For Filipinos, it's easier to find work abroad. With the growing number of on-demand jobs in factory work, sales and accounting, nursing, entertainment, engineering, and tech, getting a job abroad is just about getting the right data, doing your homework carefully, and finding the position that suits you best.
The top destinations for Filipinos include the United States (3.4 million citizens of the Philippines), Saudi Arabia (1.5 million OFWs), Canada (842.651 Filipinos), and the United Arab Emirates (679.819 Filipinos). Malaysia, Australia, Qatar, Japan, the UK, and Kuwait are among the runners-up.
However, aside from these countries, here are some of the countries you can explore if you want to work abroad.Â
Singapore
Located close to the Philippines, Singapore is an excellent place to work for OFWs. This Southeast Asian country provides a viable career advance with its stable economy, according to the 2015 HSBC Expat Explorer report. Expats love Singapore because of its security, high salaries, and job opportunities.
This 2015, Singapore's job openings include IT and computer developers, office workers, bank employees, accountants, nurses, and caregivers. The Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) reminds Filipinos that a strict direct hiring procedure for foreigners is followed by the country's Ministry of Manpower.
Foreign workers in Singapore earning more than SG$2,200 a month are eligible to have an S Pass, also known as the Singapore Employment Pass. The employer is the one who processes the work permit of this type. This visa is intended for medium-skilled workers. It is accepted and issued if the employer has met the quota in hiring international workers. The credentials of the foreign worker are favorably assessed by the Singapore Ministry of Manpower.
Online and manual applications are two ways to obtain an S pass. The boss or the recruiting firm will be the one to do this for you. Also, you can live in your own country, or you can wait for it. You need to submit documents that are required for your S Pass once a company accepts you and wants to hire you officially.
New Zealand
The new life it offers in an unfamiliar but rewarding environment is among the attractive factors of living abroad. New Zealand is the best destination for this, as it ranks first in the Experience League table of the HSBC Expat Explorer report — an expatriate's overall ranking of their entire country experience in terms of lifestyle, easy integration with locals, and finding accommodation.
Seventy-seven percent of expats state their overall quality of life has improved since they moved home. They love the country's outdoor lifestyle and sporting culture, and 57% say living there makes them more physically active.
Here are some visa options for you if you want to work in New Zealand.
- Temporary Visa - Temporary visas allow you to spend a certain period of time living and working in New Zealand. Also, temporary jobs can be a step towards permanent residence and relocation here. For people working in a profession experiencing skill shortages and getting a job offer from a New Zealand employer, there are several work visas. There is no age limit for most work visas.
- Working Holiday Visa - This is planned according to Citizenship for young people aged 18-30 and 35 years. This option allows you to travel and work for up to 12 months in New Zealand, or 23 months if you're from the UK or Canada.
- Resident Visa - In general, resident visas allow you to live and work indefinitely in New Zealand and have access to most publicly funded services. To determine eligibility, the Professional Migrant Category uses a point system based on factors such as age, work experience, credentials, and a skilled job bid. The alternative is a Work visa residence. You may be eligible to apply once you have kept a Work to Residence visa for at least 24 months. To apply for these resident visas, you must be 55 years of age or under.
Taiwan
Taiwan is a destination that fulfills just that for those who seek the challenge and adventure offered by living abroad. Sixty-seven percent of these expats love to explore the natural springs, moon festivals, and native rituals of the island. Taiwan is known to OFWs as a nation employing electrical companies for manufacturing technicians, machine operators, and factory workers. Domestic helpers and aides also have job vacancies.
A work visa is required for stays in Taiwan exceeding six months, and a work permit is required as part of the application for a work visa. Once this visa has been issued, and after arrival in Taiwan, the local police office's foreign affairs division must apply for an Alien Resident Card.
United Kingdom
The country is a top OFW destination, with some 220,000 Filipinos living in the United Kingdom. According to the HSBC Expat Explorer report, expats moving to the UK often advance their careers and experience the rich British culture. The country is also a popular destination for first-time overseas workers.
The right to work as a migrant in the UK depends on where you're coming from and what kind of job you're trying to do. If you're coming to the UK for employment purposes, you might need a UK work visa as well as a job offer to take up a job.
For work in London and other parts of the country, all non-EU / EFTA nationals will need the UK to work visas. Citizens from some countries can enter the United Kingdom and remain without permission for up for 6 months but are not permitted to do paid or unpaid work.
Eligibility for a UK work visa depends on having a job offer and funding in most cases. If you come to work as a non-EU / EFTA national in the United Kingdom, you will need to find an appropriate job first. UK work visas are not usually available for low-skilled work. You will need to find a job that fits one of the categories of specialists and highly qualified UK work visas.
Conclusion
If you're looking for a job abroad for the first time, it might be best to know not only the OFW countries but also the places around the world that support Filipinos. For more career tips, click here.
