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Egypt
Typical salary% change from 2001
Quantity surveyor, 10 years’ experience£30-40,00016
Project manager, 15 years’ experience£40-45,0007.5
Engineer, five years’ experience£24-28,00020
Heavy infrastructure projects are generating most job opportunities for expat construction professionals. Quantity surveyors are also in demand. Jonald Vos says that after four very “quiet” years, the recruitment market is now picking up. Clients especially value any previous work experience in the Middle East, but you don’t have to speak Arabic.
France
Typical salary% change from 2001
Quantity surveyor, 10 years’ experience£25–32,00025
Project manager, 15 years’ experience£38–54,0007
Increasing activity in both the public and commercial building sectors is buoying huge demand for construction professionals – and those with a British education are highly valued. Bilingual project managers are most in vogue as the number of English companies investing in French markets continues to rise. The leisure and residential sectors are also busy. Nicholas Ling, recruitment consultant at Hays Montrose in Paris, says the outlook for Brits working in the country is great. “We have great food here, a much higher quality of life than in London and better value for money,” he says.
China
Typical salary% change from 2001
Quantity surveyor, 10 years’ experience£33–38,0009
Project manager, 15 years’ experience£42–46,0000
Engineer, five years’ experience£25–30,0004
M&E engineers and project managers are in short supply in China – despite its status as the most populous country on earth. The infrastructure and commercial sectors are busiest and if you already have Asian work experience, you’ll be a strong candidate.
Germany
Typical salary% change from 2001
Quantity surveyor, 10 years’ experience£33–35,00015
Project manager, 15 years’ experience£38–44,0002.6
Engineer, five years’ experience£25–30,0008
After an 18-month slowdown, the commercial sector is slowly picking up generating opportunities for German-speaking project managers and surveyors. Experienced interim managers in particular are seeing more and more job opportunities as contractors and consultancies look for temporary support to get back on track. Jonald Vos says most opportunities lie with German companies, rather than German subsidiaries of British firms.
Thailand
Typical salary% change from 2001
Quantity surveyor, 10 years’ experience£32–40,00015.6
Project manager, 15 years’ experience£45–50,0000
Engineer, five years’ experience£25–30,0000
Civil projects are fuelling the expat recruitment market, and those with previous experience of the Far East Asian market are best placed to take advantage. According to Vos, quantity surveyors are in special demand and you’ll need an adventurous spirit as some projects are in remote areas.
Netherlands
Typical salary% change from 2001
Quantity surveyor, 10 years’ experience£28–33,00010.7
Project manager, 15 years’ experience£37–42,0000
Engineer, five years’ experience£20–25,0000
Despite the economic slowdown, there is still strong demand for quantity surveyors across the sectors – and don’t worry if you can’t speak Dutch. More civil projects means engineers are also sought after. Vos says clients are looking for candidates who have flexible skills and are prepared to move around.
West Indies/Caribbean
Typical salary% change from 2001
Quantity surveyor, 10 years’ experience£30–35,0000
Project manager, 15 years’ experience£38–42,0000
Engineer, five years’ experience£24–26,0000
The leisure sector is still providing most opportunities for construction professionals and quantity surveyors are in the most demand. However, 11 September put some hotel developments on hold and the market is only now picking up. Most business comes from US and UK investors.
Australia
Typical salary% change from 2001
Quantity surveyor, 10 years’ experience£31,0000
Project manager, 15 years’ experience£44,0000
Engineer, five years’ experience£24,0000
Engineers and experienced tradespeople are in high demand down under – but you’ll need good customer service and presentation skills to really get ahead. Matt Underhill, recruitment consultant with Hays Montrose in Australia says there is no lack of foreign applicants, so companies are choosy.
Portugal and Spain
Portugal Typical salary% change from 2001
Quantity surveyor, 10 years’ experience£25,000N/A
Project manager, 15 years’ experience£42,000N/A
Engineer, five years’ experience£20,000N/A
Spain
Quantity surveyor, 10 years’ experience£30,00016.6
Project manager, 15 years’ experience£50,40019.8
Engineer, five years’ experience£24,0009
Engineers across all levels are gold dust in both Portugal and Spain. Project managers are also in hot demand and project management companies including Bovis Lend Lease, Heery International and Atkins have successfully entered the market. Mark Bowden, recruitment consultant with Hays Montrose, says working in Iberia means great weather but the workplace can be frustrating. “There are huge problems in terms of reliability and there is no such thing as a deadline. For example, a housebuilder will not build houses and then sell them. He will put a project together, sell them, then build them and will not take responsibility for a late delivery,” he explains. “But the market accepts this and therefore it works.”