$10,000 working as an ENGINEER in UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman! Step-by-step GUIDE!

Working in Arab countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, UAE, and others is a very attractive option for many professions. High salaries, no taxes, a large number of job openings, and countries that are friendly to all nationalities make the Middle East one of the best regions for skilled professionals.



In this article, we'll discuss which professions can earn $10,000 or $20,000 or more per month, what's currently in demand, the required education, training, and courses, years of experience, how citizenship and nationality affect your salary level, where pays more - at sea, in the desert, or in an office, and whether it's better to work on rotation or move with your family, let's get started...

First, let's talk about the highest-paid and most in-demand engineering professions. I've analyzed several reports from resources like Oilandgasjobsearch, Brunel, Hays, and others to compile a list that includes jobs in Saudi Arabia like Petroleum Engineer and Reservoir Engineer – specialists in oil and gas field development, Geologist, Geophysicist, Petrophysicist, and generally professions related to geology and geophysics, followed by Drilling Engineer and Drilling Supervisor.

What education is necessary to work in wealthy Arab countries? Since I'm talking about engineers, it's clear that a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in your field is required. A Master's degree and PhD gives additional advantages. Top companies love engineers with a scientific background, academic degrees, publications, and patents.

The university you graduated from also matters significantly in candidate selection, and a Master’s degree from top global universities with renowned names gives you an extra edge.

I want to highlight that you can obtain such education online from home at a reasonable cost, and it is valued just as much as full-time education. This opens a path for many skilled professionals to improve their chances.

What training and courses are needed? I won't talk much here, better to watch this video where I discuss professional certifications. To be short, in Arab countries, the status of a professional engineer, what's called PE in the USA, PEng in Canada, and CEng in the UK, is highly appreciated. You'll see this in many job requirements.

Then, there are various certifications related to your profession. For example, for drilling engineers, there are IWCF and IADC, as well as many professional courses and trainings. The same applies for other critical domains like supply chain and human resources, which are also gaining demand in the Middle East.

Basically, you need to upgrade yourself, and success will definitely come.

How many years of experience are needed? The more, the better. Top companies favor highly experienced candidates with 15–20 years of experience. So, such candidates have a higher chance.

But engineers with 2–3 years of experience shouldn’t be discouraged. This doesn’t apply to all professions, I know young people who received expatriate offers with just 2–3 years of experience. Yes, it’s not Saudi Aramco or other top Arab companies and it's not $10,000, but it’s big service four and also more than a decent salary.

How citizenship and nationality affect your salary level. Unfortunately, your salary depends on your citizenship. Many companies have separate policies for citizens of the USA and Canada, European citizens, and citizens of India, Asia, and African countries.

That's why many people try to move to Canada or the USA to gain citizenship before working in other countries. So, your salary depends not on your nationality or skin color, but on your citizenship!

Where pays more – sea, desert, or in an office. Usually, fieldwork, in the desert or at sea, rotational work schedule with additional compensation not only for more hours worked but also for harsh working conditions. Typically, at sea has the highest allowance, which can be 20–40% of the base salary. Fieldwork may also include other allowances for remote location, hazardous environment, production operations allowance, etc., significantly increasing your total salary.

So, the next question is whether it’s better to work on rotation or move with your family. If salary is your priority, rotational work is the way to go, but it also depends on your profession, experience, citizenship, and other factors.

Office work has also its advantages, like spending every evening with your family, and the company may pay for a good international school for your kids. There are pros and cons everywhere, it’s a matter of choice.

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