CV for foreign employment: what Gulf and overseas employers check

A CV for overseas work is read differently from a local one. The employer, and the agency in between, are checking whether you can be deployed without problems.

What they look for first

• Passport details — number and expiry. A passport with under six months left stops everything.

• The trade, named exactly — mason, shuttering carpenter, steel fixer, electrician, heavy driver, welder (and which process), AC technician, cook, housekeeper, security guard.

• Years on the tools, and where. Country names matter: Gulf experience is weighed differently from local experience.

• Certificates — trade training, safety cards, driving licence category, council registration for health work.

• Languages — English level, plus Hindi or Arabic where relevant.

• Medical fitness — say if you have a current medical certificate.

Keep it to one page

Overseas recruitment moves in bulk. One clear page, in English, with a plain layout and no photo unless requested, is read; a decorated two-page file is not.

The safety part that matters more than the CV

Before you send documents or pay anything:

• Check the agency holds a valid Department of Foreign Employment licence. On Alwass, approved overseas jobs carry a licensed mark with the licence number, because an administrator checked it.

• Never pay for a job, an interview or a placement.

• Read six things to check before you pay for a job abroad and how to spot a fake job offer.

Frequently asked questions

What should a CV for foreign employment include?

Passport number and expiry, your trade named exactly, years and countries worked, certificates, licence category, languages and medical status. One page.

Do I need a photo on an overseas CV?

Only if the employer or agency asks for one.

How do I know the overseas job is legal?

The agency must hold a Department of Foreign Employment licence. On Alwass, approved overseas listings show a licensed mark with the number.

Should I pay an agency for a job abroad?

Never pay for the job itself, an interview or a placement. Legitimate costs are set by law and documented; anything demanded in cash and in a hurry is a warning sign.

Build it without typing it twice

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