B’luru based Google techie explains why he quit ₹7.5 lakh-a-month job in UAE after just three months
Bengaluru: A Bengaluru-based product designer, now working with Google, has shared why he gave up a lucrative job in Abu Dhabi that paid him ₹7.5 lakh a month, just three months after joining. Advin Netto, who narrated his experience on Instagram, said the move was not about money but mindset and work culture.
Netto revealed that although it took him nearly five months to receive his UAE work visa, he realised soon after joining that the environment was not a fit for him. “In India, I’d gotten used to self-accountability… focusing on outcomes, not attendance. That flexibility didn’t exist there. If I don’t punch in at 9 AM, it’s a half-day loss,” he wrote.
He added that while the UAE excels in infrastructure and physical development, its digital product ecosystem remains young. “Money wasn’t the issue. Mindset was. Conversations around design thinking often met resistance,” Netto explained, adding that leadership roles were often assigned based on nationality rather than expertise, limiting genuine innovation.
Breaking down the financial aspect of his decision, he stated that his salary of 30,000 AED per month was remarkable, but his living expenditures in UAE were around 10,000 AED.
After his post went viral, it drew mixed reactions from social media users. Many professionals echoed his experience, pointing to rigid work hours and nationality-based hierarchies in several Middle Eastern workplaces. One user commented, “I used to work from 7:30 AM to 9 PM, six days a week, the pay depended entirely on your passport.” Another thanked Netto for sparking an open conversation about the realities of work culture in the region.
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India moving towards becoming global economic powerhouse: Kovind
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Amritsar (PTI): Former president Ram Nath Kovind on Friday said that with digital transformation, economic reforms and a strong focus on the ease of doing business, India is moving towards becoming a global economic powerhouse.
He was speaking after inaugurating the 19th edition of the Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) in Amritsar.
The former president said that this 19th edition of PITEX is being organised at a time when India is recognised as one of the fastest-growing large economies in the world.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the event organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) the former president, while referring to Punjab, said the state is a living example of courage, sacrifice and enterprise.
"The spiritual light of Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) inspires peace and humanity across the world. The heritage of Punjab is deep and inspiring," Kovind said, according to a statement issued by the PITEX.
The former president congratulated the PHDCCI for hosting the 19th edition of PITEX and suggested that the chamber should expand PITEX outside Punjab.
He proposed that a similar event should also be held in New Delhi.
