Demand for Overseas Filipino Workers up by 21%
Middle Eastern countries remain the top destination for OFWs

Back in the 70s, a massive oil boom in the Middle East prompted an influx of labor from Asian countries. The Philippine government established a migrant employment program, creating the first formal batch of overseas Filipino workers (OFW).
Almost five decades later, the Middle East remains the top recruiter for Filipino labor. According to data from WorkAbroad.ph—the leading overseas jobs board in the Philippines—gulf countries account for 76.28% of all job listings in their database. They’re followed by Asia-Pacific countries (11.9%), and the United States (7.59%).
“Overseas hirers posted a total of 137,243 job listings from January to October 2018,” says Paola Savillo, Marketing Lead of WorkAbroad.ph. “This is up 21% compared to 2017, which had 113,545.”
Healthcare, Engineering, and General Work (drivers, electricians, cleaners) are the most in-demand specializations in the Middle East, which offers the largest overseas opportunities for nurses. Medical jobs pay the highest, with doctors and dentists starting with P47,000 to P70,000 per month.
For Asia Pacific, the demand is highest for those in Engineering, General Work, and Manufacturing/Production. The pay is highest for professionals in IT, Education, and Marketing/Business Development, where starting offers are pegged at P50,000-P65,000 monthly.
Meanwhile, the United States has a high demand for sea-based workers and those who specialize in Engineering, General Work, and Food/Beverage/Restaurant Service. Seamen and Ship Engineers have top earning potential, with salaries starting at P68,000 to P81,000 monthly.
According to Savillo, those with necessary local work experience in their desired overseas roles have an advantage during recruitment. For skilled workers, having skills-based courses from tech-voc institutions is also highly recommended.
To learn more about living and working abroad—and to find overseas job matches—visit WorkAbroad.ph and follow WorkAbroad.ph on Facebook.


About WorkAbroad.ph
WorkAbroad.ph is the Philippines’ leading jobs board that offers overseas employment opportunities to Filipinos. All the job openings in this website are posted by POEA-licensed recruitment agencies. WorkAbroad.ph currently services over 800 POEA-licensed recruitment agencies and over 6.7 million aspiring OFWs in its database.
 

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