‘Most Pinoys open to working abroad’

57% favor foreign jobs, says OCTA poll

MANILA, Philippines — Migration remains an aspiration for a majority of Filipinos, with a new OCTA Research survey showing that most respondents are open to working or living abroad if given the opportunity.

Results of the March 19 to 25 survey released yesterday showed that 57 percent of the respondents are willing to migrate to another country.

Around 39 percent said no, while four percent were undecided.

The majority of respondents across geographic areas and socio-economic status are also open to living or working in another country.

“The central finding of the survey is that migration remains a mainstream aspiration among Filipinos. While public discourse often frames migration as a response to domestic problems, the survey indicates that respondents are primarily motivated by economic aspiration rather than economic distress,” OCTA said in its analysis of the results.

“Perhaps the most important signal in the survey is the exceptionally high willingness to migrate among younger Filipinos — more than eight in 10 of those aged 18 to 24 express openness to living or working abroad if given the opportunity. This highlights the growing competition for talent in a globalized economy and underscores the importance of creating attractive opportunities for the country’s next generation,” it added.

Based on the survey, employment and job security are the top reasons why Filipinos would like to migrate to another country.

Asked to select up to three reasons, 67 percent said they would go abroad for better job opportunities, 61 percent for higher wages and 58 percent for better quality of life.

Other reasons were education opportunities (20 percent), to gain international experience (20 percent), family reunification (16 percent) and safety or political stability (14 percent).

“Taken together, the reasons cited by respondents suggest that migration is primarily driven by economic opportunity rather than by concerns related to governance, security or political conditions,” OCTA said.

“Better jobs, higher wages and improved quality of life consistently emerge as the dominant motivations across most demographic groups. This pattern indicates that migration is largely viewed as a pathway toward advancement and upward mobility rather than simply a response to hardship or instability,” it added.