Salary/Wage discrimination

[SpoonRaccoon]

My fellow immigrants,

I've read many things about salary or wage discrimination so I would like to ask people here if they have experienced such things and some details.
I graduated from a University in Alberta(international student) and got a job right after graduation as a software developer also in Alberta. My starting salary was $55k which at the time looked like a lot. After a few months, all my friends that I graduated with also got jobs and I was surprised that they were all making $70k+! Because I had a contract for 12 months, I couldn't quit that job. After that, I got another job doing the same for $76k. I wasn't impressed or happy. I was more like "about time I get paid the same others get paid." Now, with 3 years in this industry, I got another job for $90k but not after getting offers for as low as $40k!! I didn't even reply to that offer and then they emailed me again offering me $60k. I was like what??? I didn't reply and after a few days they called me and offered me $70k saying that's the highest they will go. I can't help it but think these poor salaries were offered because I'm a minority.


Any similar situations you can share?

 

[vermanaman]

My fellow immigrants,

I've read many things about salary or wage discrimination so I would like to ask people here if they have experienced such things and some details.
I graduated from a University in Alberta(international student) and got a job right after graduation as a software developer also in Alberta. My starting salary was $55k which at the time looked like a lot. After a few months, all my friends that I graduated with also got jobs and I was surprised that they were all making $70k+! Because I had a contract for 12 months, I couldn't quit that job. After that, I got another job doing the same for $76k. I wasn't impressed or happy. I was more like "about time I get paid the same others get paid." Now, with 3 years in this industry, I got another job for $90k but not after getting offers for as low as $40k!! I didn't even reply to that offer and then they emailed me again offering me $60k. I was like what??? I didn't reply and after a few days they called me and offered me $70k saying that's the highest they will go. I can't help it but think these poor salaries were offered because I'm a minority.


Any similar situations you can share?

Hi
I am UofA grad too!

Its not really a minority issue. The salaries in Software/IT industry in Alberta vary a lot...depending on the size of company etc. My friend is in software too with same starting salary as yours.
What kind of companies are your friends working in? O&G companies tend to pay higher starting salaries.

 

[scylla]

Most likely nothing to do with your ethnicity. Most companies of any size have caps on the salaries they are able to offer for each job level. And salary bands are certainly not the same across different companies or industries. They can swing wildly for effectively the same jobs.

I have on a number of occasions lost out on a candidate for a position I was hiring for because I could only offer so much money for the role and someone else was able to offer more. It happens all of the time. And there's nothing you can do about it because HR dictates the maximum salary you can offer.

You also have to consider the entire compensation package and the work environment. For example, one company may offer a lower salary but have better overall compensation package when you take benefits, bonus, pension, etc. into consideration. Other companies may pay less but have far superior working environments and career progression. I won't name names, but there are two very large companies headquartered in Toronto that are in the exact same industry with the exact same roles. Company A has a superior employee working environment but pays lower salaries. Company B pays more but has a reputation for treating employees like numbers. I know many people who have chosen company A over company B because of the work environment.

 

[Jaiveer Singh]

Not having satisfaction is the root of greediness. You have looked to your friend's salary and you are feeling so dejected. When i read your post, i was feeling what? this guy is feeling discrimination of not having 90k$.

Buddy looking too much to sky and stars leads to accidents and unforeseen situations, which means you should always see what other students are getting? People are getting 21k$ in Ontario and Vancouver because they have to compromise huge packages in order to get immigration. I am not saying you are not capable or other way around, i am saying be satisfied what you are getting because there are lot of international students who can't even pay huge debt because of having only 12k$ per hour.

After reading this post, i will say it is not discrimination to students and any other ethnicity, even i am happy that some international students are examples and lifting spirits of others.

Best of luck