Local Salary - bad idea?

[fred mertz]

There was an ad in the Buenos Aires Herald placed by a U.S. company looking for a "FT Operations Manager" with 3 years experience. The salary was US$13.00 per hour. If a U.S. company offers , US$13.00 per hour (About 8,100 pesos per month), what are Argentine companies paying; the equivalent of US10.00 per hour?

 

[Bairesgirl]

Why not contact the Human resources department of your company in Argentina and ask them what the current salary is for the post you want?

something along the lines of I'd really like the experience of living and working in Argentina, and the challenge of managing projects there that the possibility exists that you could be transferred it would be a great opportunity, that you are willing to take a pay cut, but are not sure of how much it would be, bla bla

worth a try.. (??)

 

[KatharineAnn]

I disagree that the vast majority of Argentines only have elementary school education, and I would estimate that the majority of those employed have a high school education - those who only have elementary school are probably not even employed, or are ´under-employed´, or working in negro, and do not even figure into that number, as that number referred ONLY to full-time workers.

You say plumbers and truck drivers make a lot more than $2000? Then why are most of the college graduates (5 year degree) I know making anywhere between $2000 and $4000? Maybe they should have gone into plumbing.

You may be right about marketing positions, but I still would find it doubtful that 7500 - 8500 pesos is an AVERAGE monthly wage for these professionals. I would dare say it´s probably a VERY GOOD wage for them.

I just don´t want this guy to think that earning $12,000 pesos a month is normal for any profession, because it´s really not. I´m not saying no one earns this, as there are clearly many people who do, but the vast majority of professionals do not make this much at all. It´s a very high estimate figure, I think, in pretty much any case.

 

[SaraSara]

Not only plumbers and truck drivers, but also oil workers, fishing boat captains and their top crew members, and deep water divers, make more than college graduates in Argentina. And yes, if young people wanted to make money they should have into plumbing or a similar trade. My architect nephew got tired of starving and is now making good money with his own house-painting firm.

Someone I know owns a textile factory - says he can place an ad and get fifteen industrial engineers to choose from. However, maintenance technicians are harder to find and much more vital to his business. If an engineer gets sick the mills go on humming, but if one of the looms goes kaput he's out the production of that loom until a technician can fix it. He goes to great lengths to get good technicians - sometimes must import them from Germany for special jobs, and sometimes he entices them away from factories in other countries - moves them to Buenos Aires with their entire family. Good technicians are THAT valuable.

As to high school education, consider that factories demand only elementary school education, and rural jobs not even that.

 

[steveinbsas]

I'm an American who's been offered an opportunity to relocate to Buenos Aires. Unfortunately, the company only offers expat assignments to senior executives.

So, as a middle manager, my choices consist of (1) going to Buenos Aires on an Argentinian salary or (2) not going at all.

- Any insight (based on experience) on the % of pay cut I can expect, moving to BA from somewhere in California?

If your company only offers "expat assignments" to senior executives, how can they offer you an "opportunity" without telling you the salary that they are willing to pay? Once this is disclosed you will be able to calculate your pay cut.


Mid level lawyers and engineers might earn $12,000-$14,000 per month, but I would estimate the monthly salary for mid level managers to be less than half of those figures and the take home pay will be 30 lower than that .

Is your middle management position one than cannot be performed by Argentines? You will need a work visa and this is one of the conditions.

 

[SaraSara]

I disagree that the vast majority of Argentines only have elementary school education,

Here are some figures: 22% of URBAN youths (18 to 29 years old) graduate from high school. Youths in the "interior" probably have even lower graduation rates.

These figures are for the year 2000, They may be lower now, as the government has steadily diverted funds away from education to serve political its political ends.

Both Chile and Paraguay do better than we do: the percentage of high school graduates is 40% in Chile and 30% in Paraguay.

http://www.siteal.iipe-oei.org/modulos/DatosDestacadosV1/upload/10/educacion_superior.pdf

 

[nikad]

Good point, citygirl. Those figures are right for locals - some of my relatives live quite comfortably on less than what I quoted, but expenses may be higher for foreigners. Health insurance for people under forty is not high - about US$90 per month at the excellent Hospital Italiano.

Katharine: about salaries: marketing people with a college degree and at least five year's experience make between AR$7,000-8,500. However, the vast majority of Argentines have only the compulsory elementary school education, and make the salaries quoted by Clarin. Qualified plumbers, electricians, and truck drivers make a lot more than that.

I think that is closer to their gorss salary, not the net they actually get...

 

[SaraSara]

I think that is closer to their gorss salary, not the net they actually get...

That's probably true.

About plumber's fees: my daughter has to replace four heaters and hot water tank. The plumber's fee for a day and a half of work is $1,500. And this is an inexpensive neighborhood plumber, AND she had to wait three weeks until he could fit the job in his schedule.

That line of work is not glamorous, and does not have any status whatsoever, but pays very well.

 

[citygirl]

If your company only offers "expat assignments" to senior executives, how can they offer you an "opportunity" without telling you the salary that they are willing to pay? Once this is disclosed you will be able to calculate your pay cut.


Mid level lawyers and engineers might earn $12,000-$14,000 per month, but I would estimate the monthly salary for mid level managers to be less than half of those figures and the take home pay will be 30 lower than that .

Is your middle management position one than cannot be performed by Argentines? You will need a work visa and this is one of the conditions.

I'm assuming this would be an intra-company transfer which is usually easier. And yes, best approach is to speak to your HR rep to discuss salaries. Mid-level manager is a very broad term. It also depends on your company and its salary bands. Bigger int'l companies usually pay less here.

Best of luck to you.

 

[ghost]

The high salary numbers that are being tossed around here are not real world numbers.$14K per mo is not middle management wage. Consider that Medical Doctors make about $4K per mo and then go talk to your HR dept. and get answers. If they don't don't have answers.............don't come. Seems to me that you are fishing in the dark at the moment.