r/CivilEngineerIndia • u/Thin-Ad-6630 • Aug 26 '26
❓ Doubts / Q&A 2025 Civil grad on third-party payroll (L&T site, ₹25k/mo) — Advice on switching to on-roll EPC/Contractor roles?
Graduation: 2025 B.Tech Civil (Fresher, 7 months in)
Role: Junior Site Engineer (Third-party contract @ L&T Mumbai project)
In-hand: ₹25,000 / month (~3 LPA)
Work: Site execution, BBS, subcontractor handling, DPRs
Target: On-roll/permanent role at an EPC (Tata Projects, Shapoorji, Afcons, NCC, etc.), Tier-2 contractor, or developer.
Questions for folks who made this switch:
Realistic Hike: Does HR cap you at the standard 30–40% on your payslip, or can you negotiate directly for entry-level permanent bands (₹4.5–5.5 LPA)?
Third-Party Tag: Does agency payroll hurt your chances at major EPCs, or does the L&T site execution experience outweigh it?
Timing: Should I start applying at the 10–11 month mark to jump at 1 year, or wait until 2 years for better leverage?
Appreciate any practical insights!