The jobs that are the most in-demand for expats in the Philippines

me too i am interested to know

I have been living here for two years now and I didn't receive a single interview or even a call from anyone!!!!

I hope other expats are having better luck than mine and will to share it.

after 5 years, two of them actively searching for a job here, I would have to say that the current labour laws here are truly against an expat getting a job here.  I have received a couple of calls but that is out of over 500 applications to jobs that i am highly qualified for with all the requirements asked.  Yet there is very little call for an expat. Once i was even told I was not qualified to teach English, although I have been a teacher for over 20 years and have taught English in a variety of cultures and to a variety of ages.  I have pretty much given up on my search here now.

I will say I am the same, I was looking for jobs in Construction, as I was Project Manager for Monolite Construction, my experiences go over 20 years in Building, Australia and Europe, but yet here all my Qualifications are worth less, I did send lots and lots of applications, I am not sure how many but I will say maybe 50+ Angeles City, Manila and Subic Bay.. so now I give up on the job in Philippines, we are not treated here nice when it comes to jobs, but they expect other Country to treat Philippines nice, haha joke is on them..

Think! 
If finding a job was possible here, many people who left the Philippines would come home.

Job market for expats?  Are you serious? Speaking for myself as a 64 yr. old expat with a decent pension, i did not come to this developing 3rd world country  to compete against the locals to work 9 hours per day, 6 days per week for 40.00 dollars (P 2,000) per week. They don't want us working here taking away the few jobs available for the locals. Why do you think 10% of the population leaves the country to work as OFW's  for a livable  salary to raise there families here? The unemployment rate is like 6,5 % .  Then don't  want us expats opening small businesses here competing with similar local businesses unless you have a majority Filipino partner.  We cant buy land here  only condos . They pretty much just want us to spend our pensions and  obey the law.  So relax, find a good woman and enjoy your sunset years. I am and could not be happier living here retired.

I know last year in baguio at the UDC building 2cond floor a Korean company offered me an Australian 35kpesos a month to teach koreans English. Unfortunately as good as my English skills are my computer skills were basically none.Any American or Australian they will happily grab an give a Job to they favour American or Australian accent the most.The company's name well that i cannott remember. But its a guaranteed job opportunity for American british or Australian. Native Filipinos are only paid 10 to 12kpesos a month American or Australian 35kpesos a month. I cannott remember the name only that they are screaming for American an Australian speaking teachers. The UdF UDC building is where the Jobs are .

Make sure you have a work permit here. If they catch you with out one, its jail time and automatic deportation.

Scott1953 is right on the mark.   I could not have expressed my feelings on expats looking for work in the Philippines in any other way.  I also know a few expats here who have made an attempt to set up a business here or bought an existing business with little success.  An Aussie friend of mine bought a little Oceanside bara year ago, but now has sold his house back in Australia for more funds to pump into his business here.   For sure, he did not have a solid business plan.   
Most foreigners who are working here successfully, are employed by a foreign owned company that may be based here from their home country.   Other than that, enjoy your living here, but have a flow of funds coming here from your home country.

Spot on Bob18. The larger % of employed expats are with the multi-nationals, NGO's, or foreign governments. However, finding a job pretty much entails the same as how one would really get work in 1st world country; relationship building. 500 resumes in any country will probably not get you much of a response. It has and always will be about "who you know" - your network of friends and business acquaintances.

That also depends on where you are living. If in some boon-dock town with roosters and pigs running around you are probably well out of luck. Metro areas like Makati City are fantastic for business relationship development. Lots of business related functions and other social avenues to tap.

There are those expats who succeed in the own small businesses; and those who fail. I would never blame the Filipino's - the culture, the corruption, etc. We have all lived here long enough to know the score. It is their country and we are guests regardless...swim or sink. Time for some BBQ pork and SanMig!

French you really need to get life for yourself, and stop been against  foreigners, we all here, by now know how you feel about us, but maybe it is  time to let it go, and try to live happy life, you are very bitter about us living here or making good life for us and for one or few of you people, we are here for purpose and that is to give some of you nice life, but you don't get that, feel sorry for you..

Lach that is very interesting what you said about us been guests here, I know if they happen to be in Australia and in the USA or Canada or other well developed Country and if they are permanent residence they are not guests in this Country's, but then who are we here if we are permanent resident ?? are we guests ?? are we tourists ?? or are we some kind of in between who never left and never meant to be here ??? or we do not exist here ??

@Samangelevski I have nothing against foreigners ! I have been myself a foreigner in the Philippines (French) for many years before becoming a bi-national ! What I don't like is people like you who are racists and proud of it and who would like to make us believe that you work for the good of the Filipinos ! 

Most countries in Asia are like the Philippines, very nationalistic in their laws, particularly for the jobs and ownership. In the case of the Philippines, the unemployment is 6% but the under employment is close to 30% (selling cigarettes in the street etc.). Beyond the BPO industry, there is not enough jobs. So millions are going abroad... Only foreigners with specific skills can find a job, in the Philippines. If this skill is not known but in demand in the Philippines, you have a chance to find employment. For example, you speak French, you have a big chance to find a job in a call center, because very few Filipinos can speak fluent French. But the Filipinos will have the priority for English speaking call centers compared to native Americans/Australians etc.
So if you have common skills found also in Filipino workers you will never receive any answer from companies you applied for. Even if you sent 1000 motivation letters and CV.... The priority will be always for the Filipino workers. For the same qualifications, the Filipino workers will be cheaper. In international companies, most of the positions will be also for Filipinos. Only the executive positions will be for the foreigners....

geolefrench wrote:

@Samangelevski I have nothing against foreigners ! I have been myself a foreigner in the Philippines (French) for many years before becoming a bi-national ! What I don't like is people like you who are racists and proud of it and who would like to make us believe that you work for the good of the Filipinos ! 

Most countries in Asia are like the Philippines, very nationalistic in their laws, particularly for the jobs and ownership. In the case of the Philippines, the unemployment is 6% but the under employment is close to 30% (selling cigarettes in the street etc.). Beyond the BPO industry, there is not enough jobs. So millions are going abroad... Only foreigners with specific skills can find a job, in the Philippines. If this skill is not known but in demand in the Philippines, you have a chance to find employment. For example, you speak French, you have a big chance to find a job in a call center, because very few Filipinos can speak fluent French. But the Filipinos will have the priority for English speaking call centers compared to native Americans/Australians etc.
So if you have common skills found also in Filipino workers you will never receive any answer from companies you applied for. Even if you sent 1000 motivation letters and CV.... The priority will be always for the Filipino workers. For the same qualifications, the Filipino workers will be cheaper. In international companies, most of the positions will be also for Filipinos. Only the executive positions will be for the foreigners....

true! I'm an expat from Indonesia and been living here or more than 2 years, working in BPO for Bahasa Indonesia support. so saying that foreigners are hard to find a job here is kinda ridiculous. if you apply for a job that most of the Filipinos can do, then why would the company hire you? don't you know the requirement for DOJ to accept your company's request to give you a working permit is to make sure that no Filipino can do your job in that company? apply for a  job that most Filipinos can't do it unlike you. if you're looking for a job in a hotel or construction or anything, then good luck. unless if you were assigned by your company abroad to be transferred to the Philippines.

Yes Lach, no records, no building permit no occupancy permit, the excuse was they had rain and my records get destroyed, funny to all this but the rest of my paperwork is there, so they lost only the ones they want to lose, and all this is by City Hall..

I agree completely and I am surprised to see people on here however well qualified they are, seeming to think that they can just pitch up in the Philippines and expect to be offered a job. What has to be  understood is that there are huge difficulties for Filipinos themselves in finding employment so why would an expat be given precedence even with the right experience/qualifications. There is also whether we like it or not, an awful lot of employment discrimination here. That includes age, race and even height which is one of the reasons  why there is such a large Filipino OFW population working overseas.
If you're intent on coming to live and work here one major employment area is in the BPO/ Offshoring sector with many call centres and process operation centers located in Manila and Cebu. If you've got the required experience/qualifications you might be able to  secure a middle/senior management role but you will still almost certainly have to identify and apply to the overseas companies running these centers for any posts that may be available here.
In short, while this maybe an attractive destination for retirees with pension income, the employment opportunities here for expats seem extremely limited.

Just a reflection on the topic:  "The jobs that are the most in-demand for expats in the Philippines" perhaps we need to consider that it is not just people already living here that read these posts, and some people may not comment on things as much as others, they only want to read relevant posts to a topic.

If we cannot contribute to the topic directly "The jobs that are the most in-demand for expats in the Philippines" may I suggest we do not comment at all.

I can only ask that the administrator take back control of this topic and other topics.

Instead of it being a group message board.  People who are genuinely interested in reading about this or other topics don't want to scroll through lots of chit chat, to find one post that may be relevant to the post.  If they scroll through topics and there is only one relevant post (and nothing else) then they have not wasted their time in reading numerous posts that are not relevant.


Just my two cents worth.

Hi everyone,

First of all, thank you for your contribution

Please note that i have removed some off topic posts from this thread ( not all )

Let's make an effort and keep this thread as informative as possible and lets contribute only on the subject : The jobs that are the most in-demand for expats in the Philippines .

Thanks all,

Priscilla
Expat.com team 

It seems that deciding what is off topic is very subjective. I and a few others were pointing out that it would be near to impossible for an expat to land a job in the Philippines unless they already had a job when they relocated. We were all simply pointing out facts. I also pointed out that a job an expat can do because of their language skills are available online for teaching English or other language. Isn't this important to know?

It would be misleading to paint a rosy job picture when we all fully know there is none available.

samahantayo wrote:

It seems that deciding what is off topic is very subjective.

Not at all.
The topic asks what jobs most in demand, and there will be a number of fields where expats are welcomed and required due to lack of locals with the required skills, there are in every country.

It might very well be true many types of job are impossible for expats, but that isn't the question at the top of the page.
As the senior moderator has requested, it would be better to remain on topic.

If you feel your area of interest requires discussion, perhaps you could start a separate thread listing jobs closed to expats along with difficulties and restrictions facing expats who wish to work over there.

It would probably be good to hear from an expat who actually found a job and tell us how he got it and in what field. Because so far everyone is saying it will not be easy.

I googled jobs for expats in the Philippines. There were a few hits. Most related to having Asian language skills - Korean, Thai, Japanese . Some call center jobs for Australians and Brits in Makati. Considering that many expats live in the province, do they really want to move to the city.

May be one of the questions to ask is what motivates an expat to look for a job. Considering that many move to the Philippines to retire and enjoy life and most likely have no desire to work any further.

When I arrived in the Philippines, I was age 30 so it was impossible to be retired ! Plus I was a foreigner, French (I became Filipino 10 years later), so as said above 90% of the jobs were not for me... Plus, when I arrived there was no call center yet... But, I am a geologist a field where there are highly trained Filipinos, notably through the geological institute of the University of the Philippines and also Mapua institute but there are not enough of them, especially in mining activities. So in very specific fields a foreigner can find a job if

1) there are not enough manpower  in the Philippines
2) You have a specific skill which is not widely present in the country

Language is also a skill, specially BPO industry
Another possibility is creating your own job by investing in a company, but you will own only 40% of your investment

To be more precise. I found my job in the Philippines through relationships.

A job that is in very much demand  for new incoming expats, is to entertain the many pretty Filipinas  you will discover here.   If you are a nite owl, so much the better since most of the work occurs during the evening hours.   However, there is only one problem with this job you will soon discover, and that is the money will be flowing in the wrong direction!

Hi Sir
what you have pointed out is so very true.
cheers

I suspect most of us are receiving some form of income from retirement or disability from back home so i question why even bother trying for a job overseas? Why not be an entrepreneur and actually open your own unique opportunity?

From what I have heard, you can do a online business or teach English.  you can teach it either online or go to other Asian countries and teach it at the schools.  You just need to be certified.

Lol Gordy. I thought you were going to say to just relax and enjoy life. Won't a unique opportunity turn out to be a job???

The number one item  I can derive from all the discussion on this topic is this:   'The most obvious reason for an expat to be gainfully employed in the Philippines is to show your wife's or partner's family, that you are not rich!'

Sharing skills gained as part of my new focus as a pastor kinda doesnt seem like a job..lol.

Thanks for your advice. My ex girlfriend there of 2 years said I could come and open a business there. But I doubted her about this. Because I am not rich guy. Maybe I will just wait for 6 more years when I retire.

Stemik do not believe that for a moment, all is one big bull so you can leave your cash here, or lose it both are the same to me, my GF said that to me too. now is my Wife, and I build a shop to be open for a business, but soon after I got here, I have learned to continue and pour more cash in to it it was going to be one big waste on money, I think as a Man who likes to make profits if I to open business, in any case there was not going to be any profits in a shop, but I do have rice farms, again very little profits I see after I pay every one who works there, I am cutting down on labores, use more Machines to do work, it is ok right now, it will pay my family a nice one week holiday to one of the nice islands here, every 4 months.