Update as in February'2012:
I had mentioned all the following written in July'2011. There is one welcome change in salary structure for specialists since then. From this year onwards the specialist's salary is raised by MRF 3000 (almost $190). Effectively it is reaching somewhere around MRF 49000 with all the allowances etc added up. Quite a raise...ha!!
Rest of the terms & conditions are same. the trouble with getting dollars also remain the same. The Black market rate of dollar is ranging between MRF 17.5 to MRF 18.9 for a dollar. The possibility of getting fake dollars are also increasing. Three of my friends reported getting fake dollars this month and only one of them could return it to the person who gave it to him.
Rest of the terms & conditions are same. the trouble with getting dollars also remain the same. The Black market rate of dollar is ranging between MRF 17.5 to MRF 18.9 for a dollar. The possibility of getting fake dollars are also increasing. Three of my friends reported getting fake dollars this month and only one of them could return it to the person who gave it to him.
The MO's salary and nursing staff's and technician's salaries remain the same. They are getting them easily that's why I think they are not increasing the salaries. Nursing staff comes from India and MOs (MBBS) from Pakistan mostly. Although it is a truth that these people basically like Indian doctors only and among that too, north Indian hindi speaking ones they like more than anybody else. Yes, only being an Indian or a north Indian is not gonna help. You have to work for them nicely as well. Almost 80% of their medical issues are resolvable by an MBBS doctor.
July'2011
The Actual Salary Structure for Doctors & Nurses in Maldives
One fellow Doctor, Dr. Abhishek commented in one of my post in this blog about $3500 per month being offered to him (He is a Surgeon) by some Maldivian corporation. It is an absolute lie friends. Whatever any agent or Maldives’ (MOHF’s) so called Corporations or anyone else tell anyone, the exact salary structure which at the moment (today is 07/08/2011). We will not talk about the Overtime business as it is very unpredictable. I am writing down the sum which you are going to get for sure. The official rate of USD is MRF (Maldivian rufiyaa)15.4 for 1$. The unofficial rate of USD is up to MRF 16.9 for 1$ as Banks don’t send your money to your home country after a limit of $500/month for expatriate Nursing & Paramedical Staff and $1000/month for Doctors (Be it a Medical Officer or a Specialist). After this limit is exhausted, that too provided you have an account in State Bank of India, Maldives because other banks are not sending dollars from here at all. For other banks (including Western Union or Moneygram) to send dollars, you need to give them money in dollars which you will have to buy from Black Market at a high rate after much requesting and all coming into play. All salaries etc are without residence & maintenance included in it. Earlier the MOHF was providing a livable furnished residence to all but now since more than a year you have to hire a place for yourself which costs differently at different islands. Sometimes much more costly than you can imagine. So, basically your total savable income is unpredictable because it will depend on another unpredictable thing, Island over which you will work actually.
1. Nurse’s & Paramedical Staff’s Salary: This is a good one as I see it by comparing it with the Staff Nurse’s Salary available in middle east countries and even in UK. They grossly get here MRF 15000/month at least. With a chance of possible Overtime payment of MRF 1500-2000 per month depending on the situation. (from $1000-1200/month).
2. Medical Officer’s Salary: It comes to MRF 20000/month with an additional possible MRF1500-2500 for Overtime work. This Overtime thing is never a sure thing. But there is one catch. Nurses may get a place to hire for MRF 1500/month but as soon as you will go to hire a place it will cost you MRF 2500/month. The same place will be charged for more from you because you are a doctor. So, you loose MRF 1000/month just like that. Let us take it as MRF 21500/month. So, it became like $1000 (for initial MRF 15400 at the rate of MRF15.4/$) and then another $400 - $500 (at the rate of MRF 16.9/$ for the rest of salary). Approximately $1400-$1500/month. That’s it. You wont get any more.
3. Specialist’s Salary: In actuality it is around MRF 36000/month plus a possible MRF4000-MRF4500 per month as Overtime if you get it. Because other than Gynecologist, Pediatrician & Physician there are very less chances of Overtime for Anesthetist or Surgeon or Orthopedician or other Specialists. Let us take it as MRF 40000/month. So, it became like $1000 for the initial MRF 15400 (at the rate of MRF15.4/$) and then $1450 (at the rate of MRF16.9/$) for the rest. It takes the total to $2450/month. If the Overtime is higher then it will jump to $2600 or 2650 but no more than that. Whoever told our friend Dr. Abhishek about $3500/month was lying only. These Maldivians are chronic liars. A treacherous lot of Barbarian thugs. No need to tell that you too will not be able to hire a residence for MRF 1500/month in their interior islands. You are a doctor. Everyone on the island knows about your salary package. The local office staff tells them about it. How much you get, when did or will you get it etc. So, you will also hire a place for not less than MRF 2500/month. It may go up to MRF 3000/month as well. This you have to deduct from your salary to start counting about savings.
So, this is the detail of salary structure in all the corporations across Maldives for Health professionals. If anyone, even someone working there in Maldives at the moment tells you some other story which is much greener than this, he/she is either lying or is lucky to get it like that. You wont get it. These Corporations are lying about it to the local agents in India & Pakistan or Russia and that’s why the local agent tells you a lie there. Once you land here, they know that you will not run back in one or two days. Even if you don’t like this lie, you will stay here for at least 3 months which is the minimum locking period in their contract. That’s why they do so. Keep your eyes open and tell others to follow this blog openly. There is a column for followers on the right side of this blog. Join it. I will be updating it as and when I get some worthy news.
