One of the most common questions candidates have about Emirates recruitment is whether to apply online or attend an Open Day in person. Is one route more likely to succeed than the other? Can you do both? And what if there is no Open Day near you?
The situation is complicated by the fact that different rules apply to different nationalities, and Emirates’ own website does not always make this clear. Here is what you need to know.
Online Application or Open Day — Which Gives You a Better Chance?
There is no definitive answer, and anyone who tells you otherwise is guessing.
The recruitment process is highly subjective, and there are variables that affect your chances regardless of how you apply — the profile of candidate recruiters have been briefed to look for that day, how many applications are already in the system, and which Assessment Days are scheduled in your region.
That said, attending an Open Day in person gives you something an online application cannot: the ability to make a human impression. Recruiters are assessing you from the moment you walk in. A strong in-person showing can carry you further than a polished CV sitting in a queue.
If you submit an online application, your CV goes through an automated screening process first. If it passes, it is held until a human recruiter reviews it — which can take considerable time. You are then dependent on being invited to an Assessment Day rather than being able to show up directly.
For most candidates in most countries, attending an Open Day in person is the stronger option if one is available to you.
Can I Apply Online and Also Attend an Open Day?
In most circumstances, yes — you can submit an online application and still attend an Open Day if you have not heard back from the Emirates recruitment team.
However, if you have received a regret email after submitting an online application, or if your submission status reads “Not Shortlisted,” you should wait six months before attending an Open Day.
When Do You Need to Apply Online Instead?
Emirates currently requires some nationalities to apply online and attend invitation-only Assessment Days rather than open-access Open Days. Based on current information from the Emirates careers website, the following countries are operating on this basis:
- Turkey — apply online, Invitation Only Assessment Days
- Egypt — apply online, Invitation Only Assessment Days
- Madagascar — apply online, Invitation Only Assessment Days
- Mauritius — apply online, Invitation Only Assessment Days
- Tunisia — apply online, Invitation Only Assessment Days
- Morocco — apply online, Invitation Only Assessment Days
- South Africa — apply online, Invitation Only Assessment Days
- Serbia — apply online, Invitation Only Assessment Days
- United States — apply online, Invitation Only Assessment Days
Worth knowing: The United States has moved to an invite-only model, which is a change from previous years when open-access Open Days were held. US-based candidates should apply online through the Emirates careers portal and wait for an invitation rather than looking for an open event to attend.
Canada continues to operate Open Days. Dubai holds weekly Assessment Days, although these are invitation-only.
This list is not exhaustive — Emirates updates its recruitment approach by country regularly and without much notice. Always check the Emirates careers website directly for the most current information before making any travel plans to attend an Open Day.
Can I Travel to Another Country to Attend an Open Day?
Technically, yes — Emirates does not restrict which Open Day you attend based on where you live. A US candidate could travel to Canada to attend an Open Day, and candidates from invite-only countries have been known to travel to open-access events elsewhere.
Whether it works in practice is a different question, and the honest answer is: sometimes yes, sometimes no.
Recruiters at each Open Day are briefed in advance on the profile of candidate they are looking to shortlist. This briefing can include nationality, language profile, and regional hiring needs. A candidate who travels from an invite-only country to attend an open-access event in a neighbouring country may find that recruiters are not shortlisting their nationality at that particular event — not because of anything personal, but because the hiring brief does not include them that day.
There are also candidates who have done exactly this and progressed successfully. It is not a guaranteed failure, and there is an element of luck involved in who is in the room and what the brief looks like that day.
Worth knowing: If you are considering travelling to another country to attend an Open Day, it is worth weighing the cost and effort against a realistic assessment of your chances. A US candidate travelling to Toronto is taking a calculated risk — it might work, and it might not. The six-month wait rule still applies if you receive a regret at that event, so a failed attempt abroad resets your clock the same as one at home.
It’s very common for South Korean candidates to travel to Europe, traveling thousands of miles to attend an Open Day, Unfortunately, based on the reports we have received, the chances of being shortlisted are very slim.
The safest approach for candidates from invite-only countries is to apply online through the Emirates careers portal and wait for an invitation. If you choose to travel anyway, go in with open eyes rather than an expectation that geography alone will change the outcome.
Do You Need to Apply Through a Third-Party Recruiter?
In some countries, Emirates works with a recruitment partner to conduct initial shortlisting. If you are based in one of these countries, you will need to apply through the relevant partner rather than directly through Emirates.
Known recruitment partners include:
- Ukraine — Aloha Partners LLC
- Belarus — Jetexpo
- Japan — Airlige
- Russia — Global Vision
- Morocco — CFPNC
- Brazil — Flyright International
The third-party recruiter list changes periodically, and some of these arrangements may have been updated since this article was last verified. If you are based in one of these countries, check the Emirates careers website directly to confirm the current arrangement. If you are unsure whether a recruiter in your country is legitimate, verify directly with Emirates before submitting any personal information or paying any fees. Emirates does not charge candidates to apply.
How Long Do You Have to Wait Between Applications?
The official rule is that you must wait at least six months between unsuccessful attempts if any of the following apply:
- You attended an Assessment Day
- You reached the Final Interview stage
- You received an official regret email
- Your online application status shows “Not Shortlisted”
If you attended an Open Day but were not shortlisted at the initial stage, the six-month rule technically does not apply. However, recruiters are consistent in advising candidates to use the time to build experience and skills before trying again, rather than attending a different Open Day the following week. There is always an element of luck in the shortlisting process, but turning up repeatedly without developing further is unlikely to change the outcome.
For a full guide to what happens at each stage of the Emirates recruitment process, read the Emirates Cabin Crew Recruitment: The Complete Guide. All Emirates content on CCF is also available through the Emirates Cabin Crew Hub Page.
