I was just searching in the QL as to whether such kind of discussions had been already in the light before posting a question as to why the disparity in the salaries and i could get a vivid glimpse of the feelings across the globe.

I work for a European company here in doha and I know that my peers who are from europe are getting about 4 times what i get. Work load!! well ...may be it even out...anyways...As somebody told above , its all a general mind set lingering around the globe which dervies basically from the phenomenon of "developed , developing & underdeveloped" system of countries in the world.

Its generally a mind set among the peoples and cultures. If instead of britain or france going out for colonising countries , India(pakistan included) or china would have gone to conquer the world the situation must have been different. Then some of the western counterparts would have been posting the query of imbalanced salary patterns (no offence).

Now the world is emerging into a different philosophy. More over after the recession the world in general is going in for a more productive, oriented track where the considerations are given to the capabilities instead of the gender, colour or the language.

In genral the western expats are not to be blamed for this, theya re here just as the eastern counterparts. for earning. its the mind set of the people which has to change. Cost of living in western countries are more . just the taxation itself is huge. And if the employer indeed wants a western hand inside his organisation he has to get him or her at their price. This is applicable to the eastern counterparts too. I am not sure how many countries tax the non-residents for their income abroad. I've heard germany taxes around 42%. I am not sure. Correct me if I am wrong. So if this is the case then definitly the persons coming from those countries should be paid higher. If India starts taxing the income from abroad i would definitly not come for the salary I am on now. So if the company really needs me I will negotiate.

But there are instances some of the westerners take undue advantage of the status of their origin and take privilege which eventually becomes the employers risk. Like somebody referred above carpenter turned director ;).

Once back in Oman , when i went for a client meeting I saw an Omani politely asking a friend of mine ( who happened to be from UK) to be seated and didnt even care to even wish me. But later on ,the same Omani eventually became a very good friend of mine and once I asked him the question as to why he did that thing in the meeting. He simply replied " Its a mind set". :)..see its just a mind set.