Can Nationality/Race Affect Salary Offered?

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Can Nationality/Race Affect Salary Offered? Jun 25, 2005
Im going to be blunt. Asians (such as I am) and some others are considered 2nd class in Dubai (of course 1st are the Caucasians), period. If a white guy and myself applied for the same job and we have the same qualifications, what are the chances that I'll be offered a lower salary (lower than what it's originally meant to be) when I'm the one accepted compared to when he's the one accepted assuming that all other factors, except for race, are a constant?

yujinn
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Jun 27, 2005
I'd like to be optomistic and say 'd hope that would never happen, a persons nationality should not come into it, it's whether that person has the right qualifications to do the job.

I think if they've already stated a salary package, why shouldn't they stick to it.

I've not come across this scenario, but it's sad to say that when many companies advertise jobs they state what nationality or sex they're looking for, which is actually illegal.
Chocoholic
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Jul 05, 2005
Geez, I hope not. :?
BrownEyez
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Jul 05, 2005
The reason is because western and/or arab educated and experienced people are perceived as having a better background and academic/professional grasp. Therefore the better jobs go to Westerners and Arabs and then things go downhill from there....
Liban
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Jul 05, 2005
Of course, westerners are better :wink:
Pumpkin Escobar
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Jul 05, 2005
Unless they are called Sniper420... Then the only thing they are better in is playing with their male lovers....
Liban
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Jul 06, 2005
No offense but what about the thousands of Indians/Asians who live, were brought up in, or educated in Europe?
Chocoholic
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Jul 06, 2005
None taken. If an Indian has a western passport, say a Canadian one, then this person is in a much better position than his compatriot with only an Indian passport.

Its logical, people from Arab and Western countries (regardless of their ethnicity) are usually much more better educated than their sub continent compatriots.
Liban
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Jul 07, 2005
[quote="Liban"]None taken. If an Indian has a western passport, say a Canadian one, then this person is in a much better position than his compatriot with only an Indian passport.

Its logical, people from Arab and Western countries (regardless of their ethnicity) are usually much more better educated than their sub continent compatriots.[/quote]

Well you can't generalise like that.....the quality of education in the subcontinent is definitely not lower (in fact Indian graduates from prestigious schools there are in much vaunted in the US, and a number of successful entrepreneurs have backgrounds in Indian engineering/business schools) and a large percentage of the people are educated to higher levels...Indian and Chinese schools are rated amongst the world's best...if anything, the problem is there's a saturation of educated people...and well then basic supply demand rules push their price down I guess...that said in Dubai, that should technically mean that everyone's salaries would go down since the applicants : jobs available ratio is high...but for some reason its segmented here, with disparities amongst diff groups

If you mean better educated in the sense that they spend more on education, then yes that might be true, but the quality of education is not necessarily dependent on cost, especially when comparing different countries...its sad if people with costlier bigger name credentials got bigger jobs, coz that just means that the rich will be getting richer
Nik
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Jul 07, 2005
It's a good thing I dont work for the Gov, I'm from the US, and I'm pretty :lol:
Pumpkin Escobar
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Jul 07, 2005
Nik wrote:
Liban wrote:None taken. If an Indian has a western passport, say a Canadian one, then this person is in a much better position than his compatriot with only an Indian passport.

Its logical, people from Arab and Western countries (regardless of their ethnicity) are usually much more better educated than their sub continent compatriots.


Well you can't generalise like that.....the quality of education in the subcontinent is definitely not lower (in fact Indian graduates from prestigious schools there are in much vaunted in the US, and a number of successful entrepreneurs have backgrounds in Indian engineering/business schools) and a large percentage of the people are educated to higher levels...Indian and Chinese schools are rated amongst the world's best...if anything, the problem is there's a saturation of educated people...and well then basic supply demand rules push their price down I guess...that said in Dubai, that should technically mean that everyone's salaries would go down since the applicants : jobs available ratio is high...but for some reason its segmented here, with disparities amongst diff groups

If you mean better educated in the sense that they spend more on education, then yes that might be true, but the quality of education is not necessarily dependent on cost, especially when comparing different countries...its sad if people with costlier bigger name credentials got bigger jobs, coz that just means that the rich will be getting richer


I agree to that Indian and Chinese education are better cos of the competition there. I have seen some smart ppl from these continents. And Liban if you don't mind . I have a colleague whose ethnicity is Lebanese. He told me that the Arabs other than Gulf are treated shit and he was frustrated and left the job that paid him well and arrived in Canada. So he concluded that non-Gulf arabs are treated the same way as other expatriates. BTW I know many ppl in Dubai who are Indian, Phillipino or Syrians who are extremely rich and even the locals respect them. So money brings kinda respect.
sniper420
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Jul 07, 2005
Liban wrote:Its logical, people from Arab and Western countries (regardless of their ethnicity) are usually much more better educated than their sub continent compatriots.

LOL HAHAHAHA. U must be kidding me. HAHAHA. I can digest the Western part but not the Arab part.
sniper420
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Jul 07, 2005
sniper420 wrote:
Liban wrote:Its logical, people from Arab and Western countries (regardless of their ethnicity) are usually much more better educated than their sub continent compatriots.

LOL HAHAHAHA. U must be kidding me. HAHAHA. I can digest the Western part but not the Arab part.


One Arab university. AUB. American University of Beirut... It puts many western schools to shame...
Liban
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can nationality affect Jul 08, 2005
i agree with sniper and nik, it doesnt mean that when you came from asian country you will be second rated. it really depend on what expertice you have, the reason why we are hired in this far end of the world is that we are good in what we do, better than those other nationality aspiring for the same position.

salary grade should not depend on the color of your skin, but on the what you can offer.
kyle
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Feb 26, 2009
Liban wrote:None taken. If an Indian has a western passport, say a Canadian one, then this person is in a much better position than his compatriot with only an Indian passport.

Its logical, people from Arab and Western countries (regardless of their ethnicity) are usually much more better educated than their sub continent compatriots.


I disagree my friend. If you come from IIT, IIM ... or even ISB, then that's not the case. I have an Indian passport and have salary higher than western expat as I had more experience. I feel a professional values a professional ... a nut values a nut ... depends where you working?
worldguy
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Feb 27, 2009
i think it really depends on 2 factors
1. How much do you thing is your worth?
2. What kind of company are you working with..

If you bring some unique skills to the plate, then irrespective of your nationality you should be paid a salary which you really deserve. However if the ppl from certain nationality are satisfied with lower salaries, then its an issue. I know so many indians who jump at the first salary which they are offered and without any idea of how much they are really worth... So they eventually end up getting underpaid.. 'coz they compare their packages with the one's offered back home n thing they are being paid much better

Also there are some companies esp. MNC's who do not really differentiate based on nationality, gender, race etc.,.. its their stated policy.. but there are some local / regional companies who have such discriminatory policies rampant..

So it really depends on these things..
i know so many indians who are paid really well at par wth the western expats..
xdude
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Feb 27, 2009
Chocoholic wrote:I'd like to be optomistic and say 'd hope that would never happen, a persons nationality should not come into it, it's whether that person has the right qualifications to do the job.

I think if they've already stated a salary package, why shouldn't they stick to it.

I've not come across this scenario, but it's sad to say that when many companies advertise jobs they state what nationality or love they're looking for, which is actually illegal.


If in Dubai, not illegal. No such thing as and "Equal Employment Opportunity Commission" here.
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