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Indian professionals earn below 'average' salaries

by Stuart Matthews on Nov 18, 2009

24 Comments

Indian construction professionals are being paid less than average for the industry

The average salary of a construction professional from India, working in the Gulf, is US $4111 (AED 15,087) per month, according to results from the ConstructionWeekOnline.com salary survey.

This figure is $1936 lower than the industry-wide average of $6047 per month.

A total of 1221 people took part in the survey, which was conducted online during April to September 2009. Professionals originating from India were the largest single nationality group identified in the survey, at 31% of respondents.

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FEATURED COMMENT

Salaries of construction workers in the Middle East is indeed lower than other parts of the world. The study emphasises

24 Comments

Readers' Comments

P (Oct 7, 2010)

The study is incomplete
Salaries of construction workers in the Middle East is indeed lower than other parts of the world. The study emphasises this single aspect, but what about the power of money earned? Workers income is not taxable in the Middle East and living expenses are much cheaper than western countries. Work conditions might not be fair for every single worker but nothing in this world is perfect.

(Apr 20, 2010)
abu dhabi
United Arab Emirates

indians in gcc
i know indians are very strong in profeesional ,and commitment and responsibilities but it is fact the companies are looking them third world and paid them less then their expectations and now see the result, i hope the goverment of uae should look out the matter and make a common structure for all profeesionals.it is really serioues situation and company should think how a worker is working with out his satisficastion and it will rebound back and effect on company profit, production and productivity .no one have right to see the colour and make the judgement.. i wish all of them get good life and secure future

Areef (Mar 27, 2010)
doha
Qatar

Lack of any basic pay law in Gulf countries, labour unions etc. and that is the reason why there is
The main reason why there is disparity in salaries is lack of standard salary structure in all the gulf countries. The will on the governments part to have a minimum basic pay doesnot exists and therefore exploting on the basis of colour education, creed, nationality etc are all used by employers and managements. If unions and other things were available in the middle eastern country then there wouldnot have been any issue. The reason why Western countries have not such high issues in this matter is that they have proper law to deal with the subject and then it has become a mentality there. SO the best guy gets good salary.

Detroiter (Feb 17, 2010)
Detroit
USA

I left middleeast long time ago
I am an Indian national spent almost three years in middle-east, partly worked in Bahrain and in Kuwait. I made a resolution not to work in middle-east or for an arab company again for simple reason that middle-eastern management lacks common-sense. As many folks said in this forum, middle-eastern arabs are ready to lick to my foot if I were a westerner. Being an India, although have a professional degree, more often arabs, especially kuwaitis, looked at my as if I am a labour who is there to clean their toilet. They have an attitude as if we Indians live just because the arabs have given us jobs. I Left the job nearly 10 years ago without even telling them and I even turned down few offers that came after I left. Middle-eastern arabs have to change themselves. If they are really muslims, I think they misrepresents their religion grosely by their inhumane attitude towards people like me, Indians. I hated everyday I was in Kuwait. Bahrain was bit ok -although with attitude problem, still they don't understand we Indians also come from a well established family and dignified background. I couldn't take their attitude even for a second. I will never land my feet into these countries again.

LE (Feb 10, 2010)

Wake up India !
Guys wake up ! the bottom line is people from "developed" countried are paid more than people from "devoloping" nations. As Middle East is developing, ME believes the "developed nation" professional can develop them to next level. If we need to be paid equal to "developed nation" professionals, we first need to develop our nation and prove it to the world.

Goldenbaum (Dec 3, 2009)
Dubai
United Arab Emirates

really?
...listen to, what Bruno writes above! If one is not happy for his salary, he should just find a better paid job. If a company would find equally qualified staff from India, they would not spend more money on Westerners.

mateo (Nov 23, 2009)
Riyadh
Saudi Arabia

SALARIES !!
Whatever color you are, show your teeth and proved that you can do better than them... It's your management prerogative, if you fill you worth more than what you had, find other ways, keep searching for something worthy.

AD (Nov 22, 2009) United Arab Emirates

Relativity Rules in size of Salary
Salaries are related to the home country of the applicant. Why would you leave your home and culture for a job abroad that pays less than you earn in your home country. Colour is not the only factor, many non-whites, born and educated in the West earn the same salaries as their compatriates. The current downturn in Europe and the US may change the dynamic, and staff will come for a paying job here when they can't get a job at home. Salaries for them will be relative to the situation, not just their birthplace. The comment about surplus manpower in the home country is true for all, regardless of colour.

Chris (Nov 22, 2009)
Dubai

Reply: Azeem
Mr.Azeem, why should an arab national speak perfect english in order to be well paid in an arab country??and what does salary have to do with the conditions of his/her home country, if he or she is having their professional degrees issued from prestigious universities!!!i think you need to revise your criteria!!

Arab ME (Nov 22, 2009)

Do not blame colour, balme your selfesteem
Hold a second!!The first question is why indian pro accept to work for low salary?...you ask to be treated as you see yourself, please do not blame others for your salary!...I am arab btw.

Bruno (Nov 21, 2009)
Manila
Philippines

average salary
in my work history yes westerner is super high salary + gud benefits but im proud after the managing director found out that the entire project i had full capability to manage alone.. later 2 westeners been removed & upgrade my salary..

Muhammed Azeem (Nov 20, 2009)
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates

Why Blame Westerners ?
Hi friends I'm in the construction industry for the last 15 years in Abu Dhabi.I have been with the UK based companies all these years and the disparity in salary is more between Indians and Arab expats than to compare with Indians vs Westerners. Arab expats who does not know single alphabet in English(where all docs. in English my dear critics)and who comws from the countries where no proper public transport or sanitary facilities are heading the departments and earning upto six figure salaries. I'd been to UK,Europe and US a number of times and my relatives are working there. They earn same salaries as locals. The technology and methodology which westerners are following is far superior than anyone from other countries who are working here. The professional managing power of westerners is quality to be learnt by all aspiring managers. Don't be just the frogs in a well at this turn of a century.

Fred (Nov 19, 2009)
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates

Indian Professionals earn below average salaries
The perceptions that exist are astounding. Perhaps some people are just worth more. Some qualifiacations were earned at a higher standard, and resulted in PM's from some countires having the opportunity to work on diverse projects thereby gaining significantly wider experience. This is portrayed as efficiency in projects. Look at the use of language in your comments. Not what is expected of a senior PM.

Ajit (Nov 19, 2009)
Manama
Bahrain

Skin colour
Gulf Country Arab peoples only wants white persons to deal, if one donkey(White) is the head of any company they feel OK for dealing, but they dont understand white peoples only play with their mother toung, even they dont know work, thats all.

zen (Nov 19, 2009)
dubai

Indian professionals
So tell us something new!!! Everyone knows that here the colour of the skin is very important. You may be a butcher or a fish monger back home but if you are white then you can be a Manager here. And this is not just for Project Managers. This holds true for all jobs, whether managerial or administrative or clerical. That is because a local would love to have a white next to him or represent him. It does not matter if the white is ripping him off and taking him to the cleaners. We Indians are only here to do the donkey work and yes we are to be blamed for it.

Hafeez (Nov 19, 2009) Saudi Arabia

Indian professionals earn salaries below average
I do agree westerners get higher salary, because it is the government support for them.

Kumar (Nov 19, 2009)
Kuwait
Kuwait

Indian professionals earn below 'average' salaries
As a matter of fact its simply calculation of Black and White and the passport (nationality) you hold. Just put your nationality and photo with white skin...hurray goes the deal and job in your pocket.

Peyush (Nov 19, 2009)
Muscat
Oman

Indian Professionals Earn Below Average Salries
Please Blame Only Indian Pro for this, I will have more than 10 people ready to topple me for half the salary I earn. Bending is negotiating but too much of it has, in return encouraged the Industry to negotiate with Indian Pros.

Venu (Nov 19, 2009)
Manama
Bahrain

Indian professionals earn below 'average' salaries why?
The manpower demand is met with oversupply from our country, wait a decade you can find the reverse.

SZC (Nov 19, 2009)
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates

Indian professionals earn below 'average' salaries 100% TRUE
Indians love to work abroad for low salaries but not in their home country?..Westerners may be a carpenter in has own country but he will only work as an Construction Manager or a Site superintend here in the Middle East, lucky guys! That?s Middle East ??..

CS (Nov 19, 2009)
Dubai
Uzbekistan

CONSTRUCTION WORKER SALARIES
Comment by "K" - Nov 18: on this matter is very TRUE. This treatment or Criteria or whatever you call it has been Historical. Back in the "Empire Days" whenever there was an outbreak of any epidemic, e.g. cholera, malaria, etc, the "Empire Administrators" would decide that such a situation necessitated to be investigated by "An Expert" - and by "An Expert" it was always meant that a "Body" from UK had to come and investigate this. These so called "Experts" could be even road sweepers in their home countries, but in the occupied countries of the empire, they were "Experts" - This is a fact, and to some extent this practice still continues. Incidentally, what is a ?Kudos" - in my vocabulary, a Kudu is an animal!!!!.

Bruno (Nov 19, 2009)
Manila
Philippines

walking distionary
in construction..westerners is eyes & ear of the project both private & government owned agencies.. weather the westerner manager is a high school graduate.. he can manage thru composite of line engineers generally...

Bruno (Nov 19, 2009)
Manila
Philippines

no one above the dictionary
everybody must know & understand that any projects loaned from US or BRITISH the insurance requirement to hire westerner if cost more than US$1million.. this is to be assured against global cancerous corruptions.

K (Nov 18, 2009)

Indian professionals earn below 'average' salaries
kudos to construction week for touching upon this subject. It is very true Indians are paid below average salaries, not because they are not qualified enough but because the industry here feels the westerners deserve high salaries. A westerner fresh out of college without any experience lands in the middle east as a manager because he is a westerner. But an experienced Indian will always work under a green Westerner

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