job hunting experience in Asia

[Snowy]

I just wanna share my cousin job hunting experience in Asia (Thailand).

I might have to give his brief background… his parents migrated from Indonesia to Australia when he was 6 years old (more than 20 years ago) and he has been living in OZ since then... finished his hospitality qualifications in Sydney and worked as a hotelier in one of the most expensive hotel in Sydney for a couple of years. He then worked for an exclusive resort in pacific for another 2 years and decided to look for job in Thailand later on.

The Thailand hotel (a well known international chain) he got offer from said they would only pay him with local package because he is an Indonesian citizen, and this is the amazing part... The hotel can up grade his position and "salary" to expat package if he is an Australian citizen. Is not that so weird?

In his case, he just simply went home to sydney and converted his Indonesian to Australian citizenship. But what different it will make on his qualification and background. He is still exactly the same person…

[in_lab]

Do you think he deserves to be paid more for being an Australian citizen? I don't know, but that kind of thing is pretty common, I think.

[Snowy]

Do you think he deserves to be paid more for being an Australian citizen? I don't know, but that kind of thing is pretty common, I think.

_________

I think he has expatriate qualifications from the beginning because he completed all of his qualification and gained his working experience in Sydney (as he lived in Sydney since the age of 6).

I don't think it is fair to link the employement package with somebody's nationality. I mean.. if I am an employer, I need somebody that can deliver. That's my priority, and I don't see why the same person will have different pay package not because of his capability and qualification, but because of his/ her nationality. It is still the same person with different nationality, is not it??? It is not make sense to me.

I have never heard things like this happen in Australia. You can sue the employer on the basis of nationality/ ethnicity discrimination:-)

[tokyo_girl]

I agree it seems odd - and discriminatory.

But perhaps the logic is that an Australian (or US or European or HKese or Japanese) citizen will have much higher costs at home - paying mortgages etc.

It may not necessarily make sense to pay local people expat wages when it is so far above the cost of living in their country.