I've been a 3d artist for an outsourcing studio in Vietnam, which is part of a multinational corporation, for 5 years,. We mainly do works for AAA studios, and contributed in hundreds of AAA games.
My pay is about 5-6$/ hr, which is actually not bad compared to other jobs, but not the highest compared to other 3d studio locally. I have heard rumours that expat employees in my studio is getting paid the international rate ( unconfirmed, but it makes sense I guess). That would at least be 4 or 5 times what I'm currently earning now.
I was just wondering that if I'm going to deal with international client anyway, should I be paid much higher rate? Even if we cant reach the same as the international rate, I don't think there should be such a huge difference. I know western studio outsource to South east Asia because we're so cheap, but I just have a feeling of being mistreated in some ways.
My studio got a 'no wage discussion amongst employees' policy too,, major red flag I know, but there's no law against that in Vietnam, so it's just enabling them to do wrong I guess. My main concern is that in the end, there will be less job availablity for western talents, because why hire them when you can outsource for so cheap?
Before anyone say that western workers are more qualified, it's true, but there are lots of serious talents in developing countries too, and we have the numbers to boot.
I also think that my studio charge clients the international rate too, but they probably cut serious cost because they don't have to pay local employee that much.
Can I have your opinion on this?
