Qatar salaries to rise 6% next year - report

The salaries of employees in Qatar are expected to increase six percent over the next year, according to a report.

The upcoming report of the global management consultancy, Hay Group comes after a pay and benefits study involving 16,500 employees from over 65 organisations in Qatar, The Peninsula daily reported on Saturday.

The report has been compiled with the involvement of organisations from sectors such as oil and gas, banking, real estate and local conglomerates, it added.

The study shows a 11 percent rise in Qatar's average basic salary and 10 percent increase in housing allowance since June 2008.

The Peninsula said that the report sees a six percent pay increase for 2010.

According to the report, Qatari nationals are paid more than 50 percent higher than expatriates.

Vijay Gandhi, general manager of Reward Information Service, Hay Group, Middle East told The Peninsula: "Qatar is optimistic and hence the scenario is a little different when compared to the other GCC economies.”

"Organisations in Qatar are forecasting a salary growth of six to eight percent for 2010. The other economies of the region have somewhat lower forecasts in comparison."

The Qatar-based daily said that pay movements in Qatar are still one of the highest in the region at 11 percent growth since June 2008.