Rotorspeed, you say you are an employer so I put this to you.
You ask prospective employees what their expected salary is. If they get the job, do you put them on that salary?
I have never understood the rationale of that question that you see placed in job adverts. Why not just say that the job pays "X" and be done with it. That to me makes more sense.
I think every pilot thinks that they are worth more than what they are already being paid. That is why most pilots move on - to earn more money!
That is the only reason they have expats flying in the Middle East - because of the higher dollars paid compared to their home country.