13 minute read
A Dream Location
For Irish expats, living in the United Arab Emirates is an experience like no other. Home to a wide range of nationalities, a nightlife to rival London or New York and zero income tax, the Gulf nation has plenty to offer.
There’s plenty to recommend about living in a country where the sky is always blue with vast stretches of sand, including the wonderfully named Empty Quarter (Rub’ al Khali), the largest continuous sand desert in the world.
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While the UAE’s population is around 10 million, more than 88% of residents come from overseas (United Nations, 2018). Because of its diverse population, the UAE is home to all the international dishes you’d expect to find in a big city, including Indian, Italian, French and Japanese, and also serves up incredible Middle Eastern cooking. Immerse yourself in the Abu Dhabi and Dubai lifestyle and see what authentic falafel, curry and hummus really taste like.
There are many bonus features when it comes to working in the UAE. As well as a tax-free income, many companies also offer their employees a housing allowance, contributions towards school fees, medical insurance, and concessions on air tickets to visit home.
While you may wish to take on bog snorkelling or jump on a cliff, coasteering while in Ireland, the UAE offers a raft of mind-blowing activities for all the family to enjoy. Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit holds an annual Formula One race; football and cricket are extremely popular and camel races in Abu Dhabi or Al Ain can easily compete with horseracing in Ireland with one added bonus, they often feature robot jockeys.
Camping takes on new glamour and adventure in these parts. There are desert safaris, dune buggy quad biking, and sleeping under the stars in the stunning natural surroundings of Fujairah beach; or visits to Liwa in the Empty Quarter with sandscapes straight out of a Star Wars’ movie.
COMPETITIVE PACKAGES Companies here provide a highly competitive benefits package to entice the best personnel. Employers in the UAE frequently provide family permits, both flexible and remote working arrangements and educational allowances.
Technology, particularly AI, cyber-security, data sciences, digital, engineering and communication resources are high on the list for jobseekers according to a survey by jobs portal Bayt.com and market research company YouGov. Salaries are excellent and tax-free, so Irish workers have a huge incentive to expand their knowledge and skillset in a fascinating land of opportunity.
The UAE has always been a preferred location for nurses and now more so than ever. Overall employment in healthcare occupations is projected to grow 13 percent between now and 2031, resulting in about 2 million new jobs over the decade.
Irish-based CCM Recruitment is a specialist in nursing and medical staff and the company has been staffing hospitals all over the UAE for many years. Its list of happy clients and employees is expansive, with many happy stories to tell. Here Siobhan Henderson talks about her experience as a nurse in Saudi Arabia:
From shopping malls with mammoth aquariums and indoor ski slopes to soaking up the sun in style, Dubai is a Dream Location.
CCM Recruitment International - 30 years’ experience working with hospitals in the Middle East
CCM Recruitment International is well acquainted with what it takes to do business in the Middle East. Having spent the past 30+ years recruiting Nurses/Midwives, Doctors and Allied Health Professionals from Europe, Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada to world-class hospitals in the Middle East. Join us as we ask current Director of Operations Breda Lanigan and Business Development Manager Dr. Gulmire Ablat about what it takes to be successful in the Middle East.
Breda Lanigan Dr.Gulmire Ablat (Guli) Director Of Operations Business Development Manager
Can you tell us about CCM? CCM Recruitment International (https://www.ccmrecruitment.com/) is a licensed healthcare specialized recruitment company in Ireland with a long history and an excellent reputation. Since its establishment in 1988, CCM has recruited 13,000+ healthcare professionals mainly to hospitals in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and more. CCM's subsidiary in Australia also recruits healthcare professionals from Australia/New Zealand to the Middle East. CCM is part of a global healthcare service provider in Asia Pacific. MIMS is a leading healthcare media company (https://corporate.mims.com/) headquartered in Singapore which acquired CCM in 2019. MIMS was established in 1967 and is a drug information and solution provider for both healthcare professionals and healthcare institutions. It has a presence in 17 countries with 2.7 million healthcare professionals using its services, including recruitment services.
Why use CCM? CCM has been in the healthcare recruitment business for more than 30 years which has led to its extensive knowledge and experience in international healthcare recruitment in the Middle East. We have a good understanding of different cultures, and our candidates are well prepared for integrating into new and diverse cultures aided by our In-depth knowledge and understanding of the recruitment process from end to end including sourcing of qualified candidates right through to successful onboarding.
CCM has handled numerous big projects throughout the years for our clients in the Middle East including new start up hospitals. Performance wise we have a proven track record in particular with the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi where we hired over 700+ Nurses and Allied Health Professionals over the course of 2013 – 2017. In addition, we have been working very closely with King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Saudi Arabia 20+ years and we are their main supplier for the majority of their western staff.
CCM’s leadership and teamwork provides a clear vision for our organisation and allows us to excel in the service we provide. Our staff are highly skilled professionals with extensive knowledge and experience both in health care and in recruitment. We have outstanding communication and organizational skills, and we pride ourselves on our attention to detail which sets us apart from the rest. The majority of our staff have been with CCM for a long time. 80% of our healthcare recruiters come from a nursing background with overseas work experience in the Middle East, Australia, UK and USA. Therefore, our staff provide not only professional advice but can speak from their own personal experiences. We focus on quality of our service. Quality is an integral part of our process. We adhere to strict internal processes that are regularly monitored and audited by our experienced quality and compliance coordinator. We have automated processes using IT tools. We use tailor made Application Tracking System to store and manage the whole recruitment process.
Once a client come on board what is
your process? We first assign an account manager and organize meetings with our client to understand their needs and verify their requirements. We prepare information and factsheet about the client and the country so our candidates have a better understanding of the job, client and country we are recruiting them to. Subsequently, we arrange webinars to introduce our new client and/or country to interested healthcare professionals from our intensive targeted marketing campaigns based on the recruitment needs of the client in addition to our own database. We source and screen candidates so as to provide only candidates who meet client requirements for interview. We arrange face-to-face or online interviews based on clients preference. Once job offers are issued our specialized processing team commence processing and onboarding of the candidates. We provide weekly reports followed with weekly or monthly meetings with our clients to keep them updated about the status of candidates and recruitment. We regularly welcome our clients from overseas to Ireland, UK, and other parts of Europe for recruitment workshops and the CCM team visit our clients and candidates in person twice a year.
What your clients say about you? King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Saudi Arabia: “CCM has consistently offered a high quality and professional recruitment service; they know our business, are familiar with the very real complexities of recruiting for the Middle East and are always highly engaged with their candidates. Majority of our international staff come to us via CCM Recruitment, and we appreciate the diversity of knowledge and talent that comes with this ...”
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi: “CCM was totally engaged with the process. Their staff worked very well with our on-site recruitment office. In fact they were the best firm to complete files, conduct thorough interviews, schedule interview calls, complete medical exams and process the files. Largely because of the work at CCM put into meeting the needs of CCAD staffing, we were able to open the hospital on schedule…”
If you are in need of healthcare recruitment services please contact us for information on how we can best support your recruitment needs. Contact us on: info@ccmrecruitment.com
A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE I was recruited by CCM Recruitment International to work in Saudi Arabia. I spent almost three years there as an ICU nurse at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh. Initially, I planned to go on a three-month contract and return to Ireland. However, I immediately fell in love with Saudi and extended my contract right away.
I moved to Saudi with the hope of travelling and saving, both of which I did. When Covid hit, my travel opportunities outside the country were limited; however, Saudi has so much to offer. It was such a pleasant surprise to discover the beautiful, varied landscape in different parts of the country, particularly the stunning coastline along the Red Sea. No matter where I travelled, the Saudi people were always warm and welcoming. There was always an Arabic coffee and some dates on offer from the friendly locals.
Working as a nurse in Saudi is like working anywhere else in the world - medicine is medicine at the end of the day. Culturally, however, things were very different from what I was used to. While the transition to a new healthcare system was challenging at times, hospital management and staff were always very supportive. From the moment you arrive in Saudi, you are well looked after. If there are challenges along the way, there is always someone to help, whether it’s your work colleagues, hospital management or friends. There’s also usually a friendly neighbour if you find yourself wanting something.
Socially, I probably had more to do in Saudi than in Ireland! I joined the Naomh Alee GAA club and immersed myself in a huge social circle. There are endless activities and social events to get involved in – desert fun, all sorts of sports, dancing, shopping, parties…you name it and it’s there.
Saudi and the Middle East as a whole is a unique place. I have made lifelong friends, had the best (and most interesting) adventures and made memories I will treasure forever. My advice to anybody considering a move to Saudi is: GO! And pack for all occasions! Just like me, CCM will get you there.
Finding a satisfying job, learning new skills and living a great lifestyle are top goals for most people. For all of this and more, the UAE is open for business and offers its own ‘hundred thousand welcomes’ to Irish expats.
First Class Recruitment
With over 50 years operating in international recruitment, Firstaff is a name synonymous with sourcing topquality staff locally and worldwide.
Arab Irish Chamber Magazine talked to Managing Director Paul Dooley about what his company can offer and how Firstaff has become so successful in the Arab world.
Firstaff was founded in Dublin in 1967 and has supported clients in the Middle East for over 15 years. Paul Dooley is a Director with the Irish Saudi Arabian Business Council, so he is very familiar with the region and has worked with many businesses operating in the KSA. “We provide world-class recruitment, headhunting and consultancy services to our clients and specialise in the following sectors: Aviation, IT, Banking, Military and Finance,” he explains.
The company began operating in the UAE through a client recommendation when it was approached to work with SAMA (Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency). “Although we had no prior experience here, the challenge excited me,” Paul notes. “The first project we engaged in involved sourcing international subject matter experts to mentor and lead teams modernising IT systems in the Central Bank. We still work with SAMA today, and our success with this client was key, as it opened doors that led to us becoming trusted recruitment partners for many industry leaders.”
According to Paul, the key to doing business in the Middle East is an investment in client relationships and establishing a partnership of trust - characteristics that are particularly important to clients in the region.
“As with any client relationship, time must be invested to establish and build strong bonds and trust. Our company has gained an invaluable understanding of the culture and customs observed in this part of the world through extensive travel and engagement with clients in the Middle East. We are proud to say that the majority of our business in the Middle East comes via referrals from clients we have worked with in the past,” he explained.
2030 VISION The Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals include enhancing the Saudi private sector to create a vibrant society, establishing a thriving economy via diversification and investing in ways to position Saudi Arabia to enable global trade and competition. Tourism is at the heart of this vision and Firstaff is helping find Subject Matter Experts in areas including Destination Development, Marco Economics, Investment and Metaverse development.
Notable clients include the Ministry for Transport, Ministry for Tourism, DACO, Riyadh Airport, Saudi Electricity, Saudi Gulf, Flynas, Saudi Cargo, National Centre for Privatization, SAMA, Saudi Payments, SAMI, Saudia Airlines, SAVC, Saudi Electricity, Flyadeal and SIDF.
Key areas also include Aviation and Defence (classified) and Fintech, with Firstaff working in partnership with the Central Bank to develop a “sandbox” to understand and assess the impact of new technologies in the KSA’s Financial Services market.
A WORLD APART The company has established itself well within the UAE, while still being Dublin based. That said, the Middle Eastern region is easily accessible and one positive of the Covid pandemic was the emerging focus on working remotely – something that is also on offer in the UAE for Digital Nomads. In addition, the UAE is a hub of technology and a world leader in telecommunications so physical proximity is no longer a necessity.
Paul says that in today’s digital world, location is not an issue. Elements that cannot be automated, however, are reputation, consistency and trust. “Trust is a two-way street, and building it takes time and effort. From an employer’s perspective, Firstaff goes the extra mile to find the right person for every job, and reputation means everything.
“While based in Dublin, we deal with candidates from all over the world and the recruitment market outside Ireland is critical to us. We have many employer clients recruiting for overseas jobs and we are particularly strong for jobs in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.”
It is easy to see why Firstaff has become so successful in international recruitment. The team has a proven track record for successful recruitment drives across a wide range of sectors in the Middle East. “We spend time getting to know our clients and how they operate, which enables us to understand their needs and recruit the best candidate for a given role.”
Closing Paul adds: “From sourcing, screening and shortlisting, all the way up to offer and negotiation stage, Firstaff will go the extra mile in supporting clients throughout the entire recruitment process.”
