hmm based on my observations and experiences i'd like to add to the above posts that i'd be a bit reluctant to say that it is down to one's nationality ie passport only. i think the class system (in all societies) plays an important role here.

i used to work with IIT, Mumbai. wherever their graduates went, they were offered salaries no less than any well-educated westerner. but at the same time, unfortunately, there are many indian IT fellows who accept really low salaries. Same is the case with another poor country like Pakistan. i have friends with Pakistani education (no foreign degrees) who work with NASA. there are also pakistanis here with masters who are working as taxi drivers.

Qatarisun: agree with you. just want to share with you that some households in asia speak queens english only. their accents, grammer and understanding of the language is unbelievable.