While most expats living in Shanghai hold high-level management positions, an increasing number of foreigners have flocked into the city to take blue-collar jobs in recent years.

The Shanghai Labor and Social Security Bureau said yesterday that about 2,038 foreigners holding a college degree or a lower education background are currently working in the city, accounting for about 13 percent of the city's total working expat population.

Most of the foreign blue-collar workers are employed by local restaurants and pubs, where they work as French or Japanese chefs, Malaysian bartenders, and waiters and waitresses from the Philippines or South Korea.

Many foreigners have also taken jobs such as singers in pubs or fitness instructors.

"The increasing number of incoming foreign blue-collar workers reflects the city's real talent vacancy in these areas," said Sun Hande, director of the bureau's foreigner employment division.

Sun notes that the increasing number of pubs opening in the city in recent years has created great demand for skilled bartenders. The supply of skilled high-level bartenders is limited, however, as the Western business is relatively fresh to the city.

Urgently needed foreign professionals generally earn 50 percent to 100 percent more than locals, according to the bureau.

Chen Yang, who owns a small Indian restaurant, said that he hires foreigners just because of their nationality and different appearance.

"Hiring foreign natives to serve customers directly can also make my restaurant seems more exotic," Chen said.

Chen hired two Indian waiters, who get paid 3,000 yuan (US$361) a month, the same as the restaurant's Chinese waiters.

(Shanghai Daily February 1, 2005)