Occupational Therapist – Dubai/Abu Dhabi
Offering the ultimate in city lifestyle with a high standard of living, year-round sunshine, and safety.
Paediatric OT Roles Across Dubai & Abu Dhabi, with Select Mental Health Opportunities
Our team will help you with the registration process, advise you about the popular locations/visas, organise interviews, introduce you to others and support you with your move.
OT Roles
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Paeds Private Practice – High Demand
Caseload
- Varied paediatric caseload within well-established private clinics, with some practices also offering school-based work.
Experience Suggested:
- Minimum of 2 years’ specific paediatric experience.
- SI Training is highly valued
- OT’s with 5+ years experience may be considered with less paediatric experience; however, some paediatric experience is essential.
Mental Health Private Practice – Select Opportunities
Caseload
- A large proportion of the caseload involves neurodivergent clients, as well as individuals experiencing burnout, work-related stress, and other mental health concerns.
Experience Suggested:
- Minimum 5 years+ specifically in Mental Health
Some roles may also offer a mix of Adult MH and Paeds (Neurodivergent).
Steps To Working With Healthcare Abroad
Where We Recruit
Our Reviews
I am truly thrilled with my experience with Healthcare Abroad. Jon and Rosie were incredibly helpful in assisting me with my health license application before I moved to Dubai. Once I arrived, they arranged interviews for me and supported me throughout the entire process. After securing a job, they continued to assist me until I started my role. I’m so grateful for all of their support in helping me land a job in Dubai.
Hannah
I moved from Ireland to Melbourne in August this year and Healthcare abroad really helped me through the whole process! Also very comforting to know there were people in Melbourne that you had already made contact with – they’ll set you up to meet people so you already have a community 🙂
Lucy
They make the process so much easier. Once I had my registration they had interviews organised in a week. Taking away all the work with applying for jobs. Would strongly recommend it to any UK Physio!
Ben
I couldn’t recommend Rosie and Jon enough, they were very helpful in providing all the information we needed to sort our registration and made the job hunting process a whole lot easier.
Jo
I would highly recommend Healthcare Abroad for anyone looking to make the move to Australia to work as an OT. They provided support from the beginning of my journey right through to once I was settled in Australia.
Francesca
Rosie and Jon have been extremely helpful in making my dream come true! I have been so happy in Brisbane I have already looked into extending my visa! Couldn’t have done it without them!
Sarah
Can’t recommend Healthcare Abroad enough! They’ve made the move from the UK to Melbourne super easy from the start. The job they found for me is a perfect fit! The team is also really friendly (meaning you can ask all the stupid questions)!
Maria
I would definitely recommend Healthcare Abroad for making the process of gaining NZ physio registration, finding and securing jobs and settling in as smooth as possible!
Hannah R
The guys at Healthcare Abroad were amazing in helping me throughout the very stressful process of moving to Australia, both during the registration process and then helping me to find a great job opportunity! Essential help for anyone considering the move overseas. Thank you!
Andrea
From the beginning they were so easy to contact and so helpful. From registration to visas and interviews, the whole process was made so much less daunting and much easier with the teams guidance. I could not recommend them enough to anyone who is hoping to make the move to Australia or New Zealand!
Shane
I had a great experience with Healthcare Abroad.. Securing a job was quick and most importantly no stress with the help of Jon. Not only did they help me secure a role but they were also brilliant in assisting with the next steps. It was always reassuring knowing I had someone to turn to for advice and support.
Eimear
I used Healthcare abroad to facilitate working as a physio in Auckland and would highly recommend anyone thinking of doing the same to reach out to them. They made the whole process as simple as possible.. Couldn’t have moved here without their help.
Liam
Health care abroad have been a pleasure to work with from the very beginning, going above and beyond helping with every aspect of the process. They have made my life a hell of alot easier and I would definitely recommend them to any physio or OT who would like to work abroad!
Kathryn
I got in touch with healthcare abroad to get more information about the processes involved with gaining registration, visas and obtaining employment. Healthcare abroad made the journey of moving to NZ a lot easier which I am very thankful for.
Patricia
Healthcare Abroad were so helpful throughout the whole process of securing job roles and moving to New Zealand. The team managed to secure us all job roles in different clinical areas within the same city and We were linked with other physios out there.
Megan, Sarah, Indre
The guys at healthcare abroad have been absolutely amazing at helping us through the registration process to work as Physio in NZ. Nothing was too much trouble and they have set us up in jobs that we both now love!
Emily
Healthcare Abroad have helped me immensely in getting out here and starting a new journey and I’m sure will continue to do so for many others! I couldn’t recommend them more! The only regret I have is not having done it sooner!
Radha
I would HIGHLY recommend using Healthcare Abroad when moving to Australia and NZ – so helpful, informative and easy .. what more could you want!!!
Abby
Healthcare Abroad first helped me with the registration process, and then helped me find the best job I’ve ever had, here in Christchurch. If you’re considering it, do it! it’s the best decision I’ve ever made, and the fact that Healthcare Abroad helped me do it for free was even better.
Max
OT FAQs
See General FAQs-
We have opportunities in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi for OT’s who meet the recommended experience requirements.
The highest demand is within paediatrics, with most roles requiring at least 2 years of paediatric experience. Occupational Therapists with 5+ years of overall experience may also be considered if they have some paediatric exposure.
We also recruit for a smaller number of MH positions, which typically require 5+ years of specific MH experience.
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Dubai: Registration is completed through DHA. A minimum of 2 years’ Occupational Therapy experience is typically required.
Abu Dhabi: Registration is completed through DOH. In some cases, Occupational Therapists with 1 year of experience may be eligible.
For OT’s who trained OR currently hold registration in the UK, Ireland, South Africa, the USA, or Canada, the registration process does not usually involve an exam, provided there has been no recent gap in practice and the relevant experience requirements are met.
Applications involve providing employment references and qualification/ID documents.
Our team will provide further guidance and support throughout the registration process.
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Visa (Work Permits) are for 2 years (renewable) & directly linked to your employer – you will need an offer of employment to be able to apply.
Part of the application can be completed outside of the UAE, you will then be granted an Entry Permit.
Once you are in the UAE, there are additional tasks that need to be completed including a medical check & Emirates ID before your full work visa is granted. -
- For approx. rental prices, it is best to have a look at Bayut. It is normal to pay a 5% agency fee and a security deposit of 5% for an unfurnished property or 10% for a furnished property. Rent is often paid in instalments throughout the year (e.g. 1, 4, or 6 cheques), although monthly payment options are becoming increasingly common.
- It is recommended that you buy, lease, or rent a car to make the most of living in the UAE, as public transport does not cover all areas. Careem (similar to Uber) is widely used and relatively affordable. Car leasing is also popular, with some providers offering 0% finance options.
- You cannot take out a lease for an apartment until your Emirates ID has come through which can take 1 month after arriving – you will likely need to book short-term accommodation/AirBnB for the first month.
- The registration process typically involves an application fee, document verification fee, and a licence activation fee once you have secured a role. Costs vary depending on the licensing authority, but applicants should generally budget approximately AED 2,000–3,000 in total.
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Companies will offer a salary, commission or mixed commission/salary.
The salary range for OT’s is around AED 15-30k per month which is tax free.
All companies have to include medical insurance.
Some companies will offer additional benefits such as x1 flight to your home country each year or they may be able to help with accommodation costs at the start e.g. 1 month rent or deducting this from your pay (but these additional benefits are not always offered with small paeds clinics).
You will also be paid Gratuity (end of service benefit) once you finish employment if you work for more than 1 year -
Most of the work in Dubai/Abu Dhabi for OT’s is in paeds (private clinics/schools) or occasionally in Mental Health, this is due to the young demographic in Dubai/Abu Dhabi with expats on work visas.
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Paediatrics – Employers are often keen for OT’s to start in September, for the start of the school year. If possible, it is best to have your registration approved and interview around June/July for a September start date.
Mental Health – There is generally less seasonality within mental health recruitment, so roles can come up throughout the year.
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Dubai/Abu Dhabi has a vibrant expat community, providing lots of opportunities for meetups and events to get involved in.
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Healthcare Abroad was founded with a focus on Allied Health recruitment and has since expanded to support both Allied Health Professionals and Nurses looking to work overseas.
Based in Dubai, our team is here to support you every step of the way, from registration and securing the right role through to relocation. We would also love to meet you when you arrive!
Latest News
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The Working Holiday Visa has a 6 month limitation but there are exemptions to this rule – please see below for the January 2024 update!
Australia Working Holiday Visa Update – Jan 2024
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When I decided I wanted to find an occupational therapy job into Australia, the hardest decision to make was where would be best to live.
OT Liv shares her experience of living in Melbourne!