Moving to the Philippines for Work
 

Hi All,

Plenty on here about working in UK, anyone got experience in going the other way
As in starting to work for a international company in PHilippines? - ill be in the energy sector so classed as ‘essential worker’
And therefore coming -across from uk without family either uk or PHilippines based? ‘Zero baggage’
If so what’s the hoops needed to go through, I’ve done it in Kuwait, uae and Oman but not sure of the ‘needs’ within Philippines
Even more so now with CV19 doing what it’s doing.

I have been headhunted so no issue regarding job offer and sponsorship, its more along the lines of paperwork side.
The HR office for Asia market is in Manila Pasig city so of course they will take care.

Just wanted to know process if anyone has 2019/2020 experience
For warned is for armed

help and constructive guidance always welcome.
Stay safe
cheers B

Re: Moving to the Philippines for Work
 

As Philippines is a paper based country, bring everything in original or several certified copies
Birth Cert
Baptism cert
School Exams certs
University exam certs
Driving license ( UK and International )
Letter from local UK police to say you have been a good boy
If coming from Scotland do not bring Scottish bank notes, if they do change it low rates apply.
In the present circumstances I would also get a signed health check from your local GP just before you leave
When I went to get insurance on my car first time I was asked to show my UK insurance, I assume to prove I actually drove and not just owned a license.
If you are going to be paid here in Peso I would check out the system for sending money back to the UK, seems very controlled and painfully difficult.
Most important bring a good pen with you as everything requires minimum of 3 signatures, opening a bank account can take up to 27 signatures.

Re: Moving to the Philippines for Work
 

cheers to the conformation buddy - like the ‘good pen remark’ as wel as other useful hints and tips.
how long back since your visa experience if you don’t mind me asking
thanks b

Re: Moving to the Philippines for Work
 

Your visa should be sorted out by your employer as it will be a work visa, so for that you should ask them. Mine was retirement 11 years ago. Most of the paperwork suggested will be needed for just about anything from driving license to renting a place to live including getting utilities in your name, opening a bank account to at the moment getting travel/quarantine passes.

Re: Moving to the Philippines for Work
 

Stokkevn has already covered the intensely formal, bureaucratic and credential-based nature of the country, which can drive a mere mortal nuts.

But you seem likely to be used to that, from earlier expat gigs in the Gulf, based on your OP. And you now have a full-ride expat gig in the Philippines, without complicated family requirements, with an international company in the energy sector. And some excellent, if generic, advice from Stokkevn.

Does anything else actually need to get sorted out, beyond a general direction to your new employer's HR team to "sort it out", based on the undoubtedly extensive documentation you've already provided them?

Re: Moving to the Philippines for Work
 

Due to the intensely formal, bureaucratic and credential-based nature of the country your prospective employer may say they will sort your visa and never get around to it. Don't except " Oh start work and we will sort it out" you cannot work without the visa in place. Doing so could risk at a minimum deportation.

Re: Moving to the Philippines for Work
 

I admit that I assumed from the OP's references to an "international" employer in the energy sector, his own previous experience in the Gulf, and a Manila-based HR office for APAC operations, that his employer was a MNC of some kind, and of at least average competence for a MNC. So my question back to him was essentially why didn't he leave most of the heavy lifting to HR, or what further questions did he have for the BE forum, above and beyond the procedural issues that an MNC HR would generally be expected to handle?

But you're right. He's asking about the Philippines, so all bets are off. Or more prosaically, it's always worth dispensing with usual presumptions about how quickly and reliably official processes will happen, even if one has assistance from a large and presumably well-connected employer.