You are right. Background verification checks are not done in Dubai. One of the reasons is that people working here are mostly expatriates and coming from different countries, so it is difficult to get information and records from their origin countries regarding their background.
But what you can do is a reference check. We, as a policy, do not recruit anyone unless the reference check is completed satisfactorily. We ask the candidates to give us 2 professional contacts (1 HR person and immediate supervisor) from the last 2 companies with which they were employed. Then we call these references and confirm if:
a. the candidate was employed with them during the period mentioned in the CV
b. the candidate was holding the same position and responsibilities
c. on what grounds he left the company
d. overall feedback on his character, strengths & weaknesses
In our experience, all the references have given us information without any objections. The only thing they may not be willing to divulge is the salary last drawn by the candidate.
If you are recruiting workers from countries like Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc., usually the local consultants will maintain records related to the candidate's background including any police records.
Hope you found the information helpful.
Regards,
Lakshmi