Photo credited to Jpquidores and licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are a significant part of the Philippines’ workforce, contributing to the country’s economy through their remittances. They are often referred to as the country’s modern-day heroes. Here are some of the common jobs that OFWs hold.

Who are the OFWs?

OFWs are Filipino workers who work abroad. The number of OFWs was estimated at 1.96 million from April to September 2022, indicating a 7.6 percent increase from the same period in 20211. They work in various countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Hong Kong, and the United States.

Gender and Age Distribution

Interestingly, a majority of OFWs are women, accounting for 57.8% of the total OFWs in 20221. The largest number of OFWs comprises 30 to 34 years old, which makes 23.4 percent of the total OFWs.
 

Common Jobs of OFWs

OFWs are employed in a wide range of industries and occupations. Here are the most common occupations:

1. Elementary Occupations: This category made up the largest share of 44.4 percent of the total OFWs in 202213. These jobs involve the performance of simple and routine tasks that may require the use of hand-held tools and considerable physical effort.

2. Service and Sales Occupations: This is the second-largest group of OFWs, accounting for 15.5 percent. These jobs typically involve providing customer service, selling goods, or completing transactions.

3. Plant and Machine Operators: This group accounted for 12.4 percent of the total OFWs. These workers operate industrial equipment.

4. Technicians and Associate Professionals: This category accounted for 8.7 percent of the total OFWs. These jobs typically require a higher level of skills and training.

5. Professional Occupations: This category, which includes jobs such as healthcare practitioners, engineers, and IT professionals, accounted for 8.5 percent of the total OFWs.

6. Craft and Trade Occupations: This category accounted for 8.1 percent of the total OFWs. These jobs typically involve manual skills and a good understanding of the materials they work with.
    

The bottom line

OFWs are a diverse group of workers engaged in a range of occupations. Their contributions to their home country are invaluable, and their experiences abroad enrich the global workforce. As the world continues to globalize, the roles and contributions of OFWs are expected to evolve and grow.
 

Source:

(1) Survey on Overseas Filipinos | Philippine Statistics Authority .... https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/survey/labor-and-employment/survey-overseas-filipinos.
(2) All about OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) aka Modern Day Heroes. https://dmwguide.com/ofw-overseas-filipino-worker/.
(3) What is an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW)? - MattsCradle. https://mattscradle.com/ofw-overseas-filipino-worker/.
(4) Highest Paying Jobs For Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). https://www.imoney.ph/articles/high-pay-in-demand-ofw-jobs.
(5) Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs): Life and Contributions. https://migrantworkersoffice.com/overseas-filipino-workers-ofw/.
(6) DFA https://dfa.gov.ph/distribution-of-filipinos-overseas.
(7) en.wikipedia.org. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overseas_Filipino_Worker.