Take it Easy,thought I would answer your Q's here as it will probably be of general interest. Social charges (PRSI in Irish speak) around 300e/month. 6000e/ month is salary minus married tax (around 3500 in year 1) plus sector pay (2500-3000 after tax/which RYR pay and you only see at year end on a P60 supplement)which varies each month and seems to be on a downward trend due to manipulation of our block hours.Annual leave attracts a payment of 75e/day so your monthly take home(everything else at your expense ) will fall in the range of say 5800-6500, probably just over 6000 averaged out over 12mths.We have/had ( it is up for renewal soon) a five year pay deal which gave 3% increase each year,but ONLY on basic salary,whilst, as previously stated ,sector pay probably is decreasing at the same rate!? great huh?At any one time you hear rumours of more deals than pilots(RYR like it this way) and for sure the guys who are here a bit longer ,have in the past made a lot of money off share options,but ,apart from(and sometimes even not!)your own contract , this will be the only thing you can be 100% familiar with.Welcome to the world of horse-dealers! The Devils advocate; I believe UK Capt take 5500-5700 lovely pounds per month(Oh yes a bit more than us "Europeans" but work just one day in STN and you won't begrudge them it!) which is a good deal for the non-STN guys.Contract vs Permanent? permanent -roster stability,only one base; contract more money( with the potential tax "complications/loop-holes" alluded to by Flying sand)more hassle and a gypsy life-style unless you "nominate a base" in which case more stability/less money(sound familiar?) with the added "frisson" of taking care of your own tax affairs.A lot of contractors(particularly F/O's ) were bullied(can I say that?) out of thier nice 5 on 5 off contract about a year ago, and very few Capt's seem to have stood their ground on this(many simply said if it ain't 5 / 5 goodbye ,some accepted ,some survived the hit &and retain"old" contract; it depended on their balls on the day.If you get something approaching what you want(but be 100% sure you have!) I would say why not, but read everything on here(yes 99% of it is true!) and come in with your eyes and ears open, and to survive long term mouth shut(at least in public. . .)