The demise of the expat (package)

[o-zee-expat]

Hi.
I'm wanting to guage whether other people are hearing of housing allowances being cut, expats being moved onto local rates, no more company-paid school fees, club memberships, etc.
Is this is a new phenomenon, or has it been going on for several years now?
Are financial services companies cutting out the "comprehensive expat remuneration packages" more than other companies, and particularly in the wake of the turmoil on Wall Street?

[SAE]

I believe that expat packages still do exist although not in the same amounts or excesses as in the 1970's.  I think it is relative to what sector you are in.  My husband is in oil and gas and expat packages are still going strong, although like I said, not to the same excessess as the expat package was in the 70's and early 80's.   

[no package]

i have changed jobs a few times in my 12 years here.  i originally came on an expat package which paid for everything.  somewhere along the line my 'overseas' status has disappeared.  because i already worked in singapore i was not regarded as eligable for an overseas contract.  however, my salary as always increased to make up for the things like rent and school fees etc so i haven't lost out financially.

[Hi]

In my co, expats need to localise after 3 years.

[whocares]

i have changed jobs a few times in my 12 years here.  i originally came on an expat package which paid for everything.  somewhere along the line my 'overseas' status has disappeared.  because i already worked in singapore i was not regarded as eligable for an overseas contract.  however, my salary as always increased to make up for the things like rent and school fees etc so i haven't lost out financially.

The thing is I don't understand why you care whether or not it's called "expat package" as long as the total $$ value is the same

[Cheaper]

Actually when a person is localise the value does get smaller. co. nowadays are smart as they make the package variable. Eg. when you are localise, the school allowance, housing allowance,etc... are being withdrawn. It does not mean the amount taken away will be added to your base. No co. will do that. HR views it as a form of "help" to help the foreign 'ees settle in Spore. So the 'ee is supposed to think of ways to manage their own budget once they are localised.

[aeries]

To me, having expat status means also that the company provides relocation support. So it's not just about the total dollar amount of the package, but also all the immigration/relocation services that helps to alleviate a fair bit of stress, especially for those moving with children or to a country where you don't speak the langugage.

Singapore for the most part is a breeze, but it's always helpful to have a relocation agent that takes care of getting your lease, utilities accounts etc all set up.

[whocares]

Actually when a person is localise the value does get smaller. co. nowadays are smart as they make the package variable. Eg. when you are localise, the school allowance, housing allowance,etc... are being withdrawn. It does not mean the amount taken away will be added to your base. No co. will do that. HR views it as a form of "help" to help the foreign 'ees settle in Spore. So the 'ee is supposed to think of ways to manage their own budget once they are localised.

If the value of the package is lower the you are being paid less. It's pretty simple. How can you dress it up as being "settled in" ?
You say companies are being smart, I'd say employees are being dumb if they don't think a pay cut is a pay cut

[when i]

was "localised" - my salary was adjusted so that dollar for dollar I got the same - housing/car/school fees and flight allowance was converted into dollars and my salary increased.
If they had not done this I would not have agreed to be localised

[leone]

In answer to the OP, many of my friends are on 'packages' where the rent etc is paid .... but I believe that they are nothing like what the 'packages' apparently were a few years back.

My husband is on a 'local wage', though the company paid for our airfares and first months accommodation when we arrived two years ago. We pay our own rent, power, transport etc etc....

[some still]

i think depends on the industry.

i met someone in the oil and gas industry - expat package all the way! - Ardmore Park condo (one of the most expensive), school fees fully paid for all fees.  Met another in with another oil firm - same.  Guess because they are raking in the high oil prices and enjoying it to the hilt. 

Met some with consumer goods - they are being localised after 3-4 years.  only school fees get retained in their expat benefit.  housing is being pulled out totally!

Finance - if you are sent here by Head office, then you will still get full expat perks.  If you apply to them then I think it would largely depend on the individual situation and how much you were previously pulling in. 

I noticed that only bankers move around jobs more.  Not so much with my oil and consumer company friends - they tended to stay there for years!!   

[BoardAdmin2]

Depends on the industry, in some they are shrinking, in others they were non-existent 15 years ago but now are very common.  Overall about the same INMHO, what is different today is that many more expats are either (a) aware that flashing around their expatriate package 'status' causes envy / resentment amongst local population so simply don't (call it cultural sensitivity if you want) and (b) many more 'invisible' expats from Japan, China, India, Middles East, Indon etc, so 'expats' in the sterotypical local perspective (i.e fat balding white men) are less 'common' relative to total population.  Overall, no better or worse than before, just spread differently.

One area that certainly has picked up is the amount of locals being posted to other SEA nations such as Australia, Thailand, NZ, Vietnam etc on packages from local companies.

[spread out]

Agree with the PP on the 'invisible' expat.

My daughter is in an international school - in her class surprisingly the typical white kids probably make up 40%. Definitely less than half.  Big Indian contingent with a number of Filipinos, Indonesians, Chinese, Malaysians, HK - so it's not just your typical white face getting on these 'expat' pay.  It's a lot more distributed now...and the industries are quite diverse.  Met one from the regional office of KFC, 1 from bausch and lomb, adidas...everywhere.  So guess there are still expat pay out there - in different forms and more distributed... 

[curious.]

PP - How do you know these people are on expat packages?  Have you checked or are you just assuming?  At my kids' international school there are only 5 white faces in the class.  About 50% of all families are paying their own fees.  I know this because the school published the figures a couple of years ago.  Could be more than 50% now.

[Globalization]

Welcome to Globalization.  The goal of an expat assignment is to develop and grow local talent.

When I came to Asia 28 years ago there were 40-odd American expats and a couple of British expats in my company. Note all expats, all full packages.

I run the region now and there are still around 48 employees.  There are, however 14 nationalities and only 9 Americans and a couple of Brits on full packages.  There are about 30 locals who get paid local terms and local wage rates.

We have Filipinos, Australians, New Zealanders, Indians, Thais, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Indonesian, Malaysians, Koreans, Americans, Irishmen and British.

When we can get locals we do. Packages depend on where they are coming from and where they are going to. No standard cake mix any more.