the Best Time to Search for a Job in Dubai?
2. Security guard
Here’s a job that’s a bit more difficult to land without a degree. However, it’s not impossible. If you can prove that you’re physically fit, have a clean criminal background record (required), and can protect people and properties, you should be able to become a security guard. For your dedication to protecting people from theft and illegal activity, you can earn a feasible sum of AED 7,160 ($1,950) a month.
3. Call center agent
Call center companies are rampant in Dubai. Lots of these companies are in the kind of job fields related to telecommunication, hospitality, finance, technology, and more. Dubai isn’t a major business hub for nothing.
If you’re English is 10-10, you have good communication skills and have relevant knowledge and experience about the industry, you should be able to land a job with one of these companies. The expected salary can be anywhere from AED 4,500 to AED 7,000 ($1,225 to $1,905) a month.
4. Cashier
Cashier jobs in Dubai are always in high demand. This is because more and more retail stores, fast-food restaurants, shopping malls, and supermarkets are popping up.
Although you don’t need a degree, it’s highly important that you always pay close attention to the task. Yes, counting money is easy enough. But if you make a mistake, that can be costly to the establishment you’re working in.
As a cashier, you can earn around AED 7,000 ($1,905) a month.
5. Taxi driver
Unlike in some parts of the world, taxi drivers actually earn a decent amount in Dubai. You’ll be able to manage in this expensive city (though you might have to stick to a tight budget). The average salary is AED 6,020 ($1,639) a month.
If you want to go down this path, you have to meet the requirements set by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). Some of these requirements include:
- Be at least 21 years old
- Secure a residency visa
- Hold a UAE driver’s license (it’s easy to get one if you have a US driver’s license)
- Pass the foundation training course and test
- And more!
You’ll be happy to know that Dubai Taxi Corporation hires taxi drivers that are from different countries. You can even upgrade to a limousine driver in the future (just make sure to research the requirements).
Read More: Is It Easy to Find a Job in UAE?
6. Salesman
If you’re someone who can easily persuade people to do things, then a salesman is a great job in Dubai which requires no college degree. Of course, that goes without saying that you need to be honest and sincere, and have good knowledge about marketing strategy for selling.
You can earn quite big if you’re able to sell many products. The base salary comes up to around AED 2,000-4,000 (around $500 to $1,000) a month. Remember, this is the base earnings, you can earn a lot more (around AED 12,000) if you’re a brilliant salesman.
7. Packing helper
Many companies and factories are always in need of more hands, thus they are willing to hire anyone willing to take the job. I just have to warn you. Packing helper is one of the jobs that’s loaded with labor and work pressure. But that comes at a good price. You can expect a pretty decent monthly salary of around AED 3,442 ($937).
8. Receptionist
You can work in Dubai in a lot of hospitality and service sectors even if you haven’t completed college. One of these is a receptionist. You just need to have relevant experience, skills, and the right personality for the role.
If you’re able to land a job at a restaurant or hotel, expect to earn around AED 3,266 ($889) a month. This is a bit low for the standards of Dubai, but it’s manageable if you set a tight budget.
9. Room attendant or housekeeping
Room attendant and housekeeping are entry-level jobs. You should be able to secure a job without a college degree. It doesn’t even require a high school diploma degree.
This is because this job doesn’t need any technical skills or experience. As long as you know how to do basic cleaning, you’re good to go. If you’re good at dusting all the assigned rooms very quickly and effectively, you’ll be even more valued.
Your salary will depend on whether you work for a private home, hotel, or hospital. On average, though, room attendants and housekeepers in Dubai earn at least AED 2,400 to AED 3,600 ($653 to $980) a month. Some of the richest families are willing to pay even more for a housekeeper.
10. Airport loader
As more and more people flock to Dubai, you can expect the airport to be a very busy place. Fun fact: The Dubai International Airport is known as one of the world’s busiest airports. So there’s no end of airport loader jobs in Dubai to get. If you’re able to land a job as an airport loader, you can earn AED 2,973 ($809) a month.
11. Waiter or waitress
Since waiters/waitresses don’t need any technical skills, you can find a job as a waiter without a college degree. OK, you might not be the first choice for fancy restaurants and hotels. But it’ll be easy enough to get hired in other restaurants.
Your salary as a waiter/waitress will heavily depend on the restaurant you work in. You also need to take into consideration the generous tips that Dubai residents tend to hand out when satisfied. Someone from Quora said this, “You can expect anything from AED 750 to 1500 plus Food, Accommodation, and transportation (from home to work) for an ordinary restaurant.”
12. Fuel pump attendant
This is probably the most entry-level job. No skill or experience is needed to pump fuel into vehicles. This is why this is a job you can get without a college degree. Reputable petrol stations in Dubai, such as ENOC and ADNOC, are always looking to hire more help (yes, even foreign help). You can also find jobs with Al-Futtaim Logistics.
The worker salaries of fuel companies will depend. In ENOC, the average monthly salary of a fuel pump attendant is AED 1,900 to AED 2,000 ($517 to $544).
How to Get a Job in Dubai Without a Degree
“Can I get a job in Dubai without a degree?” Yes, but it’s not going to be a walk in the park. You need to find ways to stand out. Here are some ways to secure a job even if you don’t have a degree:
- Gain work experience. Remember, Dubai recruiters and hiring managers prioritize experience over degrees. So it’s a good idea to get some work experience in the industry you’re interested in. You can even join paid internships.
- Improve and add skills to your arsenal. If you have the right skills for the job, then whether you have a degree or not won’t be a problem. This is why it’s highly crucial to improve your industry skills, as well as gain some other soft skills and hard skills.
- Tailor your resume and cover letter. Never send out a vague and general resume and cover letter. You need to prove that you have the specific skills and experience the recruiter is looking for. So always read a job description carefully, highlight the areas where you excel, talk about your relevant accomplishments, etc.
- Apply at the right time. If you time your application submission during the “active” job market months (January to February), you’ll be able to find work more quickly.
- Choose the right jobs. If you apply for a job that you have zero skills or experience in (and without a degree, too), you can just move on to the next one. You won’t get hired. This is why only apply to the jobs where you know you can excel in. This will give you a better chance of landing your dream job.
- Be patient. Don’t expect companies to answer your application right away. Give it around 3 to 6 months before you can land a good job. Don’t get discouraged. Keep applying for the jobs that match your skillset and experience.
Final Words
‘Can I get a job in Dubai without a degree?” Yes, you can! However, don’t expect it to be a high-earning, “white collar” job. That said, you can still find decent jobs in many different industries that will pay you enough to live in the city of Dubai.
To get these “no degree” jobs, you still have to work your way to gain as many skills and experience as possible. You should also tailor your resume and cover letter, apply at the right time, choose only the right job for you, and BE PATIENT. Good luck!
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