Top 5 reasons why most Filipino professionals want to work overseas
Most of my peers, relatives, and some acquaintances seem to be all heading overseas to look for work. They ask me why I haven’t pursued the idea of working overseas. With my knowledge in web design and development, they claim it would be fast for me to find a work. They say that my chances of getting rich is more likely if I work overseas than in my country. Most overseas workers have been successful in getting higher paying jobs. Well I have pondered on the idea of leaving the country to seek for greener pastures abroad. This phenomenon is not exclusive to Filipinos. Several countries are now feeling the pang of brain drain, especially in medical-related professions. Indeed, looking at it from a wider perspective, the exodus of the country’s premier professionals has its debilitating effects in terms of maintaining a country’s global competitiveness.
However, considering the economic situation of the Philippines today, the advantages of working abroad seem to outweigh the drawbacks. As to why many working class would opt to leave their jobs, families, and comfort zones in exchange for higher remuneration abroad, let’s read on…
- Lack of opportunities at home. With the increasing unemployment rate in the country, there seem to be no other choice but to try out a person’s luck in foreign lands. Every year, job vacancies fail to complement hundreds of hopefuls who graduate from universities. There is also a concern in terms of alignment of college degrees to certain jobs. Because of limited opportunities, most fresh graduates end up working in call-centers where employment is indemand. The same scenario applies to many unemployed college graduates who would rather forget their education in exchange for blue-collared employment abroad.
- Better income. In an economically deprived country, it is tempting to consider working in another country where that the same job would be paid 5 to 10 times higher. Nurses, for example, are paid Php7000 a month or roughly USD148 in the Philippines where as employment in the US would enable them to at least get USD6,400 a month.
- Status Symbol. People have the perception that if one member of the family is living or working abroad, the family is wealthy and is way above others. Because of this idea, people strive hard to go overseas.
- Professional Growth. Some people go abroad for further education and a chance to enhance their skills and experience. The significance of multi-cultural influence in one’s profession and the manifestation that you are able to adapt to any environment and situation can fully benefit one’s professional growth and career enrichment.
- Desire to live abroad. Through the influence of media, people are aware of how life is in other countries- their economy, culture, way of life, even to the smallest detail such as weather. Other people work abroad for the basic reason that they want to experience something new. There is this pressing notion that life would be better in many respects given the opportunity to live in another country.
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