Dubai: If you’re tired of your mediocre salary that doesn’t go up as much as your rent, it may be time to look for another job-- or move to a new place, perhaps? A new survey by Mercer, the International Geographic Salary Differentials 2014, looks at the salaries of employees in more than 70 countries around the world.
The report, which covers job markets from the Asia Pacific, Americas, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, shows that there’s no single country in the world that offers the highest paycheck across all career levels.
A poor country in Southern Africa, for instance, may offer the most attractive compensation package for the head of an oil field services company, but it may not be the most generous when it comes to clerical jobs or entry-level positions. A few markets, however, such as Switzerland tend to dominate the pay packages in almost all career levels, but if the land of cheese, chocolates and snow-capped mountains is not your ideal destination, it may be worth looking at other places that also have good financial offers.
Bear in mind, though, that the highest-paying country may not necessarily offer the most affordable cost of living and the best quality of life for expatriates, or it may not provide the perfect balance between, work, family and leisure.
But if money is the main priority, here’s a quick look at which jobs offer the most lucrative take-home pay and where to find them.
UPPER-MIDDLE MANAGEMENT JOBS
High-ranking roles, such as heads of departments in large companies, heads of functions in smaller companies and upper-level professionals, command the highest pay package, reaching nearly Dh1 million a year on average in some countries. If you think you’ve got the qualifications and leadership skills to do such a demanding a role as leading a major company, it may be worth considering the top three paying countries: Angola, UAE and Switzerland.
1. Angola
Annual salary: $226,594 (Dh832,279)
Monthly salary: Dh69,356
2. United Arab Emirates
Annual salary: $167,900 (Dh616,696)
Monthly salary: Dh51,391
3. Switzerland
Annual salary: $156,971 (Dh575,570)
Monthly salary: Dh48,047
LOWER-MIDDLE MANAGEMENT
Account managers, chief engineers and department managers of customer service and office administration rank second in the pay scale, receiving as much as nearly half a million dirhams a year on average. You think you have the necessary skills and experience to land one of these roles? Angola, Switzerland and UAE are still the top three paymasters.
1.Angola
Annual salary: $139,287 (Dh 511,601)
Monthly salary: Dh42,633
2.Switzerland
Annual salary: $121,358 (Dh445,760)
Monthly salary: Dh37,146
3.UAE
Annual salary:$113,231 (Dh415,908)
Monthly salary: Dh34,659
SENIOR PROFESSIONALS
Senior engineers, sales representatives and supervisors may take home an annual salary of nearly Dh400,000. For those who are looking for the biggest remuneration, it may be worth heading over to Switzerland. The other two options are UAE and Angola.
1. Switzerland
Annual salary: $103,849 (Dh 381,447)
Monthly salary: Dh31,787
2. Angola
Annual salary: $98,396 (Dh361,408)
Monthly salary: Dh30,117
3. UAE
Annual salary: $76,362 (Dh280,485)
Monthly salary: Dh23,373
JUNIOR PROFESSIONALS
Next on the list are analysts, planners, client support, entry-level engineers and programmers, which can come with a compensation package of more than Dh300,000 a year in some job markets. For these types of roles, candidates may find the most financially rewarding employer in Switzerland, Norway or Angola.
1. Switzerland
Annual salary: $88,991 (Dh326,863)
Monthly salary: Dh27,238
2. Norway
Annual salary: 63929 (Dh234,811)
Monthly salary: Dh19,567
3.Angola
Annual salary: $58,803 (Dh215,983)
Monthly salary: Dh17,998
SKILLED PROFESSIONALS
Technicians, administrative and secretarial staff, as well as sales representatives, who don’t have supervisory responsibilities can bring home net earnings worth nearly Dh300,000. The best-paid employees holding any of these positions are still found in Switzerland. But other countries, such as Norway and Australia, may not be bad choices, either.
1.Switzerland
Annual salary: $ 76,182 (Dh279,816)
Monthly salary:Dh23,318
2.Norway
Annual salary: $55,222 (Dh202,830)
Monthly salary: Dh16,902
3.Australia
Annual salary: $48,189 (Dh176,998)
Monthly salary: Dh14,749
GENERAL PARA-PROFESSIONALS
At the bottom of the pay scale are general para-professionals, such as machine operators and lower-level clerical positions. They may be working in different occupational fields like engineering, health care or law but don’t necessarily have the authority or professional licensure. A good example is a paralegal who may have the knowledge required of a lawyer. For these positions, the most generous country is still Switzerland, which can offer Dh20,000 monthly for a general para-professional.. Norway and Australia may have good offers as well.
1.Switzerland
Annual salary: $65,651 (Dh241,136)
Monthly salary: Dh20,094
2.Norway
Annual salary: $47,793 (Dh175,548)
Monthly salary: Dh14,629
3.Australia
Annual salary: $40,003 (Dh146,931)
Monthly salary: Dh12,244
