Western Expatriates Overpaid

I dont think so, maybe canadians and americans???

someone who made $2,700/m in his country now makes makes $27,000/m here.

That's some supply and demand!

I know people who make 10 times what they do in their own countries..

The bottom line is supply and demand.

If the company is willing to pay a certain amount for a skillset, then good for them..

Ever the comedian.

With reference to the Indian Subcontinent, there are people there in India, who make more than they would here and choose to stay there.

Then there are others who make less than they would there (laundry 700/m, cabbies 1,000/m) and yet choose to come here - presumably, masochists.

Filipinos are standard issue, sadly, except for the handful of wealthy families than run their country.

Lot of Thai, Turks make 1.2, to 1.5 times what they'd make in their countries.

I doubt anyone makes 3-4 times what they'd in their countries.

But then, this wage disparity exists in all developed countries; project manager in Oil & Gas in Houston would make $200k and another, also in Houston $400k.

....To the QLer whose name gives me the creeps, you can find some answers here about the definition of "single contract" and more...

http://www.expatnetwork.com/Jobs/Career-Centre/Your-Employment-Contract.cfm#5

we are much better thats why we get paid more.Understand? Gosh who gave you your job god?

lol.. brit.. this mistake (hiring british) has been already made.. thats' why we are living in such messy country ..:)

let them bring really organized, nice, polite, politically correct nation, with the strong system, and sensible rules.. and we will see the difference :)

I trust we all read our contracts before we signed them. We knew the requirements as well as the compensation. If you are not happy with that, it is your fault. I was not offered Your contract and You were not offered mine, so don't concern yourself with my package and I won't concern myself with yours.

Bottom line you agreed and signed for what you thought your value was. No one to blame but yourself.

This is the funniest thread I'v read in ages, I would like to know what "Benefits" Qatar has to offer other than the salary, that has to be a joke surely, the guy can't really be serious about Qatar offering benefits....like many other expats I'm here cos I get paid over the odds than what I would back home....if that changed I'm off to Dubai or Abu Dhabi...

I'm going to have a talk to the Ministry in charge of this famous pay scale for westerners, too promote a new law that everyone should be paid the same salary as a maid or a labor.

How about that for a change of life style?

The best option is to get rid of all Canadians and just employ Brits..

....ntasa. overpay for "Quality" over "Quantity"?

....In all honestly, not always the case. Many expat folks should've stayed back home in their farms, or pumped gas on the highway.

To cut to the chase, Khawaga Complex; a post-colonial malaise.

Ntasa, I really am not making a fuss ;o) it's just that it feels wrong.

But I guess discrimination is still the case almost everywhere you go... just when we thought we did move forward from this a long time ago.

Although... I think I know what you mean about the quality rather than quantity he he

(I'm NOT Racist; but here are ground realities)

normally, you pay more for Quality .. Right ??

so, if you prefer "Quality" over "Quantity" you'd be paying more anyway ..

P.S one of my canadian friend (A senior cisco engineer), was SENT BACK HOME from kuwait on arrival . Reason, the client - literally wanted to have non-colored engineers from cisco. this is on record, i've got proof.

so this is another factor. my humble advice to asian-western expat fellows - start wearing blue lenses and whitening creams. It does work here.

you already spend time and money to get your education stamped from west - youneed not just passport, but more :)

=======

on a more serious note; i believe the pay difference is more to do with the homecountry situation. you can only pay someone an x times, his/her salary to lure into the deserts.

whatever your home country salary, if you are getting an x multiple of it, enjoy it cherish it and don't make a fuzz abt what others are making .. as per my understanding, being a canadian doesn't make you tax exempt anywhere in the world (if you honestly pay your dues)

As a 'Westerner' I shouldn't probably say it, but yes, a lot of western expats are paid ridiculous salaries. Whilst Filipinos and Indians work for peanuts. I do understand that what they get here, back in their country probably would be a good salary and it is ultimately down to supply and demand. Although... don't they pay the same money for food here?

Don't get me wrong, I have no reason to complain, I absolutely love my life here...

I do feel a bit of a distaste knowing that someone gets paid QR1,500 per months working 7 days per week.

Can someone explain why they get paid so little???

It is simple supply and demand

Well said Qatarisun - instead of blaming salaries/Qatar - the blame lies with the countries of where people come from.

Many people forced to look for a job abroad to be able to try and feed their family at home or worse because their country is so unstable its safer for them to live here.

I am sorry because my question is bit off the track. But what is this "single contract" ? Is it a legal term or a clever trick to use "overseas contract people" as local hire.

How can I get canadian citizenship?

@QS

1) "why to bother?"- To bother because you live in a one bedroom apartment on top of a chinese fast food restaurant in toronto in Canada, drive a 1997 honda civic, and have to wear a bear when you go out for a walk.

2) "see the difference?"- The comparision was not between westerners and people from the subcontinent. See the difference??

3) No body is forced to hire Canadians. Maybe you haven't been to any of the HR offices in Qatar, which are swarmed by CV's from westerners dying to come to this country. The same is true for people from other parts of the world as well. Clear??

...Expat workers, pay attention to your contracts. If it says "internal" or "local hire" that's not a privilege at all (as some of my colleagues were led to believe before arriving for work in Qatar). It mostly means you're not going to be receiving the expat or even a fair package.

Note: If this thread stays civil, it could be a very useful QL reference for professionals.

aslambhaai what?

QS I chose the worst option in hindsight but can't blame anyone, my own mistake :)

whytenight

your employer must be a QL addict too.

happy happy compare whytenight's, a deeadwood from the same subcontinent, salary to that of the woman you referred. why talk about westerners, as QS said they are here by their employers' choice...

4-5-6000 CAD per month gives you a very good lifestyle in Canada,,, a much better one than here.

However, a westerner might come here to clear 10,000-15,000 CAD per month, and 3 years here equals 6 at home,,,then youcan go home, buy the house, and its a milestone accom-plished ahead of time....or, as many do, pay for your children's university education costs...

i am talking in general, WK. I am glad you had option to chose, and I hope you have chosen the best option, and I hope, like spongeboob mentioned, you earn much more than you would earn back home...

It's all about demand and supply like anywhere else.. bad thing about gulf , that they don't have a minimum wage, and again, people from the poor countries who have no choice are forced to accept salary QR500-700. And againg speaking of westerners, minimum wage in Canada is abot CAD1300 (QAR 4500). Who made this money? Usually teen-agers, working in McDonalds, or illegal workers.

QS I come from the sub-continent and I was searched both times, when I moved to Dubai and when I moved here :)

There are few facts must be addressed:

-Qatar's Western expatriates & senior staff expatriates (in general) wages is not much different in other GCC countries or in Malaysia, Shanghai or Singapore.

-Western Expatriates mostly are hired in the private sector. And limited in Government sector to certain senior positions as Managers, experts or consultants.Plus to those working in the Education sector

The bottom line, it's all narrowed down to Productivity & Qualification

Happy/Happy & Qs..both of you made some very valid points.

**i have a spinning class to catch up with now...i just wanted to reserve a seat in this heated topic :)

I think we are ALL earning more than we would earn in our home countries, or we are getting something that we wouldn't get in our home countries, otherwise why are we ALL here. Its not just westerners who earn more than their home pay scale. Look in the mirror and ask yourself, What would I earn at home?

...Ok, got it. I was just checking.

Oh, Happy Happy. I'll leave that up to you to judge.

..LincolnPirate, please tell me you're kidding..?

A poor Qatari child goes to sleep hungry because she earns too much money.

I think she is still 'over-paid'.

LincolnPirate, she is not medically covered, and literally said she didn't know what meat looked like. She wasn't begging, we work together at the same place (but not with the same firm).

Yeah, clearly 'benefits'.

qatarisun, here: "And citizens of subcontinent have to chose between to survive with QR4000 or to die back home."

I was talking, just this morning, with my colleague, who’s told me she ate rice with QR 150 monthly, spent QR50 and sent the rest for her mom who is taking care of my colleague's two kids and her own young unmarried sister.

The irony is that she's offered a "shared room". She is entitled to one round ticket every 2 years.

'Benefits'. Which benefits? Slavery, forced labor, no freedom of movement, censorship; is that what you call 'benefits'?

Try to understand that I am here to suck as much money out of this country as possible. They don't give anything else anyway. Money is all they have. No charme, no friendliness, no feeling 'home.' So, what do they expect? Suck them.

no i don't .. i guess i am fine... open a Gulf-Times, Situation wanted section.

but again, I am not pretending to be superior or so..i am honestly pity on these people who MUST accept offer of QAR 1000/2000/3000. I understand they simply do not have another choice! and only THEIR OWN countries to be blamed for this shame!

They are hugely overpaid.

qatarisun said: "try to understand that westerners are searched by the potential employers (wherever is needed), and non-westerners are searching for the employment.. see the difference?"

You need to see a doctor.

blackdhalia, if they got paid as same as in canada, they would never come here.. simple as that..why to bother?

try to understand that westerners are searched by the potential employers (wherever is needed), and non-westerners are searching for the employment.. see the difference?

"I advice companies and my Qatari brothers to look into how much they are paying western expatriates"

Let's assume tomorrow companies will "look into it”, and will offer some canadian let's say QR 4000 a month... then- WHAT? Canadian wouldn’t accept this offer, that’s it. And if the employer does need the canadian, he will pay as much as canadian asks (or at least close to it). Canadian wouldn't work for 4000-5000, don't you understand that? and not because Canadian is arrogant, but simply because for QR4000 back home Canadian can afford NOT to work at all. This amount Canadian will receive as a welfare or unemployment. Clear?

And citizens of subcontinent have to chose between to survive with QR4000 or to die back home. Westerners shouldn’t be blamed, but the governments of subcontinent’s countries who doesn't give a dump about their own citizens..

Happy Happy, i am sure which part exactly of my post are you reffering to? when i mentioned a welfare?

oh, by the way, don't forget, accommodation price in most of Canada is exactly HALF of accommodation price in Doha.

1 br apartement somewhere in Newfounland is around CAD500 = QAR 1700.In Doha it is CAD1500 = QAR 5000.

So based on your calculation:

in Canada: QAR11,000-1700 = QAR9300 left after accommodation;

in Doha: QAR 15000-5000=10,000 left after accommodation.

Let alone food which is much cheaper in Canada, and entertainment which in Qatar simly doesn't exist... as well as overall life style level..

To cover ALL these loss, canadian will ask at least for 25,000.

qatarisun, QR "4000" per month for citizens of subcontinent? I was just talking to a colleague of mine who is paid QR 550 per month.

@qatarisun,..cockroach

110% agreed!! word by word!!!

There is no point in just calculating the statistics.Apply your policies and soon Qatar will become a self reliant country............literally, true 100% Qatarisation.........LOL

anything else???