A real common question that I get in my e-mail almost daily is this: “What kind of job can I find there after I move there?”
The answer is very easy. NONE.
That’s right… don’t come here expecting to find a job here where you can make the kind of wages that you would be looking for. Actually, the odds that you will find any job are only remote.
Consider a few things:
- There are few jobs to be had, that’s why so many people are unemployed here.
- Legally, you can not be hired to do a job if a Filipino can do that job.
- Most employers would rather hire another Filipino, rather than a foreigner.
- The minimum wage here is only around P250 per day. Believe it or not, most people earn less than the minimum wage.
If you think about these reasons that I list, they all make sense. Now, saying that you will not be hired for a job does not mean that you cannot earn money here. I am a perfect example that you can indeed make money while you live in the Philippines. I actually earn more here than I did when I lived in the USA. You can do it too.
There are a few steps that you must take to be succeessful. First, without a doubt, you must be self employeed. That doesn’t mean that you have to go out and rent a building, hire a workforce, etc. Work smart, and you don’t need to work hard. I know, that’s an old adage, but it’s true.
Think about it. I have a friend who is a tax preparer in the USA. He moved here, and has been able to keep up the same business. He primarily does it over the internet now. People can e-mail him with all of the details, and he can do the work here, then e-mail it back. Yes, there are some physical documents that are needed, but he has been able to work around that. And, he has even been able to expand his business, because he can hire Filipino accountants very inexpensively, and take on more work than he could handle before. What happens is that he becomes the quality control person. His workers do all the tax returns, he reviews them for accuracy. As well as continuing his business, he has been able to expand and branch out into new areas that he could not address before. For example, there are a lot of Americans who live here in the Philippines. Those guys also must file a US tax return, so my friend has a whole new base of clients that he could not access before.
There are plenty of businesses that you can do from here. It is my preference to continue to service the USA or another western country, not to go after clients here in the Philippines. One thing to keep in mind – prices are lower here, so you would not be able to charge as much. But, you can live here inexpensively and serve the American market, earning the kind of money that Americans earn. It’s the best of both worlds, right?
What kind of businesses could you do while living here?
- Just about any kind of Internet based business.
- Blogging, with Advertising supporting it (Google AdSense, Text Ad Links, Chitika, etc.)[affiliate links]
- Services to US businesses (build websites, do taxes, do outsourcing work, etc.)
- e-Commerce, selling items from here to people around the world
The possibilities are almost endless! As I have said before, what you need to do is to think outside your box. Even if your idea seems wild, consider it, refine it. You might just come up with what you are looking for!
UPDATE: Since originally writing this article, we have added a new feature to the site. We now have a Job Board where you can advertise that you are looking for a job, and potential advertisers can also advertise with jobs that they are offering for ex-pats. Check it out.
bob, i know korean school in davao hire native english teacher….the pay is good, work just for few hours and the pay is about 1000 pesos (halfday work)…so in one months you get 30,000 pesos….its about $600 US…..not bad for a par time job huh?…two friend of mine work there (canadian and an american)….
Hi Mike – thanks for sharing your comment. Of course there are exceptions. You'll find a few places where you can find a job. Personally, though, I would not be interested in even working even a half hour a day for $600 per month. I can easly make more than that just writing blog posts. It's good money for a local resident. For an ex-pat, that is not (usually) enough money to get them excited.
I do appreciate you sharing the info, though.
Hello BoB,
You're talking about bussiness on internet, I wonder what kind of connection can you get for the internet. Is it reliable there?
My everyday visit is always helpful thanx
Hi Patrice – glad to know that you are finding some useful information here! I am happy to help.
I have made a new post about Internet availability here, you can see it at: http://liveinthephilippines.com/blog/?p=39
Bob I am in the military, and was wondering what kind of job can I get after i do my 3 yrs.. I dont have a degree and am marrying a girl from gingoog
Hi Spencer – welcome to my blog! I am glad that you stopped in and left a comment.
You are kind of in a perfect position right now to start making plans, Spencer. You have three years before you will be in a position to really make things happen, so you have plenty of time to search for a business plan that will allow you to at least earn a living while living in the Philippines.
Like I said in the post, getting a job where you are employed by somebody else is not easy to do – as a matter of fact it is nearly impossible. Think things over – what do you enjoy doing with your time? Is there a way you can make money by doing the things that you enjoy? Do you have some expertise about some field where people would pay you to teach them through a website or something similar?
There are lots of possibilities, but mostly you would be looking to be self employed, most likely. Think, experiment with ideas, etc. By the end of three years, I think you can be making some decent money!
Good luck.
:cool:HelloBob:I Have a Woman in the Philippines a very good one,I live before in the Philippines but only using my savings to live there,after that i return to U.S.A. my desire has been to find something to make a living and live there with her.im good in english and of course spanish my native language.if you have an idea ill be very gratefull.
Hi Pablo – there are not too many options for earning money here, but you have to think outside the box and come up with ideas. I will give you the advice that I offer everytime that somebody asks me what ideas I have – follow your passion. When you follow your passion, the money will come.
Good luck.
Hi Bob and to all of you. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and comments. I can only agree. No Filipino company will hire you, especially if you expect a pay equal to yours in your home country. Another opportunity would be to get hired by a company from your home country. I also tried German-English translations as well as giving German tutorials from time to time. As Bob said, "working at home and doing Internet business is really one of the best ideas".
Hi Klaus – Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I am in nearly total agreement with you.
Hi Bob—totally agree with you on "thinking outside the box" to see the big picture. And if I may add to that, you have to be physically be outside the box. The only way to stay abreast of the opportunities in the Philppines is to be physically there, to familiarize yourself with the country and the way they do business there.
Doing business from long distance–and trusting others to do the work for you–is not going to get the job done right, at least not when you're starting off. I learned that from experience. Even if I'm not in the Philippine at this time, I know the way people think and conduct business there because that's where I go home to when I'm not working abroad. To think and stay outside of the box, require some personal sacrifices, but it'll pay off in the end. Till next time….
Hi Julius, you're right. Before, while still living in Germany, I tried to do something for the Philippines. It failed. You have to stay HERE already, as you said "physically here". Then you are also able to familiarize with this country, its people and their way to do business here. Together with personal sacrifices it really pay of. Or we just stay here as a multi millionaire and get bored while counting the palm trees or the moskitos…
Hi Klaus–I agree. I know people in the states that make over six figures, yet they don't seem happy and relaxed. I tell them that I make far less than that, yet I have two maids, a chauffer for my family vehicle, I'm made to feel more important in the Philippines wherever I go.
Compare to these six figure people in America, I'd rather count the number of minutes in an hour (because I can do it in the Philippines), instead of counting the number of days I have to work before I can get my two weeks vacation, and spend thousands of dollars, on credit card, just so I can go on a short three day cruise or a ski trip to Colorado.
I agree, I'd rather count palm trees and mosquitoes as a multi-millionnaire (even in just pesos), instead of counting dollars, because as soon as you make the money here in America, most of it slips right out of your hands to go pay off your creditors. What's the sense in that? Till next time….
Hey Bob,
I've been a fan of yours for quite some time now, What about openning a franchised gasoline staion in Manila do you think that's wise?
To post #13,
I would not want to count the minutes, even if I can, in the Philippines
or elsewhere. That's the activity of an idle mind. I'd rather do something, anything, to engage my limited time on earth.
I'd also not rather be made to feel more important just to find that elusive happiness. That's relying on an external factor to make us feel
whole. Happiness is an *inside job.* It's either you are happy or
you are not… but it's something that only the person "inside the body"
can create for himself/herself.
On the other hand, I sense some contradiction in your views. You talk about the people in America probably being miserable, yet, you yourself, continue to earn your living outside of the Philippines in pursuit of the mighty dollars to send home. Nothing wrong with that (generally) except you strongly advocate an idealistic life in the Philippines that you yourself, don't live.
By always being away from the country so you can give your family that idealistic lifestyle, you have traded the invaluable family time you could have with them otherwise. That is the gaping contradiction I see here. That is, in my mind, equivalent to the "miserable life" that you envision others are living just because these others are fully living and working in a non-Philippine setting.
I wonder if your situation is more ideal really??? If you assess it honestly, is it? Are you happy where you are, coming home to a night all to yourself by yourself? Well, okay, there's the phone, the email, the webcam, all these other artificial contraptions. Are they any better than being there, physically, for your wife & kids?
Just asking some questions, I don't mean any disrespect, but your post
really made me think if you are truly happy with the roving lifestyle while the rooted Fil-Americans are not (in your view, anyway).
This is an attempt at a serious inquiry, not an attempt to discredit nor disparage. Thanks…
Hi Julius – I strongly agree that in order to do business here, you really need to be here! Heck, I once had a chain of Internet Cafes in General Santos City. When I moved to Davao, I planned to keep my cafes going, but ended up closing them down because I found it too hard to keep control over them from just 150 miles away!
Hi lamlsaid – Although you do not say so, I believe that you are addressing Julius with your comment. I will leave that between the two of you.
Hi Greg – If you can get a good location, a gas station will be a good money earner. Remember, that the station owner gets a razor thin margin on gas sales, though, so you do have to work hard for your money. Good luck!
For now I'm still fiddling with my blog and fronting my wife the money to get a Carendria started. I have a job opportunity to go work in a cannery in Alaska for 4 months next year, it'll be securrity guard work and it pays well… I can bring home close to $22,000 for 4 months work. If I get that job I'll work Alaska for 5 years and save as much as I can. By then I can start that piggery that my wife and I have been thinkng about.
Hi Louis – Sounds like you have some good plans there. I hope they work out for you. It's just a shame that you would need to leave the Philippines and be away from your wife. Good luck!
Yes, it's going to be hard for the both of us, but we want to be a little more financially stable before we have kids and this is a good opportnity. My friend as been doing it for 3 years now and he started out at $7.50/hr and now is making $17.50/hr. What job can you get in the states that gives you a $10/hr raise in 2 years? I'll tell you about it in person next time we see eachother. The tongue in cheek thing about it is I came over here to end up being a Philippine OFW LOL!
Hi Louis–with that kind of capital ($22,000) you have a good chance of making it in the Philippines in almost any business venture you want to get into. In the states, 22 grand will buy you a decent car; in the Philippines, the same amount of money will start a decent size business. The question is, which direction you want to go?
Just be careful where you sink that money in, and don't fall victim to every shyster with a smiling face in the Philippines. You just never know what their motives are. From experience, I've always picture in my mind the worse-case scenarios; it saved me from numerous disappointments and disasters.
I guess you already know what I'd do if I have that kind of money. I was talking to a friend in the states because he wants to start a business there. I told him that the opportunities to start a business in the states are getting harder and harder these days. He agreed. You're not only going to be competing with the "Big Boys" who'll beat you on the playing field because they have the muscles and endless resources to do it, but you also have to deal with the endless red tapes of government rules and regulations. I still remember when my parents owned a restaurant for ten years. The headaches and body aches from running that business were endless.
I don't see much opportunities for a small time businessmen to make it in the states anymore; it's gotten too complex. That's why you see a lot of budding entrepreneurs taking their operations overseas, especially Third World Countries like the Philippines, where labor is cheap. Now I do foresee the people in the United States and Canada, as being the largest consumer of products and services from other countries. This is due to the trend that the younger generations in America are being trained to be "think tanks", "pencil-pushers", and consumers of the latest gadgets and trendy services.
Westerners are no longer willing to take on low paying jobs (because of the increased lifestyles), and a lot of these low-end jobs are going to the new immigrants from Mexico and Eastern Europeans. This is also why outsourcing businesses are popping up in Third World Countries. Their biggest customers are Westerners. Heck, I met two Americans (from Canada and the United States) in Makati who became millionnaires in the Asia. Both came from humble backgrounds and took their chances outside of their respected countries. And they did it within five years.
So go with your dreams, Louis. You've got a great idea there. Goodluck. Till next time….
Hi Lamisaid:
"I would not want to count the minutes, even if I can, in the Philippines
or elsewhere. That’s the activity of an idle mind. I’d rather do something, anything, to engage my limited time on earth."
I think you've taken what I said to Klaus, literally. Counting the palm trees and mosquitoes means taking the time to actually "smell the roses instead of bypassing it, like most people in America or other First World Countries do because of the harried lifestyle of trying to keep up with the Smiths and Joneses. Almost all of the people I've worked with in America (and I've been working since I was sixteen. I'm forty-four now)
ever talked about is how long and hard they need to work in order to build their 401K and other retirement vehicles. I've often wondered why everyone is so stressed out. They're not really enjoying the moment because their mind is always focused on when they'll retire.
"I’d also not rather be made to feel more important just to find that elusive happiness. That’s relying on an external factor to make us feel
whole. Happiness is an *inside job.* It’s either you are happy or
you are not… but it’s something that only the person “inside the body”
can create for himself/herself."
Obviously you didn't read my Cultural Identity Crisis article on my Philippine Voyager blog. I've been living with discrimination most of my childhood and adult life in America. You just can't imagine what it feels like not to experience that by living in the Philippines. It feels like a thorn was plucked out of your heart. And most importantly, I don't want my own children to go through the same discrimination that I experienced in Americat when I was a child. It does affect the way they think and feel about themselves–believe it or not.
The way you think is also a product of your sorrounding. Where else are you going to pick up the cue? From the inside of your head? That's lunacy. Feeling important doesn't mean you're walking around with a chip on your shoulder. Feeling important–the way I meant it–means to not be made to feel different or inferior ecause you're different than the popular group.
"On the other hand, I sense some contradiction in your views. You talk about the people in America probably being miserable, yet, you yourself, continue to earn your living outside of the Philippines in pursuit of the mighty dollars to send home. Nothing wrong with that (generally) except you strongly advocate an idealistic life in the Philippines that you yourself, don’t live."
If you can offer me a job that will support my family's standard of living in the Philippines, then I'll stay in the Philippines. Otherwise, I'll keep working in the United States or other parts of the world until I can build enough capital to start a business in the Philippines. And my life in the Philippines is far from idealistic. We still make sacrifices on a day-to-day basis. I have two questions to pose to you, though. If money, is not an an issue, would you pick where you'd really want to live? Would you design your life according to the way you want it to be, or would you continue to live the harried life that society has designed for you? I believe I already know your answer to that question.
"By always being away from the country so you can give your family that idealistic lifestyle, you have traded the invaluable family time you could have with them otherwise. That is the gaping contradiction I see here. That is, in my mind, equivalent to the “miserable life” that you envision others are living just because these others are fully living and working in a non-Philippine setting."
Again, if you can offer me a job and/or support my family's financial needs in the Philippines, I'll stay there. I've already established my relationships with my wife and kids; that's why I have the confidence to do what I'm doing of going abroad to work. I can think of a lot worse situations where families in America are living together, but don't really have quality time together because of their harried lifestyles; the family members can't get along with each other, or the kids can't be controlled by their parents because they're too busy working. So what makes you think I'm compromising my relationship with my family by going away to work and there's still one parent at home all the time? My kids are much better off in the Philippines culturally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Relationship is not compromise by not being there; it's only compromised when no one cares.
"I wonder if your situation is more ideal really??? If you assess it honestly, is it? Are you happy where you are, coming home to a night all to yourself by yourself? Well, okay, there’s the phone, the email, the webcam, all these other artificial contraptions. Are they any better than being there, physically, for your wife & kids?"
Ahhh!!! Now that's where the wisdom of what you speak of earlier that "happiness is an inside job" comes to play. I've already taken my cue from my sorrounding (the love of a wonderful wife and kids) and I'll take that wherever I go. Being in the military and on deployments months at a time was a good training experience, too.
"Just asking some questions, I don’t mean any disrespect, but your post
really made me think if you are truly happy with the roving lifestyle while the rooted Fil-Americans are not (in your view, anyway)."
Yes. I'm truly happy. The sacrifices my wife and I are making for our kids are nothing, compare to the positive life's lesson they're learning and experiencing in the Philippines. We've lived in both worlds: America and the Philippines. My wife and I would much rather raise our children in the Philippines (even if I can't be there all the time) for reasons that can't be measured by money nor other material things. As I've mentioned in my previous articles, you need money to survive and to fulfill your dreams, but it's not everything. You still have to live a life that you design for yourself and your loved ones. Sadly, most people don't realize that until life has passed them by. They're too busy being a part of trendy lifestyle. Thanks for the comment; I hope I wasn't disrespectful to you either.
"This is an attempt at a serious inquiry, not an attempt to discredit nor disparage. Thanks…"
No offense taken, Lamisaid; I hope I was the same with you. Till next time….
Well, after reading IamIsaid's article/comment, my conclusion is he is an idiot, no disrespect, just my opinion;) Way to go Julius-way to go!
Think before you write and/or speak! LOL
Expat
Hi Julius, correct how you interpret my counting of palm trees and mosquitoes.
Hi Bob,
Just a note to say how much I enjoy reading your blog and the information you post on life in the Philippines. As background, my Fiancee is in Tacloban City and we have been engaged for over 2 years, still working through complications with her visa to come here to the United States. We hope to have a retirement home in the Philippines in the next 10 years and your information is fabulous background for me. I have been to the Philippines 4 times and will make my 5th visit after the first of the year.
As to business opportunities, my Fiancee has been very much able to support herself in Tacloban via several video karyoke machines we purchased over a year ago. They are a lot of work for her to maintain and collect, and to move from location to location as business levels fluctuate at the various businesses, but is does provide a nice living for her. She keeps a couple of the machines on hand for rental at $30 a day and those stay busy 3 or 4 times a month. She sells a machine sometimes for $150 to $200 profit and that helps too. It is just a thought for some, the investment is a bit high ($750 per machine), but it does provide a pretty steady income of $300 to $500 a month. We've learned a lot in this venture (typhoons destroying 9 machines), but all in all, she has learned a great deal working this business and staying in close touch with the small business community there, which she used to help regulate to some degree.
Keep up the great work and the informative stories. I do so much enjoy learning from you and all of your contributing bloggers.
Joe
Hi Joe Shurtz – Thanks for leaving your comment, I'm glad you have found my site to be helpful and informative! That videoke rental business sounds quite profitable! Your Fiancee must be a real go-getter to keep the business doing well! I hope that it continues to be so for you!! Good luck.
Hi bob!Why worry if you move here in the philippines.You can get what you want here. You can invest here.make business and earn money.The cost of living here is not so expensive.You can make profit .do business even you are sellf employed .No need to be an employee but you have to make an effort to be an employer.Beleive me you will beecome rich in our country philippines.
Hello "IT Jobs in the Phils" – I am not worried, not sure why you would think that. I get asked a lot by others who are interested in moving here about if they can get a job here. I wrote this piece just to let others know that they are not likely to get hired here, and to advise them that self employment is the best option.
Most foreigner when they decided to lived here they usually build business.Thats a great oppurtunities for them to be progressive and earn little profit.
Hi "Outsourcing services" – I wonder, where do you get your information? My experience with foreigners coming to live in the Philippines is quite the opposite of yours. I find that most foreigners who come here simply live on pensions, and have little or no interest in starting a business. You say that they "usually" build a business here. Can you give me a source for that?
Hi Julius – you said:
"with that kind of capital ($22,000) you have a good chance of making it in the Philippines in almost any business venture you want to get into".
Internet cafes possibly being one business venture – are there any others you have thought of as having potential ?
I haven't seen many people talk about resorts on this blog, yet that is the strategy many Westerners go for in Phil. I know of one Australian in Siargao who makes $50-100 in six months of the year with his resort, and goes on holiday the other six months.
And what about the potential for tour operators ? – particularly adventure and other niche market tours…
But I would like to hear people's ideas on other business ideas with potential in Phil / Mindanao..
Cheers, Geoff H
Hi Geoff – I don't want to be too negative, but honestly, Internet Cafe is not a good business anymore. I used to have two Internet Cafes myself. Prices have dropped too low to make a decent return in an Internet Cafe these days.
Every foreigner and his brother get into the resort business, or the bar business. 90% of them fail. If you know somebody making that kind of money (I assume you meant $50-100K, not $50-100 in 6 months), he is a lucky guy, and should really value his business.
Honestly, I find doing business in the filipines to be fascinating and even easy. I do sorta hate to use the word EASY, but if you have some capital (a couple thousand would be plenty to start many businesses0 you can EVENTUALLY do well. Just be patient and take your time.
It is much easier if you have a filipino partner (boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, or wife) to help you get things done, but it is fairly easy to start a business.
Restaurants are so much easier in the filipines, especially the smaller cities, than in America.
It is so easy to get hooked up with wholesalers for Coke, Pepsi, chickens, eggs, rice, and everything else.
Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying you are going to get rich right off the bat, but you can certainly make enough to make a good flipine living.
As an example, my fiance and I started a little store where we will sell Red Horse, Rum, Coke, rice, dressed chickens and many other things. We also have a little barbecue for customers from 4 PM to 9 PM. We are not getting rich….but…we are doing quite well for where we live and we are now expanding.
Our present income is over P1500 a day, which again is not a LOT, but a nice "extra" amount that makes a BIG difference. Once we move to the new location we will be pushing P3000 in two months.
This was all started for less than $700.
What Bob is doing is brilliant. In fact I need to talk to you Bob! I know of many that are investing in property (with a filipino spouse) and condos that are doing EXTREMELY well.
One things I have learned is that the flipinos LOVE to eat and they love to drink and they love to sing. So an establishment with all of those is almost a no brainer!
Todd
One clarification, when I say P3000…I mean that amount a day. It really is not that hard. I think what many people do wrong is they start out thinking really big when investing.
You can do that..and that is probably smart in certain situations. But start out small, get a feel for things.
Internet cafes can be a real good deal if you can keep the cost of acquiring the computers and that down. Think like a business person. Don't just rely on ONE thing….get multiple income sources going. Bob doesn't just have one website, he has many. The same goes for the flipines.
Don't rely on just making money for the time someone uses your internet service. While they are there have some drink or food they can order. Maybe some other items they can buy. It all adds up.
And one of the best business ideas, although it is going to cost quite a bit to get started, is renting out nice homes in nice areas on the beach. I am amazed at how well some of these places do!
Just use your imagination.
Todd
Hi Todd J. McLean – I can see that you and I think a lot alike! I find business here fun, and also much easier to succeed at than in the USA. Here, you can be a big fish in a small pond. In the States you need a lot more money than you do here, and the odds of success are smaller too, in my opinion.