Changing fates of OFW in Saudi

As the world economy worsens, what will be its effect on the future of Filipinos hoping to work or are already working in Saudi? Akin to law of supply and demand, will the rising number of Filipinos wanting to leave for abroad cheapen our rates in the labor market?

According recent POEA statistics, there were around 97,000 Filipinos new hires in Saudi Arabia in 2007, an increase of 7% from 2006 figure. To date, there are now more than 230,000 Filipinos working in Saudi Arabia.

Preferred

Employers in Saudi prefer Filipinos because we excel in our work. Given a task, we always complete it on time. We are sort of a low maintenance, high yield investment.

This is how I think Pinoys differ from the rest of other Eastern expatriates in Saudi.
  • When given a work assignment, we deliver promptly making full use of all the resources we have. We may find difficulties along the way but we always manage to find solutions. Other nationalities would stop as soon as they face a problem. While their mantra is it cannot be done, ours is yes, it can...we can.
  • We have a positive attitude towards work. We are always smiling, always hospitable, always ready to serve. I know a lot of Saudi households who prefer Filipino women as help. They would rather entrust their children to a Filipino nanny than to others. Why? Because we know how to take care of our siblings. We are good at it. I also know a lot of managers who would prefer Filipino assistants? Why? Because we can be trusted.
  • We are well-educated. Our universities in the Philippines offer a high standard of education. We speak English well which remains to be one of our main advantage (China, I understand, has now included an English curriculum in their education).
Although I believe Filipinos will remain to be preferred employees in Saudi, we really can't remain laxed about it. Filipinos need to be more competitive, more well-trained, more ready to face threat from other nationals in terms of expertise.

Changing trend in salaries

When I started in Saudi, one Saudi Riyal was equivalent to PHP7 (I think). Now it's PHP13 per Saudi Riyal. Sadly , salaries follow an inverse trend. Instead of getting higher, the current salary levels for first timers are now getting lower.

Competition. That's why.
  • We are pressured by a high volume of expat workers from Nepal, China, India who could do a similar job with lesser costs.
  • We are pressured by a huge number of unemployment in the Philippines.
  • We are pressured by the incessant rising cost of living in the Philippines.
And because we are pressured, Filipinos are forced to level with the lowering salary standard abroad. We are faced with a threatening fact that if we don't accept a job, other nationals would be more than willing to take it away from us.

It's not downhill from here

The worsening world economy will see more Filipinos going abroad and Saudi will remain a popular destination for most Filipinos. Sadly, I do not see any development in the lower salary offers for first time Filipinos in Saudi. However, Saudi still offers a huge advantage to Filipinos.

Saudi as a springboard

As before, Saudi will remain as a springboard for most Filipinos in venturing other locations worldwide. Nurses, for example, work in Saudi Arabia for an average of three years and then later on apply in New Zealand, UK and Canada where better opportunities await them. So are IT-related workers (web designers, animators, programmers) and technicians (machinist technicians, cartographers, etc).

Saudi as a good training ground for life

Like in a line from New York, New York song, if a Filipino makes it in Saudi, I believe he'll 'make it anywhere'.

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