Many expats move to Dubai for sun and luxury — then work more than nearly anyone in the world

• The UAE ranks second in the world for average hours worked a week.
• Employees there work an average 51 hours a week, far beyond the US average of 38.
• Expats in Dubai, the UAE commercial hub, told BI their work is intense but richly rewarded.

"I've been on a treadmill before on my work phone, doing barrier options," said Nick Fowler, 33, a British man who moved to the United Arab Emirates two years ago. "It can get a bit ridiculous sometimes."

(Barrier options are a financial product common in asset management, Fowler's industry.)

He is one of the millions of foreigners drawn to Dubai by its year-round sunshine, tax-free income, and its abundant luxury.

But it comes with a catch: they end up working more than nearly anyone else in the world.

The UAE ranks second globally for the highest average weekly working hours per employed person, according to the International Labour Organization.

Employees in the UAE work an average of 50.9 hours a week, far exceeding the 38-hour average in the US and the 35.9-hour average in Fowler's native UK.

The top spot goes to the reclusive Himalayan nation of Bhutan, with 54.4 hours.

Fowler told Business Insider that his typical workday starts around 8 a.m. and ends at 6:30 p.m., often without a proper break as he eats lunch at his desk. His day rarely ends there.

"I've been on dates before [where] I've had to send emails," he said, "and colleagues have rung me when I've sat down to eat dinner."

Luxury, but at a cost

Patrick James, 32, also from the UK, moved to Dubai six years ago.

He had been there on vacation before and was largely unimpressed, but was still drawn to the city by its financial opportunities.

He told BI he was offered a salary twice what he earned as a teacher in London.

While his teaching job in London often ran from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., a recent teaching role in Dubai had him working 12 to 14 hours a day.

Across a five-day week with a shorter Friday, that puts him around 50 hours a week, close to the UAE norm.

"My child is two now," he said. "I wasn't seeing him. He'd wake up, I'd leave at home, and he'd be asleep, and I'd get home, and he'd be asleep."

For a short while, James could justify the sacrifice. "You're working, you're grinding, you're saving your money, and then you get to go on these luxurious holidays," he said.

Eventually, it became too much. Last March, he switched to a remote role with a Japanese health and wellness company, giving him the flexibility to set his own hours while still in Dubai.

James said that he believes that so many expats in Dubai just accept the long hours because of the competitiveness of its job market.

"If you are not good at your job, they'll get rid of you and get someone else," he said.

A highly competitive market

"It is commonly known that in the expatriate market in the UAE, supply is higher than demand," Fiona Robson, a professor of human resources management at Heriot-Watt University, Dubai, told BI.

"This can lead to less power for expatriates if they can be replaced easily, particularly if specialist skills are not needed at the point of recruitment," she added.

For some, the pressure to perform can feel overwhelming. Eigher Noceda, a Filipina who spent seven years in Dubai working in sales, felt an unspoken expectation to exceed her contractual hours.

"They will not say no if you like to overwork," she said. "If you want to stay after six, it's up to you. If you work on Saturday, they'll not tell you, 'Oh, why are you here? You should go home.'"

Eventually, Noceda realized that Dubai's work culture wasn't for her.

"If you always like to work and you always have the energy to network and really work your ass off, this is the place for you," she said.

But for Noceda, having a work-life balance was more important, so she moved to Italy, where she said she found a work culture that suited her better.

A 'high-context culture'

Rizwan Tahir, professor of International Business at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Dubai, attributes the UAE's intense work culture, in part, to its "high-context culture," which relies on implicit understandings and unspoken expectations.

Unlike "low-context cultures" in Western countries like Italy — where employees typically adhere strictly to contracts — Tahir said employers in high-context cultures may expect longer hours, additional responsibilities, and availability outside regular work hours, even if not explicitly outlined in contracts.

Tahir highlighted that this dynamic is particularly prevalent in the UAE's private sector, where expatriates form the majority.

"The expectation of long working hours is often deeply ingrained, with many expatriates feeling pressure to demonstrate commitment and loyalty through their availability," he said.

Tahir said: "This cultural difference can lead to misunderstandings, increased stress, and significant challenges in maintaining a healthy work-life balance for expatriates."

Despite the challenges, for some, the trade-offs are still worth it.

Fowler, the British expat in finance, feels the rewards outweigh the sacrifices.

Thanks to his work in Dubai, he has been able to afford a sports car, live alone, and travel extensively.

He said: "I have a much better life here than I had in London by a long way."