Western and Arab expats in Qatar still earn more money than their Asian counterparts, but the divide has been narrowing in recent years, new data shows.
White-collar salaries were up across the board in 2014, according to an annual survey by Gulf Business of recruitment firms in the region.
The publication compares salary information for 20 management-level positions in fields such as healthcare, real estate, human resources and media in all the GCC countries.
On average, an Asian expat working in a senior position in Qatar can expect to make 77 cents for every US$1 earned by his/her Western peers. That’s up from 75 cents in 2012.
Speaking to Gulf Business, Ian Giulianotti, director at Nadia Recruitment Consultants, said:
“That gap for people being paid by their nationality is changing very slowly and people are being paid more for their ability and the job role, but I don’t think it will ever be completely eradicated, not in my lifetime anyway.”
The numbers
Western expats received the largest year-over-year salary hikes in 2014. The unweighted average salary of the 20 positions was $13,573 per month, up a little more than 10 percent over 2013.
That puts Western workers in Qatar slightly ahead of their expat Arab counterparts, who had the highest earnings among the three categories in last year’s survey.
The average monthly salary for Arab expats climbed 4 percent in 2014, to $13,021.
Asian expats, meanwhile, saw their average salary jump 9.6 percent to $10,489/month.
The hefty raises for Western and Asian wipe out pay decreases recorded in last year’s surveys. Recruiters said at the time that cost-conscious employers were making lower salary offers to incoming employees as positions turned over, lowering average compensation levels.
The salary increases recorded in the Gulf Business survey are higher than what was forecast in a report last September by consulting firm Aon Hewitt.
Using a slightly different methodology that appears to include more job positions, Aon Hewitt predicted pay packages in Qatar would increase 5.5 percent in 2014 and then go up another 5.1 percent this year.
Divided country
All forms of discrimination are theoretically prohibited under Qatar’s constitution, but there are many anecdotal reports of employers paying people different salaries for the same work based on their race.
For example, pay discrimination was thought to be a motivating factor for a school bus driver strike in 2013 that left many parents scrambling to find alternative transportation.
At the time, Asian drivers at the company were paid significantly less than their Arab counterparts, and the striking drivers who walked off the job demanded better treatment and higher pay.
Some Qatar residents have argued that the country is divided along racial lines. Egyptian expat and blogger Mostafa Sheshtawy wrote in 2012 that a person’s status in Qatar is directly related to their country’s international standing.
“Qatar is the country where people ask you where are you from before what is your name,” he wrote.
Another report, meanwhile, suggests that some people believe that they’ll earn more money in the Gulf if they obtain citizenship from a western country.
Last fall, Al Arabiya reported that new, tougher rules for obtaining Canadian citizenship were frustrating some Arab immigrants living in the Gulf who dreamed of briefly leaving, obtaining a Canadian passport and then returning to higher salary in the Middle East.
Does your workplace discriminate with pay based on race? Thoughts?
Another DN bleating headline to pretend that Qatar is “concerned” about this issue. Even the leading professional construction consultants relate salaries to country of origin, and that’s how Qatar wants it so that it can be built on the cheap.
Being a Middle Eastern with a double nationality, I can assure you that it did not affect my earnings one bit.
Arabs & Asians will still be Arab & Asians in the eyes of their counterparts, regardless of the passport.
Of course, an Arab with a Canadian passport still goes as an Arab.
First of all, every job I have done in the past yes big time! I was paid based on my race and this is why I hate working under anyone in this country because most of the companies here are racist! This is why I preferred to run my own business.
Lol… Here the racism is at its finest. This is why people like us who actually used to care about Qatar leave to a place where they get respected and appreciated regardless of their nationalities. I don’t think anyone follows the rules of discrimination being banned in Qatar. Lets put it this way for example because of my nationality I have been offered 6,000 Riyals for a job that I can do better than any White or Arab can for the fact that I can communicate in all 3 common languages used in Qatar fluently (Alhamdulillah) for the same job a white person would be offered 25,000 riyals, Lebanese male 16,000 riyals, Lebanese female 20,000 riyals and so on… Not only is there discrimination in the amount of salary but also who gets what positions and if you are a male or female, what kind of female are you plays a big role too… its really sick to be honest!
In fact this is also an issue in UAE. But not as much as Qatar, over here it’s just extreme.
So to attack racism you are being racist yourself. How ironic.
Here is the sweeping generalisation as Mr Ali knows all white and Arab people in the world and their capability
“I have been offered 6,000 Riyals for a job that I can do better than any White or Arab”
1) may be this part “Lets put it this way for example ” didn’t go through your thick head.
2) My point was referring to White and Arabs because that is what the article is all about. If it had mentioned Martians, I would’ve mentioned them too.
3) Find me 1 White person that can speak Arabic and Hindi fluently or an Arab that can speak Hindi and English Fluently in Qatar and then we will think about your nonsense point of racism. As a matter of fact yes I am generalizing, the general population in Qatar is incapable of communicating in all 3 languages fluently and if you don’t believe me go and do a research yourself before you run your mouth about me being racist. May be the 3 friends you have made in since you got off the boat here 2 years ago might be capable of communicating in all 3 languages, but other than them I am pretty sure. To prove me correct please tell everyone your nationality and if you can speak either or mentioned languages fluently and if you cannot then it’s better to stay quiet.
4) I am not racist, I hate everyone equally.
You may be able to communicate in 3 languages but do you have the qualifications, skills and experience to do the job?
Of course. That was the point, in case you missed it.
What I missed was what exactly the job is and why speaking 3 languages means you could do it better than ANY Arab or white person…….
Many jobs; Management, Direction, Production, Government, Administration, Construction… almost anything and everything in Qatar with the right skills of course, in My case that would be Directing and running businesses. I can direct films in 3 languages without communication barrier for example. The ability to communicate with everyone in their own language is way better than trying to talk to someone of a different nationality with the other person’s language but completely messed up and none of them understand each other which is very common here.
How good is your written English?
Got messed up after using it on the internet too much. Still pretty good to get the message through. What are you my exam moderator? this is not an English exam! unless you expect everyone to write formally to you as if it was a business contract?
Didn’t know that there was such a high demand for directing films in three languages in Doha, Qatar.
Things don’t have demand, like your useless comment but you did it anyway. Similarly, one has to create a demand and look for opportunities like the opportunity I took to enlighten you. However I didn’t know what I did had a major impact on your life, try not to be to jealous.
Sorry, must have touched a raw nerve.
No I’m just allergic to certain things. But it’s ok, carry on.
You need Hindi to order coffee from the tea boys, so in Qatar apparently that classifies as a management skill….
If I didn’t why would I mention it? illogical much?
What is illogical is your assertion that you can do the job better than ‘any Arab or white person’. Generalise much……?
I can speak English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Latin. And I speak each of these languages like a native without accent. And you? How does your English sound?
you must be a special case
Daniel clearly you missed the point by miles, most languages you mentioned don’t count in Qatar because they are not common here. My English sounds perfectly fine, I was raised in London and went to an American school over here. I speak all of the 3 Languages like a native (both American and British) without an accent well except Arabic that I speak like a Lebanese. In addition to that I even know Punjabi, Sindhi, Gujarati, French and Persian and you? How does your Arabic or Hindi sound?
I’m not sure how saying that you’re more skilled at a certain task than not many, not most, but ALL “whites and Arabs” isn’t racist. That’s pretty much the dictionary definition of the word (“especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races”).
Lebanese are as much arabs as the Italians are asian.
Are you saying that Lebanese are not Arabs ? If so, what is the point you are trying to make.
Lebanese are Arabs but they have superiority over other Levant Arabs in Qatar. I don’t really know why may be because of their open culture or the best food on earth or creative thinking or the French influence or may be its the fame. I don’t know what it is but they certainly do get paid above other Arabs definitely 2nd highest after Qataris compared to other Arabs.
Politically speaking, Lebanon is categorized as an Arab nation, however, the Lebanese people have so little in common with the people from the Arabian peninsula. Whether it is the culture, the genetics, or anything except for the language, Lebanese, Moroccon, Tunisian, Sudanese, have so little in common with the Arabs.
You’d be surprised as to how much they have in common with Arabs. The only difference is they are a bit more “Liberal” due to French influence, yet a lot of them are close minded specially the older generations and they are considered as outsiders on the other side because of dominating Shia Muslims + Christian population combined unlike other Arabic countries. Which is a unique and beautiful thing in Lebanon that makes it stand out to be honest only if people were more united. People from Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria are the furthest from Arabs, their culture, food, life style and language are the least Arabic among all other Arabic countries. Sudanese and Egyptians are close languages and they are quiet commonly understood by most Arabs because of the Arabic Film Industry.
Define Arabs. Do you mean Arabs from the Arabian peninsula or the Arabic speaking people? The point I’m making is that their is no such thing as Arabs outside the Arabian peninsula. Speaking Arabic doesn’t make you an Arab, nor does belonging to the arab league, since that league is a big farce based on the notion of having a geo-political coalition with the language as its only common criteria.
Now why do I say that Lebanese are not Arabs? Because Lebanon was drenched in a 15 year civil war, with two camps one for and the other opposing the categorization of an Arab state. The war is over now, but that split still remains and generalizing that Lebanese are Arabs, means sidelining 50% of the Lebanese people who don’t want to be labeled based on their language alone.
Lebanese have this false sense that they are Europeans. I guess it stems from the fact that many of them have white skin. This false sense of superiority translates into racist behaviour towards others specially Sudanese. The irony is when the Lebanese stands in an immigration queue with his Lebanese passport, his arrogance disappears.
It is not arrogance nor does it justify racism. Lebanese are racially not categorized as Arabs, nor are they Europeans.
The concept of Arabs is not ethnic nor it is racial, it is a geo-political coalition that has failed over and over again. There is nothing common between a Sudanese and a Syrian, or between a Moroccan and a Saudi, except for the language; and language is a very rudimentary criteria to establish a coalition, better yet categorize hundreds of millions of people according to.
Well Lebanese are Asians, just like Russians and others from Middle East and Persians. I don’t know why people try to deny it?
Their false sense is not because of the white skin, many Asians have white skins like Persians, Russians, Afghanis… etc. It’s because they were ruled by French and France has been known to be prestigious and classy. Look up the history of Lebanon, it is very interesting. FYI not all Lebanese are arrogance.
Those areas that we now call Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, North Africa are not the traditional Arab tribes. Though the muslim invasion and conquest of those lands they became Arabic speaking. Like a 2nd gen Chinese in America who only speaks English. Doesn’t make him ethnically European
Discrimination is not always the case here. Most of us (Asians) offer ourselves at a very cheap rate. If I decide to leave my position at work today; I will see hundreds of candidates willing to work at the same position for a lot less attractive package..
Mainly discrimination is, but yes you do have a good point.
Thank you at least you are honest.. If Asians want higher pay then you are right stop offering yourself for cheap
This is the pet peeve I have had. Why do Asians (Indian subcontinent) offer themselves at a cheap price. I can understand the supply is huge and positions declined can be filled up quickly, but at least get here on a decent salary and raise the bar for all.
There are many who come for a pittance and then complain.
I would not call it discrimination, but there is a disparity between the salaries here. Very few companies follow a strict grading system which allows all to enjoy the same benefits irrespective of your place of origin. Here the harder you negotiate your salary, the better pay you get.
I’ve been asking this for years! I don’t understand why someone would agree to come on such a low pay to begin with. One conversation I had the gentleman told me that they’d rather come and get paid less than nothing at all. What a shame…
I work in a big Qatari group and we have plenty of Indian and Asian managers/directors and they are all getting the same benefits as everyone else except Qataris. Most of them drive Porsches (Macan, Cayenne, Boxter, you name it) by the way! I understand that this is not the case everywhere, but don’t make it sound like there is a systematic nationality-based racism in every company in Qatar. It is NOT the case.
I also worked in the government and we used to all get the same benefits based on our grade not nationality. So stop dramatizing guys.
“There are many anecdotal reports of employers paying people different salaries for the same work based on their race.” – hardly a dramatization 🙂
I would agree that standardized salary grading is the exception, rather than the norm. Indeed in some large government run companies, the basic salary component of the salary grade is somewhat standardized, but then additional payments/multipliers can be added to make the basic higher for one person than the other, even if it is the same job and the same job grade.
“Anecdotal”
“Heyyy.. We’re a news source not a blogggg”
Bet you can find a ton of anecdotal evidence stating the opposite as well.
The article is about a report, not the heavily qualified anecdotes.
An issue of emphasis?
True, it’s not in every company, but certainly not the minority either
Dude Stop using my name!!!!
Not in every company but most companies here. Specially in case of IT.
It is everywhere in Qatar, However, it is more clear between Americans-Euro and others. you can see it even in the clubs, fitness, schools… they get the best here without a real justification. I think it is more related to the legacy that white people established here 60 years ago.
For this to be really workable, Qatar should create a central recruitment body under the Ministry of Labour, whereby all firms get potential candidates from there only. When the firms require staff or workers, then they should approach this body with their job requirements only and they shall get a candidate from there. But the recruitment body should ensure the candidates have correct qualifications and experience to match with the job requirement.
Absolutely not. That would be a disaster and lead to more corruption
Isn’t this the same approach that created the famine in the Soviet Union?
Will not work – similar to the Government Housing which is centralized. A huge disaster.
I can get a good house only with “wasta” – do not want to risk human capital being centralized.
IHow much does it cost a national to retire. How much does it cost them for schooling. Everyone is killing it compared to the west
Don’t regulate the job market… If someone is not happy with they’re pay they move on… If the pay they’re making is less than someone else well tough … Maybe it’s because their raiser to replace or they have a self inflated view of their importance
or greed. Move on to where exactly? specially with this illogical sponsorship system, where is it that you think people move on to? I think you are mistaking Qatar with the rest of the World.
Move back to where they come from or move on to somewhere better
lol I was born here, there’s no where else to move back to unless you mean Rumailah hospital. Jokes aside, yes in fact that is exactly what I am going to do, move to somewhere better just like everyone else who came here to make money and leave. No expat is loyal to Qatar btw, everyone is here to make money.
That’s a good idea. I think they should have a minimum wage system too.
Too Soviet
Well, do you really believe that a lazy, indifferent bureaucrat is capable of evaluating candidates and matching their skills to job requirements he has no clue about? Perhaps, if he is looking for employees for his and his friends and relatives’ companies (welcome to the world of “wasta”)
For unskilled jobs, if there is a disparity (eg.drivers as cited above) then there is racism/nationality involved. For skilled jobs (white collar) it comes down to value the person brings to the company – Asian’s generally accept lower and since the salary scale/bands are wide, there would be disparity. Negotiate well and then there is nothing to complain.
Ticket encashment though – that has an impact on passport but various co’s now give multiple of basic to ensure parity.
All of the above does not apply to the “big” Q Co. in Qatar – they have and follow traditional practices, unfortunately.
It is not usually two nationlites being paid different for the same job. Usually the companies are structured on nationality grounds. I.e Qataris and westerners in the management positions and Asians filling the junior jobs. It is rare to find say an American clerk as it is not economical to employ them.
One of the reasons you don’t see many Asians in management positions is the perceived inferiority of many of their education systems and the lack of world class companies to get experience in. However in a number of companies I have worked in Asians who have proved themselevs have made it to the top and received similar packages to other managers.
So it’s ok for you to say Asians have a horrible education system, they are illiterate and they have bad businesses… how ironic and racist. These people study Calculus and Engineering in grade 8… Something that you probably never studied or may be don’t even know anything about.
If you think Asian lack world class companies then stop using your computer and stop using all the electronics or most things even your clothes in your house since they are all made in Asian countries.
The only thing Asians probably lack is how to fool people in to doing things and taking advantage of people which is what Western countries are good at, as the British empire did and what happen to Native Americans and African American slavery era… etc… I don’t have time to teach you a grade 2 history lesson that you should have known since you seem to be defending Westerners way to much beyond logic.
I don’t think you understand the meaning of the word perceived. Many indian and Asian schools have excellent English programmes
I don’t think anyone perceives Asian education as inferior, everyone knows Asians are the smartest people on earth. Which includes Indians, Arabs, Persians and Russians too as they are most of the best Doctors, Engineers and Scientists. I don’t know what triggered your assumptions.
I think that is an erreonous statement to make, unless you want to talk about eugenics. At each point in their history those cultures had exceptional people but today their societies reflect poorly when compared to the developed western world. That is probably why some of the best brains from those countries then move to the west at the first opportunity.
The list of Nobel Prize winners from Asia to give one example is poor.
Who was it that discovered and explained evolution? General Theory of Relativity? Quantum Mechanics? Vaccinations? WWW? The Telephone? The TV? Refridgeration? Trains? Planes? Cars? and the list goes on…..
I can’t remember any of them being the smartest people on earth that you refer to.
I agree with MIMH, he (or she) said “perceived inferiority” of their education system not inferiority of their education system. If you go to university in the states, you are familiar with asians being some of the top students in math and sciences to the point as it is a stereotype that all asian students are geniuses.
However you also have the otherside of the coin of taxi drivers who used to be doctors in their home countries. It is not a question of if they are smart or qualified, it is usually a question of getting their foot in the door with an acceptable degree…a lot of asians know this and get their bachelors in Asia and their postgrads in the west. Right now it is a reality that western degrees are seen as superior in a lot of countries.
As for businesses, I disagree with that MIMH. There are worldclass companies in Asia, but with Southeast Asia these companies tend to be manufacturers, suppliers, service companies etc. But there are few internationally known household name companies (Tata is the only example I can think of at the moment), however many internationally successful companies rely on the factories and outsourcing of services of South East Asian companies.
Is Tata popular in the West? Never knew that. it isn’t popular in the Gulf. Their heavy vehicles have a bad reputation in the market.
You are right maybe not so internationally known/recognized I know it not only from the vehicles but steel, tea and Taj hotels but it is a worldwide company.
Umm Tata bought Jaguar?
Tata is huge and have bought some western firms in the last few years from tea to cars. Some bits are very poor but then they make good decisions. After buying Jaguar/Land Rover they left the design and manufacture in the UK as they knew if they moved it to India the quality would drop
Good point
You said it all Ali. Bro, you have pointed out exactly a white skin thinking.
Everyone on this comments board appears to be overpaid judging by the amount of time they’ve spent reading and commenting on this article…
Or those who actually bother reading them
The smart Indians are in the US.
I don’t think that’s appropriate. There are smart Indians here too btw, the owner of Caravan/Merweb Hotel for example and various other businesses, plus there are many engineers and doctors that are smart Indians here.
what you’re saying is true for the top and bottom end, but not so much for the middle layer. Several mid-level or senior engineers are paid significantly different amounts depending on their nationality
Its not only perceived but very well documented in contracts. Here is a snapshot from a staff secondment contract in a major company in Qatar. When the system itself put such clauses in contract how can you deny the facts?
It is in that contract which doesn’t mean all.
I guess the bad publicity of the cheating that goes on an Indian education establishments recently makes people doubt the value of awarded certificates. Also in the Philippines the length and standard of education is no way comparable to the US or Europe.
I also presume those are some of the reasons rich enough Asians send their kids to the US or Europe to get their degree as it is more valued around the world.
Its a common perception that some thing that is costly will be of higher quality. Do you agree? About the cheating thing, it was recently reported. How do that affect the perception that is already in place for long time? Here is my point making sense. Higher cost = Higher Quality
Yes and that is the way many luxury brands operate as well as companies such as Apple
MIMH, I hope you do not let that sway your opinion of education in India. It’s not all Indian educational institutions that were portrayed in the news. It was only those in Bihar, which is a state in India. But to generalise the findings of one state to the country is a whole lot of generalisation. Thats like saying “Oh look The Niagara falls, America is a land of waterfalls.”
The reason people still flock west for education, is that the world is still stuck on the idea of ‘better things come from the west’. Must have to do with the fact that most Asian and African countries were colonized or ruled by the west. This has led to Western standards being the standard of the world. So is it with English being the most widely understood language.
Now the disparity in salaries. There is no disparity in salaries in Qatar. All are paid equally based on their educational qualifiations, experience and quality. Nationality has nothing to do with remuneration. Oh look flying pigs.
What is the equivalent of North American, Western European or Australian University???
This is not great journalism. Anecdotes do not constitute evidence. I’ve got some anecdotes too: Most of the “Westerners” I’ve met here are hugely more capable, qualified and experienced than a lot of the other people I’ve met. In fact many of them have had long and successful careers in places such as Hong Kong, New York, London etc. etc. before coming here. Of course there are some incompetent idiots here but aren’t there everywhere? If you really want to stoke resentment and create more risk for the country and the economy I can think of no better way than saying WITHOUT EVIDENCE that some of the most capable people here are getting a deal that they don’t deserve. I’m sure plenty of them will already be looking at things like the traffic jams, the abysmally dangerous driving, the lack of schools etc. and considering their options elsewhere. Moaning about discrimination without evidence does nothing for Qatar’s future.
Actually while I’m on anecdotes one thing I’ve noticed about all the people I’ve met here – whatever their nationality or ethnicity – they all seem to have a bit more gumption than the people who don’t have the get up and go to leave home. Whether it is desperation or whatever that gets people here or whatever they all seem to have the guts to have a go at something at least.
This article is crap. In my old place of work we had Indians making more than they’re english counterparts and we had french making much higher than american counter parts and South Africans making higher than nationals. All the same jobs more or less. The biggest impact of your pay wasn’t your nationality but was what you negotiate and accept at time of signing the contract.
It takes much less to attract an Indian or Syrian to move to Doha than it is to attract a Canadian. Arguably the quality of life, housing, schooling and pay is most times better in Doha than that in Syria or India but not necessilry canada.
If your not happy by the amount your paid than blame yourself, next time don’t settle and negotiate what you believe you deserve. If you are happy and settle far less than what a Canadian would accept, then that’s on you.
I love anecdotes. They’re so much more fun than evidence.
I’m basing this on the fact I managed a team of over 30 people from 12 different nationalities all doing pretty much the same specialized job… They’re were huge discrepancy in pay but it was not driven by nationality as much as it was driven by experience and what ppl settled for.. Given employment contracts were biannuals I was shocked at how low some individuals would work for… Almost wanted to slap one or two on the head and tell them to ask for more
My experience is similar and it’s interesting to hear what you have to say but for any substantive evidence wouldn’t we need a salary survey of thousands and then some sort of evidence the remuneration decisions were based on ethnicity/whatever? Anything else is really for the Daily Mail / conjecture.
And you think this is the norm? I’ve seen a salary grid showing top/mid/min salary levels by role and nationality, and you could clearly see a consistent wage gap for any given role across nationalities. Of course some roles only existed for specific nationalities… nevertheless, all common roles showed gaps that most people would unfortunately expect. Again this is just one example…
Without detailed research it is hard to establish what is the “norm”. Correlation is not the same as causation.
Then you’ve come to the right place because most criticism of Qataris here is nothing but anecdotes. Enjoy 😉
I think there’s some criticism of Qataris that is pointless but there is some criticism of how some things work (or don’t) in Qatar that may have a point and may not be just anecdotal – e.g. driving behavior.
Well, I specifically said Qataris and not Qatar 😉
And aren’t examples of driving behavior just anecdotal evidence? The different people I know can not seem to agree on who are the worst drivers in Qatar; Qatari men, women in general, Indian men, etc. Everybody has their own anecdotal facts to prove their point.
Anecdotal examples are just anecdotal evidence but statistics – assuming they are gathered appropriately – are not. For example one international standard commonly gathered was fatalities per 100,000 vehicles per year. Then the figure of fatalities per 100,000 motor vehicles was seen as more important to gather. Now the figure of road fatalities per billion vehicle km is seen as more significant again. Qatar seems to gather the first two but not the last – or at least not clearly published anywhere that is easily found. Even on the first two stats Qatar does badly compared to most “Western” countries even though it is more urbanized than many/most of them which “normally” leads to less fatalities. Not being happy about this could be seen as a valid criticism of a system in Qatar (driving education/enforcement) rather than a criticism of Qataris. If things aren’t critiqued they aren’t improved upon.
I have been working in the Gulf for the last 15 years. I am a HR professional and have never come across an Indian or Asian for that matter making more than an Englishman. I find that part hard to believe. Which company is this?
Quite a few co’s actually – unfortunately most HR departments in the ME are admin paper pushers and not strategic partners. 15 years in the ME in HR is no experience in the real world.
Like I stated before it is the value the person brings to the Co. which matters
Can you also tell me what company you work for so I can inform your HR that they’re just paper pushers and their experience are nothing compared to you.
They’ll also know that you have been posting comments during working hours instead of doing your job. Keep up the good work!
Save your 2 cents to yourself – you are nobody to be informing my HR on anything!!! My HR working very well on becoming a key strategic function in the organization – I used to tell them directly they were paper pushers.
On your second point, what I do on my day off is again none of your business – so again keep your 2 cents to yourself.
Finally though, your attitude is toxic (complain to someone – jeez!!!!) – Perhaps you might be a paper pusher yourself and which is why you have taken offence. Not to worry, acknowledging an issue is the first step to improvement.
Angry? that usually points to guilt. Talk to your HR, that would usually remove the guilt. But if you’ve already told them that, why not tell us your company so we can see if what you’re saying is true.
hehe…Whats with your guilt trip? It is fine if you are part of an ‘transactional’ HR dept – as I stated, many HR Depts in the ME are. Again save the ‘2 cents’ to yourself.
I’ll stop commenting if you also stop. Quid pro quo. Mr. Guilty Salesman. By the way, today is your day off also? Wow, your company must be specially nice to you, two days off.
huh!! It’s called annual leave
…now climb back into your hole 🙂
You don’t know the difference between Day Off and Annual Leave? I pity you. You really should talk to your HR, they can enlighten you on your benefits. Mr. Guilty Salesman, who complains about HR but doesn’t about what they do.
And waste their time giving advice on these trivial and transactional issues…..I mentioned HR need to think strategically…
…..but do enlighten me on the difference of days off from my annual leave since its obvious that you are in a typical admin HR dept., have all the time the world, may never be able to think strategically and your experience may never be counted in the real world.
Self guilt and trying to pass that feeling on to others. All is not lost – you can still change, if you want to, without passing on your guilt trips to others.
Talking like a true HR. Bravo! From being defensive, you have gone beyond your anger and angst, and become a grown up adult. I’m a happy and proud of you man! And your HR would also be proud. But I guess, your family isn’t because you’ve just wasting your time talking to me instead of talking to them. But again, I’m proud of you! Mr. Once-Angry Salesman, who is on vacation and using the time to pointlessly argue instead of enjoying their vacation!
LOL…
Deleting for personal attack, and subsequent thread.
The HR manager who is Indian in my company was earning more money than my boss who is from Canada.
They had different jobs but they were on the same level..
I agree 100%. My first contract in Qatar was my first time in the Middle East, and although I worked for amazing people, they got me cheap.I was naive and just didn’t know the market. Great salary and benefits, but it was the housing costs that stung me.
Currently renegotiating a new contract, with a MUCH better idea of the market, and what I’m worth. You live and learn..
What was your old place?
You have no idea what you are talking about. Your text above is non sense..
Doha news once again being unprofessional. The gap between western and Arab expats has not changed and will always be there due to the laws and culture. Also in this article you make it sound that people are working in Zurich or new york. You know honest journalism can go a long way
It was actually talking about Westerners & Arabs vs. Asians lol not Westerns vs. Arabs
It is not always about asking more. There are recruitment policies in some companies which clearly put salary slabs based on nationalities, but this is never on paper. This was disclosed to me from someone in our HR dept.
I was interviewed by a big american company in Qatar, they told me they had 3 kinds of packages – one for americans mostly hired from US, then a western package and last a locally hired package. So there is no meaning for an asian to keep negotiating for more salary because this is fixed and their hidden policies never change.
I think the final question of the article should be reverted: tell us where in Qatar you don’t face this problem. It’s easier and faster.
He’s right. The gap will never disappear completely. No one likes to be stereotyped.
There is one point most are missing here. The majority of private companies are dependent on government funded companies for contracts. Those companies operate on the basis of lowest technically acceptable commercial bid.
Therefore if you work for an American company you cannot bid based on 100% Americans to do the work, same for Japanese companies. So what you have to do is to hire cheap Asians for the majority of your workforce to be able to succeed.
If you do not then there are plenty of Asian companies willing to exploit their own people to win work in Qatar.
So Qatar companies pretty much mandate the hiring of cheap Asians so the work is done at the cheapest price.
Talk about salaries & discrimination. I work for 1 of the largest organizations (+10,5k staff force) & 1 belong to the top management, have been in the same position for over 7-yrs & this Jan received an increment of only Qr500 per month. What an insult yet they pay the locals higher increments etc for actually doing nothing. We have surpassed our target by Qr50M. We expats are responsible for the successes of co’s in Qatar, not the Qatari’s yet we are made to suffer, how is this possible? Many promises were made but till date nothing has materialized, very sad. Unfortunately my kid is still in school yr-10 & to move elsewhere now does not make sense, it might disrupt her studies. I guess the co knows this far too well to hold me from leaving &/or joining another co albeit they will reject the NOC as well. A British friend has just been offered a huge package by another similar co here yet he was earning slightly less when he was at my co, tells you all something about the choice of white collar, does it not? I am not from any Asian country but certainly belong to a 1st world country. So there u go then, if you not white then you are not right. No offense to the white collar expats but this is the brutal truth about Qatar & the Gulf in general.
The expression “Throw a rock into a pack of dogs, and the one that yells is the one that got hit.” looks especially true when reading the comments here.
Coming to Doha and then whining all the time is not good for anybody. Unlike many on this blog, I am happy in Qatar for a number of reasons. The moment that changes I will go back to my country. In other words, I am not desperate, I have options and I am here by choice. Why should I be worried about certain individuals/nationalities that are willing to sell themselves short?
A manager doesn’t normally have the excuse that he was misled by a crooked recruitment agency or that the original contract he signed was replaced by a lesser one when he landed in Doha. Managers should also be able to do some research on cost of living, climate, schooling, traffic, etc. before signing on the dotted line. If the total package doesn’t suit them they can go somewhere else, or stay where they are. If there’s equal pay for equal work over there, so much better.
I think the title should be changed yo nationality wage gap. It’s not based on race.
It is heavily based on the race at least 70% of the times.
Discrimination in salaries exists but mostly in pvt business. That too by misusing labour laws on unsuspecting Asians. Always it’s an expat manager who takes another expat on a long ride… sometimes the additional income goes to his pocket which his sponsor may not be aware of!
There is no such race as a westerner! How did they determine who a westerner was? Based on their citizenship or based on what race they put on the survey?! Was Asian American classified as a westerner or Asian? Would South Africans be considered of the “western race” or does that depend on the color of their skin?
You raise a very valid point. I have seen Australians and white South Africans being called Westerners. They arent even in the western hemisphere. Whats worse is a white South African is westerner, Black South African is African and South African of Asian heritage is Indian- this is how the job market describes them although all come from the same country. I’m not sure if this scale was used by the survey.
“All forms of discrimination are theoretically prohibited under Qatar’s constitution” best joke I’ve heard in a looooong time!
If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys and god knows the status administration and professionalism in Qatar. No work ethics or management systems, people are scared to death to take any sort of accountability. In my opnion these are all statics to paint a different picture than the actual reality.
Statistics. Static is what you are hearing. Now let me go feed my unicorns.
The whole premise is a bit silly. Someone needs to educate Ian Giulianotti on the fact that salaries are determined by more factors than just “ability and the job role.” Another major factor is the labor market from which the person comes. If an Indian is happy to do a job for $1000 a month, but a Lebanese would only accept $5000 for a similar job, then why should the company not pay the minimum that people will accept?
Of course the wage also reflects productivity differences, so it’s rare to have such a big discrepancy is truly identical jobs, and when it happens, it’s for a good reason: as usual, the Qatar government makes things difficult. If a hospitality company wants to hire Arabic-speaking women, then there are not many such visas available, so, inevitably, this imposed shortage raises wages for that population, so a woman from Morocco might make more for a similar job than a woman from the Philippines. If a company needs Arabic speakers or wants that diversity in its workforce, it pays the premium for that.
This is normal labor market economics, not evidence of racism or some other nefarious motive.
sadly – You let people take advantage of you… they will.
Did not get a windfall due to my passport when I moved here. The only place you’d ever find an Indian getting paid equal is where the management/HR has Indians working in there. Which is true for 4 out of 5 companies in Qatar. Higher pay for the so called cool passport holders can be seen in many if not all places. This includes HMC, QF, Sidra etc.
Sidra is dotted with one or two Indians here and there. Otherwise, its all Canadians there. Including at least one of the receptionists I met on the floor. Don’t tell me she gets paid a measly Qrs 3000-5000 like her asian counterparts.