Emirates is known for having cabin crew from all over the world — it’s part of the fun of flying with the airline. Several months back I wrote about how the airline had some recruitment events in the United States.
Continue reading: Emirates Recruiting Cabin Crew In United States
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
FAs in the US making $55,000 a year here may balk at that starting pay but they gotta remember once based in UAE, it's tax free, cheap gasoline, free accommodations and healthcare that could easily add up to $30k/yr. That's in addition to all the glamour, travel perks, etc..
American citizens are taxed on their worldwide income by the US government... so while the income might be 'tax free' in Dubai, it would still be taxable by the US government. So it's not really tax free for Americans...
There’s a threshold that you don’t have to pay US taxes on income below the threshold; and $30k is definitely below
It's not tax free as an American. I've worked abroad as an expat 6 of the last 8 years. Mr. IRS comes a knocking every year regardless.
Then you make more than the foreign earned income exclusion amount. Flight crew earning $30k isnt.
@ ScottS -- As noted in the comments section already, there's an exception for the first $100K+ earned.
Wrong.
Earned (salary) income from foreign sources when you are a resident of that country is excluded from US taxation up to a threshold ($112,000 in 2022).
Try Googling "IRS Foreign Earned Income Exclusion"
@ Patrick -- I mean, I can't personally vouch for that, but it's what the airline claims, and I believe it. With the exception of countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, I've met cabin crew on Emirates from just about everywhere.
I want to be the first class secret shopper to ensure everyone is giving up to par service.
Do we really want that typical American flight attendant "I'm here for your 'safety', not your comfort" attitude on foreign carriers too?
NO! NO! NO! Keep that huffy attitude stateside where it belongs. I'd rather encounter friendly and polite cabin crew from....basically anywhere else.
The pay will not be tax free for US citizens, who are taxed on global income. And if you are from California, it takes 18 months to "lose" California residency for tax purposes.
This entire comment is wrong.
Earlier comments covered US taxation.
State taxation is more complicated than I’m willing to write in a reply to a chucklehead, but that’s not how CA residency works either.
you have no idea what you're talking about. you only pay tax on amounts over 112k/year.
Friend got hired at Emirates in 2009 at a recruiting event in LA. She liked it at the start but absolutely hated living in Dubai. She spent enough time back home to make it palatable but got a job offer she couldn't refuse in 2018 and left.
I've heard that part of the test is being able to say in at least 3 languages "due to the short duration of the flight we will not be offering any service but do ring your call button if you want a credit card application"
33,000 USD a year is not nothing but it seems low for a high-stress profession, even accounting for free housing.
If you're living in the US, it would be fully taxable as income, since you're a resident. If you moved to Dubai, and aren't a US resident, then you'd have no Federal tax since the first 100K (or may be a tad higher) is not taxed.
This is not Sophie's choice, and I've always wondered why it has to be one versus the other? Why can't safety and comfort go hand in hahnd.
If you file the foreign earned income exclusion, it does affect your ability to vote in local and state elections and obtain other local and state services.
The bottom line is that people need to carefully investigate what living outside of the country means esp. from a financial standpoint.
Yay! You too can work in a near-totalitarian state for a company that pays like shit and treats you like a slave.
Unlike U.S. airlines weight, age, looks and attitude are still part of employment criteria with many foreign airlines. Would be interesting to see who shows up.
Dubai has its problems but calling it a near totalitarian state is hyperbole-- it is extremely modern, relatively (by Middle East standards) liberal, high quality of life, extremely safe and secure. Yes terrible weather much of the year and some restrictions. But I can think of several less desirable places to live in.
Hello
I am interested for work cabin Crew... kindly advise me how can I apply and join your team.
[email protected]
Thanks
Hey Ben, just curious, why is that you will almost never find a purser or first class flight attendant from the United States on Emirates to begin with?
Because most Americans are only taking this job for a short term gig (a few years). The pay as you get higher up isn't as competitive as U.S. airlines and so they don't have as big of a financial incentive to stay in Dubai. They can move back to the U.S. and go into another career or join a U.S. airline and live at home and make more money (while providing less service).
You mention salary, but what about sick pay and leave, health insurance, retirement, 401k, and life insurance? Are any of these benefits included, and what are the specifics? How do these forms of compensation compare with the US carriers? You mention salary only, so much else is included in a compensation package. I assume you would not accrue social security benefits working for Emirates should you plan to retire in the USA. Many things to consider.
All previous commentators missed a major point: The most important question in a job interview is how much you will take home rather than how much a job will pay. If the pay package overseas includes fully furnished and inclusive housing (utilities and TV), medical/ dental and prescription coverage, and annual free return ticket home, no taxes in UAE, then it is the best job you can get for a young, single and unattached individuals. One year work there is equivalent to three to four year work in the states, depends on your spending habits/ patterns. You can accummulate much more savings by working there for 5 years and have 20% down payment for a house in reasonable housing market, excluding SF/ NYC/ LA etc... 30K USD per year is probably for recruitment in US only. They probable have different pay scales to recruit for different positions in different countries. They can breach the contract offer and pay minuscule financial damage to you and forget about the lawsuit as you will have no case. You must leave the country before the work permit and exit visa expire as you do not want to risk rotting in jail. Living and working overseas and mingling with the locals will definitely broaden your horizon compare to those who do not leave their community and country.
"If you’re coming from Kenya, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Thailand, etc., making $30,000+ per year is an exceptionally good salary, especially without even needing an education beyond high school. "
Hmmm. What about US Congress members/ law makers? There is no qualification for the job. Their annual salary is an average of $175K plus office staff and travel domestically and internationally. They have the power to write laws that serve their own interests rather national interests. Laws that require knowledge in history, law and issue specific policy which the majority of them lack.
I'd say at a minimum there's 0% tax, free healthcare and free accommodations (according to the ad). Those 3 things will probably 'save' you $24-28k per year, when comparing to, say, a 50k/yr FA salary in US. I'm sure they have pay time off, sick pay, and life insurance. 401k and SS are US specific, so negative there and it's probably unlikely that any pension would transfer to the US upon leaving the job.
Because safety is an illusion, they don’t have to do anything. Comfort involves work, and U.S. flight attendants are, for the most part, lazy.
$2800/month tax free with housing and medical insurance provided is better than a lot of Americans have it now. Say you make $5,000/month after taxes. half of that is gone for rent in a 1 bedroom apartment right off the bat. Yes Dubai is expensive but crew actually do quite well there. The salary isn't that bad. More than what a lot of US crew make their first 5 years or so
This isn’t tax free for US citizens. US citizens are taxes worldwide on their income-this is very different than the rest of the world.
All employees get an "End of Service" payment, which is a % payment of salary, living, etc, which is a somewhat substitute for 401k / SS contributions. The same goes for KSA.
@ScottS, I suggest you and @MT study up together next time on a topic before commenting!!! 😉
I would have LOVED to fly Emirates as a cabin crew, if I could. It was my dream job when I was in my 20s.
What percentage of the population in UAE enjoys modernity and high quality of living? Going to guess all of the “guest workers” from S and SE Asia might have something to say about those words!
"If you’re coming from Kenya, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Thailand, etc., making $30,000+ per year is an exceptionally good salary, especially without even needing an education beyond high school."
I'm pretty sure 99% of cabin crew from those countries have university degrees. Still a good salary for them.
The tax-free benefit hardly matters at such a low salary. Because federal income tax is progressive, a single person with no kids making $33k per year in the US pays a bit over $2,000 per year in federal income tax, and about the same in FICA (Social Security) taxes. So the tax-free benefit to living in the UAE really doesn't matter that much because Emirates' wages are so low. (This is why barely any of their flight attendants come from higher income places like the US, Canada, western Europe, etc.) Even in California, a high-tax state, a single childless person making $33k a year would owe a bit over $500 in state income tax.
This is exciting! I would have applied if I were still in my early 20s. In addition to the $33k pay, don’t they also get a meal allowance pay for the locations they work at?
Interesting trying to recruit US cabin crew. If any existing cabin crew from a US carrier applied, they wouldn't survive the rules.
I know I pay taxes every year because all the things my company pays for (rent, utilities, car, cell phone, home leave, etc) is considered income. So yes, I do make more than the foreign earned income. I’m also still paid by a US company, so that’s likely a differentiator between the two. My fault
I always wanted to be the catering truck driver to the planes or ferry planes to and from hangars. ATC I would be the GOAT better than Kennedy Steve but the FAA has some rule that you have to be 32 years old or younger. I run a tight ship if I instructed a plane to do something they would do it or deal with me upon arrival.
$30,000 dollars !?? In only a year ? I cleared negative $7,000 last year. Sign me up.
No it doesn't. You can vote in the state of your US driver's license. You don't need "local and state services" when you have top-notch healthcare as part of your employment contract in Dubai.
Thank you for your interest! We will be contacting you shortly, so by all means please just sit tight and wait.
High school diploma. $2700 a month. No tax. No rent. Three year contract. Emirates should set up in front of US Armed Forces recruiting stations because they’ve got the military beat.
Well 75% are already excluded, FLUENT in both English spoken and written -first question - Can you show me where Dubai is on a map
Yeah, they are bunch of imposing and intimidating Imperial royal guards guarding the sheik aren't they???
I live in Florida I’m more near Tampa international airport may be an hour away so those other locations I wouldn’t be able to apply but would love to work for your airline all my blessings to everyone ✨✨✨ Dubai very beautiful country
Hello everyone. I am from the US, born and raised in Memphis, and have been a flight attendant with Emirates since 2010. Dubai is my home now. Shoot me any questions you might have. I am reading A LOT of misinformation on here.
The salary is tax free in Dubai, but not for Americans who remain subject to US taxes. Unlike virtually every other country on earth, the USA insists on payment of Federal Income Tax on income earned outside the country. American cabin crew working for Emirates will therefore have a take home salary of about 70%-75% of what their non-US citizen colleagues are making. I doubt that Emirates will get much uptake for this offer in the US for that reason. US citizens are at a major disadvantage for expat jobs as compared to all others.
Salaried income for these FA jobs with Emirates is far below the amount that generates US income tax liability when the US citizen resides outside the US long enough not to be considered a US tax resident. There remains a U.S. tax filing requirement but not commonly a US income tax liability on foreign salaried income for US citizens employed and residing outside of the US under such conditions as not to be considered a U.S. tax resident.
That presupposes that EK doesn’t discriminate with salaries based on country of origin of FAs. It wouldn’t surprise me if EK do discriminate on such basis and that they have generally lower salary levels for EK FAs from South Asia than EK FAs from higher income countries in Europe.
I have an Indian relative who calls Dubai home for now. He is a doctor there and likes it as a specialist in his field. His mother also likes to spend a good part of the year in Dubai as it’s safer than India.
But Dubai and the other Emirates are very much authoritarian states. Behind the big money and modern facade, the authoritarian state rules in a way that makes Putin feel right at home and can be downright scary for ordinary people if they get on the wrong side of an Emirati of influence.
Completely incorrect. Look up the Foreign Earned Income Exemption. As a pilot with EK I payed the IRS only because of my investment income… as cabin crew they wouldn’t pay a dime as their income would be FAR beneath the exclusion amount. You are still required to file though.
What does that have as a bearing on cabin crew for Emirates? If a foreign national is looking at a finance job in NYC or tech job in SF or even an IT job in Kansas City, are they evaluating it based on the working poor in the Midwest or those on welfare in the South?
Simply untrue. And California is a bad example cause while high tax, their state structure is EXTREMELY graduated. Most states don't have 5 different brackets before reaching $100K in income. Most states you're looking at a 4-5% income tax on $33K. So all in, you're looking at just over $6000 in taxes between federal, state, and payroll taxes. $500+ a month in extra cash is not some negligible number for someone who would probably be taking home $2500-$2700 monthly for a similar job in the US. And thats not including the free housing, healthcare, etc...
Really eager to see how many more people can smugly post incorrect information they clearly have no real world experience with despite it being debunked more than half a dozen times in the comments already!
Hi Jess - VERY interested in your story - how did you get from Poplar/Union ave to Sheikh Zayed Rd? 🙂 That's also a long time with EK. Do you get back to MEM often? Did you know the first 777s ever purchased by EK were retired just down the road in Tupelo? Sorry for all the questions - just fascinated to see a Memphis girl in DXB! 🙂
hmm...... Leaving your attitude at the door, forgetting all perceived 'freedoms' you vaguely imagine you have, enduring all manner of discrimination with a smile, and recognising that none of the US constitutional Amendments are worth a toss in Dubai, and you may pass the first hurdle in the recuitment process!
When Emirates started flying into Houston I applied with them and they were interested in interviewing me. When I mentioned it to my captain he said that I would have to live there and coming home would be hard. I wanted to but I still had a son at home. Now it's too late for me.
I was with Continental Express and ExpressJet and after 20 years it went bankrupt and we were left with nothing including flying benefits, that is if you didn't make 10 years when the name change happened...
Well done Dubai Emirates
My name is Peter Ayebare a Ugandan citizen by birthday
Am a male aged 34 with the required height and fluent in both written and spoken English.
Am holding a Uganda's teacher's certificate which is equivalent to a high school certificate.
I would like to be recruited as one of your employees.
Kindly guide how I can apply and be interviewed online to success a job a Emirates cabin crew.
If you’re unattached, open minded, and want to travel, flying with Emirates could be a priceless experience. I was recruited in LA and flew with them from 2008-2011 after graduating from college. You literally can’t buy that experience! And you’ll make lifelong friends from all over the world. Complete the 3 year contract and get out, before it burns you out.
Dubai is an Emirate(state). The country is known as the United Arab Emirates(UAE). There are 7 emirates(states), Dubai is the most popular and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi is the Capital of the UAE.
Great article. I always wanted to work emirates cabin crew but I am
Probably too old now. You hit on some great points.
@Carmen
What you wrote has absolutely zero to do with the discussion about working for EK. Even the job itself, the lifestyle, the benefits and the drawbacks are not comparable to flying at Expressjet. Even Bankruptcy is literally a non possibility at Emirates, which is woven into and sustains the city-state of Dubai.
What you just said cannot be FURTHER from the truth, ignorant slut... it's clear you've never been around the Middle East region, crawl back into your cave and die pro-american bitchy mfker
Dubai is the most popular city/emirate of the UAE, the UAE is a country. Abu Dhabi is the Capital City of the UAE