MANILA, January 17, 2018 – The highest-paying specializations in 2017 are sea-based engineers, healthcare professionals, land-based engineers, and IT professionals, according to an annual report by overseas job portal WorkAbroad.ph.
A ship master in the US can potentially earn Php99,000, a chief engineer can earn Php96,000, and a chief officer can earn Php92,000 monthly. Meanwhile, land-based engineers that are in-demand in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific can earn a monthly salary of Php57,000 and Php59,000, respectively.
Healthcare professionals are most compensated in the Middle East. Among doctors, those who specialize in pediatric care can earn as much as Php86,000 a month; nurses can earn Php65,000, while veterinarians can earn Php58,000.
IT professionals are also highly paid in Asia-Pacific; those with 0 to 4 years of experience can already earn as much as Php54,000.
Top countries of deployment
The survey also revealed the top 10 countries of deployment, with Saudi Arabia topping the list. From January to October 2017, 54.19% of jobs ads are from Saudi Arabia. Middle East countries such as Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman are part of the top 10.
In 2017, Malaysia and Taiwan made their way into the top 10 countries of deployment list, replacing 2016’s Australia and Brunei.
In-demand skilled roles
WorkAbroad overseas jobs also revealed skilled workers are still the most in-demand. In the Middle East, Filipinos can find numerous opportunities in general work, engineering-related and food/beverage/restaurant service sectors. In-demand general work roles include drivers, electricians, and AC, auto, refrigeration, plumbing, and maintenance technicians. In-demand engineering-related skilled roles include mechanics and electrical technicians. There are also opportunities for cooks, waiters/waitresses, and baristas.
In Asia-Pacific, jobs await skilled workers like carpenters, household service workers, and caretakers. Opportunities also abound in the engineering-related segment for technicians and technical operators and in the manufacturing/production operations segment for factory workers, production and machine operators, and welders.
While sea-based engineers are in-demand and well-compensated in the US, skilled workers are also needed, such as electricians, fitters, able seamen, cooks, waiters/waitresses, and stewards.
Across regions, from the Middle East to the US, in the professional segment, engineers are the most in-demand.
Tips for aspiring OFWs
Based on these findings, WorkAbroad.ph advises Filipinos considering a job overseas to be work-abroad ready, especially since there is a high probability of landing a job in the Middle East where most Filipinos are not familiar with the culture. Being work-abroad ready means familiarizing oneself with the country of deployment. More information can be gleaned from the PEOS Online modules that provide a guide for each key destination.
“Moreover, because majority of the demand abroad is for skilled workers, aspirants will benefit from taking skills-based courses from tech-voc institutions. Aspirants can also get ahead of competition by getting the necessary work experience in the Philippines before applying for jobs abroad. This is because overseas jobs usually require experience.”
Jobseekers are highly encouraged to seek out valuable information when considering prospective opportunities. Good information is available from government agencies, such as the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency, and, of course, WorkAbroad.ph.
