# Living and working in Philippines



## mknee (Mar 16, 2014)

My wife and I are looking for places to live and work where its sunny and warm all year round. 

First choice is California, USA, but its almost impossible to get there without a job transfer. 

Philippines actually looks a lot nicer, but have no idea what kind of work you could get out there, if there is a uk expat community and what the visa applications are like. 

Any information appreciated. 

Tim


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

mknee said:


> My wife and I are looking for places to live and work where its sunny and warm all year round.
> 
> First choice is California, USA, but its almost impossible to get there without a job transfer.
> 
> ...


Welcome to the forum Tim. There are many expats in the Philippines but are scattered all over the country and not in areas by nationality so far as I know or have ever seen. 
There is always warm weather here. Extremely hot and humid actually. This is a sub-tropical country with no snow - ever, but a lot of rain at times.
For expats this is a great country for retirement and or vacations. However, in most all cases it is not reasonable to expect to find work here. 
Immigration and especially working visa laws are not conducive for making this a place to find good employment.
Have a look through the Philippines page and post and I think you'll likely find it's better to wait for retirement if this is the place you really want to try living..


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## mknee (Mar 16, 2014)

ok thanks for the information. Actually, while I like hot weather, I dont like humidity.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

mknee said:


> ok thanks for the information. Actually, while I like hot weather, I dont like humidity.


It is possible to get use to the humidity after a few years but it is ever present. At least there is no snow and that is a big plus. If you don't have to work, this is a good place to live and extremely low cost also. With over 7,000 islands there are many places to choose from.

For hot or warm weather though, I'd suggest Las Vegas Nevada, St. George, Utah, Phoenix Arizona, or Palm Springs, California - all the United States.


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## Pedro Reklamo (Mar 6, 2014)

Qatar or UAE. I've worked in both. You'll get a 3yr work visa with an employer. 
Use it as a source to increase your savings towards early retirement.


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## mknee (Mar 16, 2014)

California is probably the most likely place in the world that would fit what I am looking for, but is impossible to get into without getting a job transfer and even then the employer still needs to justify you going there and pay for the sponsorship. 

Only other option would be to seek emerging markets that are likely to really thrive in the next 5-10 years and if they dont speak English, learn that language. It would be a bigger investment with time but I suppose it could be worth it. 

Australia is another place that could fit the bill, only you cant get a work visa if you are under 30 and if you are older need to be sponsored as well.


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## Palawenio (Mar 4, 2014)

Pedro Reklamo said:


> Qatar or UAE. I've worked in both. You'll get a 3yr work visa with an employer. Use it as a source to increase your savings towards early retirement.


I would do this if I were 30 years old. I'd go to one of those oil-rich countries where you could save practically all your income, work until I'm 45 or even 50 years old, then retire like royalty in places like the Philippines.


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## esv1226 (Mar 13, 2014)

I don't know what you both do, but I see husband and wife both working in International Schools like Brent. Other expats work in shipping, power plant, etc. But I think, these guys come to the country with their jobs already in place, which means applying to those companies with job openings in the Philippines. 
I think it is very difficult to find a job and apply for a working visa once in the country. Good luck.


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## HondaGuy (Aug 6, 2012)

I worked in Qatar for a year and the humidity there can get pretty oppressive.

Im just across the way in Bahrain and it doesnt seem like the humidity here is as bad as it was when I was in Qatar and there is a British Club where you can play some pool or snooker, have a pint, work out in the gym, go swimming in the pool, play scrabble or do the quiz night. They also have lots of other events like theater (Educating Rita), play dates for moms and toddlers, etc.

Bahrain is also a LOT more relaxed than Qatar and the traffic here isnt as bad.


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## enjoi (Dec 20, 2013)

Pedro Reklamo said:


> Qatar or UAE. I've worked in both. You'll get a 3yr work visa with an employer.
> Use it as a source to increase your savings towards early retirement.


Because getting hired for contracts in the middle east is open to anyone who can tie their shoelaces, right? None of those contractors hire anyone without military experience. And for us youngers guys to have military experience we would have to have served in a wartime military. Respect to those whom did, but no thanks. You baby boomers have it so made you have no idea.


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## enjoi (Dec 20, 2013)

mknee said:


> My wife and I are looking for places to live and work where its sunny and warm all year round.
> 
> First choice is California, USA, but its almost impossible to get there without a job transfer.
> 
> ...


I'm actually looking at a job transfer with my company now APC/NCO to Manila. But they're a BPO company and if they only offer me a callcenter job I won't take it. I work in IT and I won't accept anything else. 

From what I've seen the only rational ways to go and work over in the Phils as an expat are to transfer there with a company or make money online somehow.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

enjoi said:


> I'm actually looking at a job transfer with my company now APC/NCO to Manila. But they're a BPO company and if they only offer me a callcenter job I won't take it. I work in IT and I won't accept anything else.
> 
> From what I've seen the only rational ways to go and work over in the Phils as an expat are to transfer there with a company or make money online somehow.


I don't blame you with the call center jobs. They simply do not provide enough income for your experience level.
There are several (real) hi-tech companies on Clark airbase next to Angeles City. I don't have their names but I know they exist. An exploratory trip might be in order to see what gives.

Finding jobs working online is usually near impossible. Where you are still there at home though, you might have assess to companies and put something together.


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## enjoi (Dec 20, 2013)

Jet Lag said:


> I don't blame you with the call center jobs. They simply do not provide enough income for your experience level.
> There are several (real) hi-tech companies on Clark airbase next to Angeles City. I don't have their names but I know they exist. An exploratory trip might be in order to see what gives.
> 
> Finding jobs working online is usually near impossible. Where you are still there at home though, you might have assess to companies and put something together.


By working online I meant independently. Services like web design, bitcoin mining etc. I actually have a real good idea for an online service I've thought about the last couple of days I just need to formulate a plan to get it going.


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## Pedro Reklamo (Mar 6, 2014)

enjoi said:


> Because getting hired for contracts in the middle east is open to anyone who can tie their shoelaces, right? None of those contractors hire anyone without military experience. And for us youngers guys to have military experience we would have to have served in a wartime military. Respect to those whom did, but no thanks. You baby boomers have it so made you have no idea.


I do not have any military experience. I was one year in Doha and four year in the UAE. During that time my focus was living cheap and saving.

My status is now unemployed as I am not yet retirement age material. 

I will admit that working in the Middle East was not a consideration while I was in the USA. My good fortune led me in that direction and I was alert enough to recognise the opportunity presented to me.

Now I am living the easy life being only responsible to myself.

Maybe you need to do some more research for companies that have offices in the ME that suit your skill set. Get in the door and then work towards a global transfer.


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## enjoi (Dec 20, 2013)

Pedro Reklamo said:


> I do not have any military experience. I was one year in Doha and four year in the UAE. During that time my focus was living cheap and saving.
> 
> My status is now unemployed as I am not yet retirement age material.
> 
> ...


Thanks but I have no desire to work in the middle east.


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## PogiBaby (Apr 2, 2014)

esv1226 said:


> I don't know what you both do, but I see husband and wife both working in International Schools like Brent. Other expats work in shipping, power plant, etc. But I think, these guys come to the country with their jobs already in place, which means applying to those companies with job openings in the Philippines.
> I think it is very difficult to find a job and apply for a working visa once in the country. Good luck.


I thought it wouldn't be that difficult to work here since I'm married to a Philippine citizen, but to get a work permit you have to already have a job. The company has to write a letter as part of the application. The hard part is that none of the companies even want to consider you unless you already have a work permit. I'm sure there are people you can pay to bypass this, but to do it legally is a real catch 22. Who would have thought that you needed to be sponsored by a company if you were here by marriage. Oh well. The only way I have come up with to get around this is to be "hired" by someone you know (for example I have a cousin in law who owns a bar) and then after you get the permit apply to the real jobs.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

PogiBaby said:


> I thought it wouldn't be that difficult to work here since I'm married to a Philippine citizen, but to get a work permit you have to already have a job. The company has to write a letter as part of the application. The hard part is that none of the companies even want to consider you unless you already have a work permit. I'm sure there are people you can pay to bypass this, but to do it legally is a real catch 22. Who would have thought that you needed to be sponsored by a company if you were here by marriage. Oh well. The only way I have come up with to get around this is to be "hired" by someone you know (for example I have a cousin in law who owns a bar) and then after you get the permit apply to the real jobs.


If you are a perminant resident you shouldn't need a work permit?


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Gary D said:


> If you are a perminant resident you shouldn't need a work permit?


Wish it were that easy. A work permit is still needed for any type of employment unless or until one takes Philippine citizenship---a move that would not be worth giving up citizenship in our home countries.


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## PogiBaby (Apr 2, 2014)

Gary D said:


> If you are a permanent resident you shouldn't need a work permit?


I don't know. I'm here on the Balikbayan program. I get a year then have to leave and come back. Or apply for my permanent residency. But from what I was told at the DFA it will be a real pain in the butt. My husband and I were married in WA state. I have certified copies of our marriage license, but it isn't certified by the department of state and recorded through our consulate in San Francisco. I was told if I wanted to apply for permanent residency I would have to go to San Francisco.. which is ridiculous! That was by the head of that department at the DFA. My father in law is an ambassador so took it to the "boss" to get his advice.


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## Palawenio (Mar 4, 2014)

Re. Balikbayan status : my understanding is, just before your 1 year stay is over, you could fly out to a nearby country like Taiwan or Vietnam, stay there overnight, then fly back in to Manila where you get another 1 year Balikbayan stay. Airline promos to said countries are most times available.


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## overmyer (Aug 15, 2013)

Palawenio said:


> Re. Balikbayan status : my understanding is, just before your 1 year stay is over, you could fly out to a nearby country like Taiwan or Vietnam, stay there overnight, then fly back in to Manila where you get another 1 year Balikbayan stay. Airline promos to said countries are most times available.


Correct, as long as your Philippine spouse is with you (be sure to have a NSO copy of your marriage cert. with you in case it's asked for). If unable/unwilling to make the exit/entry trip, you can still do 60 day extensions (as with standard tourist visa) up to a total stay of 36 months before needing to do so.


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## Silver12345 (Apr 20, 2014)

How young are you Tim? Its hard to get work in the Philippines unless you go there with ready work.--as in expat status. Or, best way is to do work online.<Snip>


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