BIG MOVE OR NOT?

Rammelpj · June 2021

Hi guys currently im here in doha Qatar
My salary is above 2000usd im planning to migrate in oz but my wife is not convince since my salary is already stable here by the way my wife is in Philippines is there any posiblity that I can get competitive salary therebec you know its not cheap to go there can you enlightened me guys😊

fgs · June 2021

@Rammelpj said:
Hi guys currently im here in doha Qatar
My salary is above 2000usd im planning to migrate in oz but my wife is not convince since my salary is already stable here by the way my wife is in Philippines is there any posiblity that I can get competitive salary therebec you know its not cheap to go there can you enlightened me guys😊

I guess you can double that salary in here. Besides, you can bring your family here and become a citizen. Your 2000 usd can be earned by a minimum wage earner here in 2 weeks. Cost of living in Au is high but it will be compensated by the benefits you will enjoy.

maguero · June 2021

@Rammelpj Ang minimum wage dito is AUD 20.33/hour. I think safe to say na if you come here on an immigrant visa and you find a full-time job na in-line sa work experience mo, you will likely earn more than the minimum wage. Ngayon, whether or not that will be enough for your expenses will depend on your lifestyle.

athelene · June 2021

@maguero said:
@Rammelpj Ang minimum wage dito is AUD 20.33/hour. I think safe to say na if you come here on an immigrant visa and you find a full-time job na in-line sa work experience mo, you will likely earn more than the minimum wage. Ngayon, whether or not that will be enough for your expenses will depend on your lifestyle.

I agree that expenses will highly depend on the lifestyle. Australia's high minimum wage is somehow in proportion to the high cost of living, and the take-home pay will be different due to the tax rates. You will have to research about the job opportunities and salary range for your specific occupation (I'm assuming there is a migration pathway for you based on your occupation). Salary is based on award rates (if there's one for your occupation) or the basic minimum wage, and your experience/expertise.

RheaMARN1171933 · June 2021

Agree to all comments above. Also you need to think, you can’t be in Qatar the rest of your life. Nothing is permanent there. Laws can change, you can lose your job, etc....what will happen by then for you? You may think you’re earning enough already but this only addresses your present situation. I don’t think there’s ever going to be any security being an OFW. At some point in your life, you will have to retire and go back home...what will happen by then? It’s not about just the money, it’s also about a secured future not just for yourself but for your children. No amount of fortune can secure a better future for yourself and your children.

wizardofOz · June 2021

@Rammelpj said:
Hi guys currently im here in doha Qatar
My salary is above 2000usd im planning to migrate in oz but my wife is not convince since my salary is already stable here by the way my wife is in Philippines is there any posiblity that I can get competitive salary therebec you know its not cheap to go there can you enlightened me guys😊

If you meant by 'planning to migrate' is that you don't have a PR Visa yet... then to be honest there's no point contemplating about moving to Australia at the moment... especially if finances ang main consideration nyo...

If you 'migrate' here or in any other country, you are no longer an 'OFW'... and the difference between being an immigrant and an OFW is the foremost thing you have to discern and understand.

Also, waking up one morning and thinking.. 'I want to migrate to Australia' is one thing.... do you qualify to come here as an immigrant? do you have the skills? are you competitive enough? is your skin thick enough and will be willing to swallow your pride when you get here?

Nowadays, anyone can virtually earn 2k USD in most parts of the world, they can even earn that in the Philippines if they are lucky.. pero I suggest you open the door and see what Australia has to offer for you and your family, good and bad.... rather than seeing being an immigrant through a keyhole.

mom_of_2 · June 2021

@Rammelpj: I just want to share our situation also here in Middle East. My hubby has been working for 12yrs in a government company and earning $7,000 monthly. What made us convinced to process our migration is the realization na pagdating ng araw, pag hindi na kailangan si hubby ng company nya, they'll just give us the separation pay + ticket back home. That's it.
May God give you the wisdom to decide if what's the better choice for you and your family.

Rammelpj · June 2021

I Highly appreciated yung mga comment nyo atleast now mas lumakas ang kagustuhan ko makapg migrate jan this coming month ill process my skill assessment and hopefully pumasa maraming salamat sa inyo😊

brainsap · June 2021

@Rammelpj said:
Hi guys currently im here in doha Qatar
My salary is above 2000usd im planning to migrate in oz but my wife is not convince since my salary is already stable here by the way my wife is in Philippines is there any posiblity that I can get competitive salary therebec you know its not cheap to go there can you enlightened me guys😊

Hi Kabayan. I am also based in Qatar, I think the reason why I decided to apply for migration to Australia is, we can have a backup plan if things go wrong in Qatar. I moved to Australia last year and decided to come back to Qatar in the same year. Now, I am back in Australia again. Salary wise, Qatar is better. You can at least earn 11K AUD tax free salary with free accommodation, healthcare, utilities, transportation and ticket allowance. Unlike sa Australia, you have to pay everything (tax, rent, transpo, utilities etc.). In case you get a permanent residency in Australia, you can stay up to 5 years outside Australia if di ka pa ready to settle.

Ang maganda din dito sa Australia, may safety net ka, unlike sa Qatar na pwede ka nila tanggalin kung di ka na nila kailangan, worst pauwiin ka sa Pinas lalo na ngayon pandemic. Long term plan, Australia is the place to be.

wizardofOz · June 2021

@brainsap said:

@Rammelpj said:
Hi guys currently im here in doha Qatar
My salary is above 2000usd im planning to migrate in oz but my wife is not convince since my salary is already stable here by the way my wife is in Philippines is there any posiblity that I can get competitive salary therebec you know its not cheap to go there can you enlightened me guys😊

Hi Kabayan. I am also based in Qatar, I think the reason why I decided to apply for migration to Australia is, we can have a backup plan if things go wrong in Qatar. I moved to Australia last year and decided to come back to Qatar in the same year. Now, I am back in Australia again. Salary wise, Qatar is better. You can at least earn 11K AUD tax free salary with free accommodation, healthcare, utilities, transportation and ticket allowance. Unlike sa Australia, you have to pay everything (tax, rent, transpo, utilities etc.). In case you get a permanent residency in Australia, you can stay up to 5 years outside Australia if di ka pa ready to settle.

Ang maganda din dito sa Australia, may safety net ka, unlike sa Qatar na pwede ka nila tanggalin kung di ka na nila kailangan, worst pauwiin ka sa Pinas lalo na ngayon pandemic. Long term plan, Australia is the place to be.

I agree to this, even myself, I used to work in Thailand as an expat... great salary package, free apartment, free yearly flight tickets, super low cost of living, great lifestyle.....

Nung dumating ako sa AU parang nanghinayang ako... mahal ng upa, laki ng gastos, etc etc....

But you will soon realize that being an OFW is not long-term, unless nakaipon ka ng milyon-milyon na pag-uwi mo ng pinas, you can live like a king.... Kaso nowadays, kahit may millions ka pa na naipon, ilang taon lang ubos na yan.. and ang hirap mar-retire sa Pinas...

Also, this pandemic also proved kung gaano ka-secure ang mga tao dito sa Australia.... unlike kung OFW ka na abutan ng ganitong krisis na apektado ang lahat ng bansa.... kapag inabutan ka, wala ka na halos mapupuntahan dahil kahit sa sarili nating bansa sa Pinas struggling tayo..

patl · December 2022

@brainsap said:

@Rammelpj said:
Hi guys currently im here in doha Qatar
My salary is above 2000usd im planning to migrate in oz but my wife is not convince since my salary is already stable here by the way my wife is in Philippines is there any posiblity that I can get competitive salary therebec you know its not cheap to go there can you enlightened me guys😊

Hi Kabayan. I am also based in Qatar, I think the reason why I decided to apply for migration to Australia is, we can have a backup plan if things go wrong in Qatar. I moved to Australia last year and decided to come back to Qatar in the same year. Now, I am back in Australia again. Salary wise, Qatar is better. You can at least earn 11K AUD tax free salary with free accommodation, healthcare, utilities, transportation and ticket allowance. Unlike sa Australia, you have to pay everything (tax, rent, transpo, utilities etc.). In case you get a permanent residency in Australia, you can stay up to 5 years outside Australia if di ka pa ready to settle.

Ang maganda din dito sa Australia, may safety net ka, unlike sa Qatar na pwede ka nila tanggalin kung di ka na nila kailangan, worst pauwiin ka sa Pinas lalo na ngayon pandemic. Long term plan, Australia is the place to be.

bakit po every year po parang bumabalik kayo sa Australia? May clause po ba na kailangan every year umuwi ng Australia? I also noticed na 190 SA state sponsored ung PR niyo. Hindi po ba magkakaproblem sa citizenship since di niyo na fulfill ung 2 years commitment sa SA?

Atreus · December 2022

Pansin ko lang, daming Pinoy na Middle East "simp", sorry for the GenZ slang. I guess most Pinoys walang pakialam alam sa progressive environment and human rights issues basta all about pera lang.

Dito ko somewhere sa West, the general outlook ng mga Westerners sa ME is negative due to its relatively authoritarian government and poor human rights issues, lalo na sa less "desirable" citizens including Filipinos, and yet ung mga Pinoy dito na mga galing din sa Middle East todo maka defend sa ME, I cringe tuwing maririnig ko mga Pinoy na kesyo Arabs have higher preference to Pinoys daw. I'm very West leaning, in fact one of the major reasons bakit gusto ko mag migrate sa AU or any Western countries more than just money pero daming Pinoy na sobrang attached Middle East, ewan ko ba, baka talagang majority aligned sa culutre nila than the West even though Philippines was historically somewhat Americanised. lol

Atreus · December 2022

When deciding whether to stay in Qatar (or any Gulf countries) or move to AU, think about the future, not just your future but the future of your children kung balak mo magka pamilya. I guess it will not matter kung ok lang sayo bumalik sa Pinas for retirement and feel secured enough na dun magpatuloy ng buhay pati mga mgiging anak mo. Remember, you will not get any sort of pension benefits and government aid from Qatar upon retirement since you were likely not taxed as a foreign worker (which is something attractive for many many foreign workers), on top of PH's abysmal welfare too.

So make sure the tons of money you've just earned is enough for retirement and for the rest of your family, maybe it is so there you go.

athelene · December 2022

@Atreus said:
Pansin ko lang, daming Pinoy na Middle East "simp", sorry for the GenZ slang. I guess most Pinoys walang pakialam alam sa progressive environment and human rights issues basta all about pera lang.

Dito ko somewhere sa West, the general outlook ng mga Westerners sa ME is negative due to its relatively authoritarian government and poor human rights issues, lalo na sa less "desirable" citizens including Filipinos, and yet ung mga Pinoy dito na mga galing din sa Middle East todo maka defend sa ME, I cringe tuwing maririnig ko mga Pinoy na kesyo Arabs have higher preference to Pinoys daw. I'm very West leaning, in fact one of the major reasons bakit gusto ko mag migrate sa AU or any Western countries more than just money pero daming Pinoy na sobrang attached Middle East, ewan ko ba, baka talagang majority aligned sa culutre nila than the West even though Philippines was historically somewhat Americanised. lol

You are correct that it's all about the money for OFWs (at least at first). Middle East offering good compensation package is their strategy to draw people in to work in their country, and Filipinos take in because they need to support their family. That is the sheer reality of things; they sacrifice a lot (leaving their family to live in a foreign country by themselves, being at risk for discrimination and abuse) for the sake of being able to provide for their family. It's not that Pinoys don't care, it's probably because they have no other options at that time. It may be years down the line that OFWs realize they want something better for their family, and then decide to move to Western countries (like Australia).

If Pinoys living in the ME are "defensive" it maybe because they've learned to look at the silver lining of working there. Just because there are authoritatiran government and poor human right issues there doesn't mean there's nothing positive to appreciate there. Maybe they've found good Arab friends who treat them well, or maybe they are content enough with the lifestyle and culture to stay there. It's not for us to criticize their decisions to live there (and defend ME); to each their own.

No country is perfect, whether it's in Middle East, Philippines, or Western countries. Personally, mas nakakatakot nga yung excessive freedom in Western countries like in the US, especially regarding gun control.

Atreus · December 2022

@athelene said:

@Atreus said:
Pansin ko lang, daming Pinoy na Middle East "simp", sorry for the GenZ slang. I guess most Pinoys walang pakialam alam sa progressive environment and human rights issues basta all about pera lang.

Dito ko somewhere sa West, the general outlook ng mga Westerners sa ME is negative due to its relatively authoritarian government and poor human rights issues, lalo na sa less "desirable" citizens including Filipinos, and yet ung mga Pinoy dito na mga galing din sa Middle East todo maka defend sa ME, I cringe tuwing maririnig ko mga Pinoy na kesyo Arabs have higher preference to Pinoys daw. I'm very West leaning, in fact one of the major reasons bakit gusto ko mag migrate sa AU or any Western countries more than just money pero daming Pinoy na sobrang attached Middle East, ewan ko ba, baka talagang majority aligned sa culutre nila than the West even though Philippines was historically somewhat Americanised. lol

You are correct that it's all about the money for OFWs (at least at first). Middle East offering good compensation package is their strategy to draw people in to work in their country, and Filipinos take in because they need to support their family. That is the sheer reality of things; they sacrifice a lot (leaving their family to live in a foreign country by themselves, being at risk for discrimination and abuse) for the sake of being able to provide for their family. It's not that Pinoys don't care, it's probably because they have no other options at that time. It may be years down the line that OFWs realize they want something better for their family, and then decide to move to Western countries (like Australia).

If Pinoys living in the ME are "defensive" it maybe because they've learned to look at the silver lining of working there. Just because there are authoritatiran government and poor human right issues there doesn't mean there's nothing positive to appreciate there. Maybe they've found good Arab friends who treat them well, or maybe they are content enough with the lifestyle and culture to stay there. It's not for us to criticize their decisions to live there (and defend ME); to each their own.

No country is perfect, whether it's in Middle East, Philippines, or Western countries. Personally, mas nakakatakot nga yung excessive freedom in Western countries like in the US, especially regarding gun control.

Fair call, sorry I was quick to judge. I apologise.

Admittedly, I just got a little triggered by the thread title "Big Move or Not" then the choice was between Qatar and Au, it should have been a no-brainer if you had the choice ALREADY (however, it seemed OP has yet to lodge an application so it isn't a "Big Move" really, so OP's question stands). I would have understood more if it was between Au and Ph as not all people have the appetite for big changes in life not to mention various reasons where some cannot just leave their country.

About social issues and rights, I'll just leave it at that. We have different aspects around it that we consider important to us on a personal level, you are right that no country is perfect, cliché as it goes and I agree with you about the US situation. Perhaps I'm just forgetting that majority of Filipinos are still conservatives and devoutly religious after all, so matters like Women's and LGBT rights along with freedom of expression are not the top of their prioritised needs/wants/desires.

athelene · December 2022

@Atreus said:
Fair call, sorry I was quick to judge. I apologise.

Admittedly, I just got a little triggered by the thread title "Big Move or Not" then the choice was between Qatar and Au, it should have been a no-brainer if you had the choice ALREADY (however, it seemed OP has yet to lodge an application so it isn't a "Big Move" really, so OP's question stands). I would have understood more if it was between Au and Ph as not all people have the appetite for big changes in life not to mention various reasons where some cannot just leave their country.

About social issues and rights, I'll just leave it at that. We have different aspects around it that we consider important to us on a personal level, you are right that no country is perfect, cliché as it goes and I agree with you about the US situation. Perhaps I'm just forgetting that majority of Filipinos are still conservatives and devoutly religious after all, so matters like Women's and LGBT rights along with freedom of expression are not the top of their prioritised needs/wants/desires.

It's all good. Moving overseas (whether temporarily or permanently) is really not for the faint-hearted, and I totally understand the doubts that creep into people's minds. There's so many things to consider, prepare, and sacrifice, and it's extremely scary, especially for first-timers and those who are already well established somewhere. From my experience, it's always a challenge having to start over, whether it's a new country or a new city. You don't know anyone; you don't know the city and the local culture; you don't have a job; you don't know whom to approach when you have a problem. It'll take awhile to rebuild your life, and some people probably don't have the time or money for that, hence the hesitation to move overseas. With the skyrocketing cost of traveling to and from Australia, visiting friends and family back home will be difficult and expensive.

There are many pros and cons of living in Australia (public transpo being less reliable than Taiwan/South Korea/Japan but it's definitely better than Philippines, better work-life balance and less emphasis on hierarchy, access to 4 weeks annual leave, high cost of living, high tax rates, and so on), but the decision to stay depends on your goals. I have several friends that have worked and lived in Dubai for 10-15 years, but eventually ended up in Australia (taking a large pay cut because of it) because they wanted stability and better opportunities for their kids. Personally, I ended up here because this is the only place I can pursue further education without costing me an arm and a leg (or internal organs ).