[PassportKing]

Are any of you working remotely for a U.S. based company while living in the Philippines, are is everyone here living off of a pension?

 

[Lunkan]

Dont know now, but 10-15 years ago it was very common American (small) businesses hired Filipinos to manage their websites with small webshops, but I suppouse much less such now by automaticied systems.

I havent worked for American businesses - but have had Americans worked at distance for me - back when I developed software for a client.
I have worked at distance mainly since 1978, fully since 1993 but mostly not as employee but in own business servicing clients most Swedish (E g acounting, website, researches... And business consulting where I normaly charge a percentage of improved result clients get by my changes for none or litle investment.) But I have allmost retired concerning that, only one client left and I havent tried to get any new one in long time.

Nowadays it have become much harder competition by people from low salary countries as e g Phils and India can apply too - except if it demand special knowledge they dont have as e g foreign country tax laws (as I get some assignments by.)

There are websites listing assignments where anyone can make offers, then the client chose based on offered price, portfolios and rating at the ones offering. I suppouse low pay by there are people from low salary countries there too, so I havent checked.
I suppouse better chance to get ok/good earning by traditional selling of your services/by contacts you have in your home country.

 

[Lunkan]

Perhaps better for you too?
Instead I have started businesses in Phils. In difference from in our home countries capital is valued much higher than work so financuere can get much biger share.
If having capital there are a lot of opportunities. Filipinos are to good at copying so better be businesses interested Filipinos dont have capital or knowledge to do. I have researched several years and found much more than I can afford to start myself I have found a bunch of good workers too, more than I have use for, so if start at south Palawan with something they can, I can give that contact. We can assist with business ideas too (except compeeting against my businesses haha

 

[PassportKing]

Perhaps better for you too?
Instead I have started businesses in Phils. In difference from in our home countries capital is valued much higher than work so financuere can get much biger share.
If having capital there are a lot of opportunities. Filipinos are to good at copying so better be businesses interested Filipinos dont have capital or knowledge to do. I have researched several years and found much more than I can afford to start myself I have found a bunch of good workers too, more than I have use for, so if start at south Palawan with something they can, I can give that contact. We can assist with business ideas too (except compeeting against my businesses haha

Hello and thanks for the reply. The problem with that is expats can not own a business outright in the Philippines. A Filipino must own 60% of whatever business I start which slipts already small profit margins.

I'm just looking to somehow work in the U.S. remotely while living in the Philippines.

 

[bigpearl]

Welcome to the forum PassportKing, hope you get your answers here, only a suggestion but why not land a job in the States that lets you work remotely?
My niece is working for an Australian company, She was with them for 3 years and her and her B/f (he is Sicilian) decided to move to Sicily, as a valued worker they didn't want to lose her. She works online now from Milan Italy and has not been back to the office for 2 years, all virtual.
Even I have worked from the Philippines for an English and German employers as a consultant but I worked for those companies for 15 years so I gather I was a required asset like my niece,

After Covid companies are more amenable to staff working from home. Good luck.

Cheers, Steve.

 

[Lunkan]

Hello and thanks for the reply. The problem with that is expats can not own a business outright in the Philippines. A Filipino must own 60% of whatever business I start which slipts already small profit margins.

In many cases correct,
BUT foreigners can own WHOLE if "export business" = Minimum 60 % of the revenue is from abroad. Some of the following can be made export business..
I have researched much before I chosed what to start.
/One will take long time - I expect 5-6 years - until "cash in" but good earning for little work. Depending of prices when ready to sell, but probably 3 - 6 times the investment, perhaps even 8 - 10 times in 5-6 years. Rather easy - except the permits There are more such businesses to buy, which are up and running, but wrong handled. I can show how for a small share and if you give the jobs to these good working guys I want to assist. They are used to such the main part of such work, I just teach them a missing part almost no Filipinos know. We have started small test if Swedish/NorthAmerican method functions in Phils. If so we can get down costs very much at one step in the production process.

/The other business I have started I expect will take around a year until start earning. Much more complicated, much higher possible earning per year after up and running. But I dont want competitors of this

/"Harvest sharing" Its risky because of weather, with high potential with payout each 4 - 5 months. Some small risk all lost, as best almost double the money in 4-5 months, the common is somewhere in between. Its rather common. The hard part is to find who to do it with. Only financing, they do the work. I know three who has done it successfully, two of them foreigners. Questionable if need registered business for the this by its financing other businesses.
There are other similar such, but I guess not so easy for foreigners to find suiting projects. I tought a Filipina, who was good at finding projects but terrible to judge riskes, how to adjust it to stop having losses. After that she rather became rich enough to quit her office work and only need to work 2 - 4 days per month fetching her shares plus when she needed to find new projects to finance and who to trust they will do their part of deal good.

/I have researched a lot. Of the 184 business ideas in my list most I have skiped. Around 20 left seem to have good chance but need more research to know. Some need to be checked if can get enough raw material localy. Two products are safe when done but need to check if the some dangerous process can be made safe.
An other also need to check if can be made safe enough, its bought container loads of to Europe. I know where there are rather much such WASTE of an other product, but I dont know if anyone have understood to make a refining production of this.
An other there is an 80 % shortage of at Palawan of two related products. I havent checked by I dont have money to start such, so it need to check what production costs can be reached compared to huge manufactories in Manilla/Abroad. Know of buyer of whole production allready if can make a better offer than competitors from elsewhere, who have the much higher transport costs.

 

[M.C.A.]

Are any of you working remotely for a U.S. based company while living in the Philippines, are is everyone here living off of a pension?

Most Expats who make this their final stop would have a pension in order to make that successful.

 

[AppalachianBiker]

Pension. Phork work. Tried it for 47 years and it's led to poor health.

 

[bigpearl]

Not all that retire to the Philippines rely on a pension nor finding a job. Some come here for love/the climate and all the foibles that make the Philippines an interesting place to live.

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.

 

[M.C.A.]

Good point Steve, one of the SRRV options is for someone in very poor or declining health and so they would be living here on their Social Security or other government assistance.

For others that couldn't make it or end up charged with crimes here or fleeing their homeland or Immigration issues:

How long is immigration detention?

Across the country, noncitizens who are detained while defending themselves against deportation in immigration court are routinely held for longer than six months. One of our forum members was held for 3 years on an Immigration issue and not his doing the government approved travel agency gave him a fake or wrong stamp in his passport.


CAMP BAGONG DIWA

Location of Camp Bagong Diwa

 

[bigpearl]

Let's hope we all do the right thing and never get locked up Mark.
Regardless and back on topic, I think it would be difficult for a foreigner to land a job from the Philippines unless you have an in with a company in your own back yard looking to expand, you know, head hunters etc. My nephew does that from Australia and makes more money than I ever did.
I have worked here twice for 2 six month stints many years ago but was employed via a US based company, I have in the last few years living here been contracted for short periods by other international companies on a consultancy basis, online. Ben has a degree in IT and never scored a job in the Philippines, became a train driver with PNR, Australia the same, worked for 5 years as a cert 4 aged care giver. I suppose that's why God made head hunters and those with skills and sought after are never without a job.

A good town planner would do well here in PH. The local LTO there is no parking for cars, most businesses for that matter and bikes parked in the street, I suppose the population grew without forward planning. Sorry, off topic again.

Cheers, Steve.

 

[Lunkan]

A good town planner would do well here in PH. The local LTO there is no parking for cars, most businesses for that matter and bikes parked in the street, I suppose the population grew without forward planning.

I suppouse its as in our home countries, stupid official bosses employ even more stupid people to try to avoid it become obvious how stupid they are themselves... 🤣

 

[Tiz]

You can't legally work from the Philippines unless you have a valid visa that allows work, and also a work permit issued by D.O.L.E (Department of Labor and Employment).

I worked for a US company in Singapore, before being transferred to their Philippines counterpart.

 

[bigpearl]

So true Tiz. The companies I contract to do all the paperwork, they pay me tax free and I claim my international income in my Australian tax, many countries have tax treaties with the Philippines. I remember working in Fiji 16/17 years ago and the English company taxed me, I simply gave my accountant in Australia the earnings and taxes paid in that country and was adjusted with the ATO.
I've never had to bother to get a work permit in any country, part of my contract is that they do it all and my passport comes back with an able to work permit. I would hate to do it myself but if I decided to start a business here I would have to travel that path.

Cheers, Steve.

 

[Tiz]

Yes, the company that I work for employees immigration lawyers that handle everything for me.

Even my annual reporting in January/February, they used do it for me, but as I now live so close to the SM Aura satellite office, I just do it myself.

 

[Lunkan]

@bigpearl Does Australia have such deal with Phils saying your work in PHILS is taxed in Australia (Swedes are taxed in Phils for work incomes but in Sweden for capital incomes)
or did you got taxed in Australia by no one told Phils BIR?

 

[bigpearl]

Good question Lunkan. I have no Idea what the US based company told BIR but I can only assume that if I had a work permit to work here then I'm sure (maybe not) that they were aware. Two points, Australia has a tax treaty with the Philippines as do many countries and quite possibly share info.
Secondly as not to find myself in trouble with the ATO (Australian Tax Office) I always report my international incomes at tax time through my family trust administered by my company.
I have done this situation for 20 plus years in many countries and never an issue because I as a good citizen report my income and pay my taxes.
I do know of many people that have been fined by the ATO for not declaring international income, some of them going back 15/20 years and very heavy penalties even with work permits you still need to declare foreign earnings whether work or investments.

Matters little now, company is wound up and the family trust sits there idle if I ever need it. I sit back and enjoy retirement.

Cheers, Steve.

 

[bigpearl]

Tiz, all my taxes for the last 12 years I do online with my accountant, sure I do the books, send the figures etc but he does the grafting and easy. digital signatures etc.

Cheers, Steve.

 

[Lunkan]

I have no Idea what the US based company told BIR

Oh US company. USA have much different deal with Phils, so perhaps thats why you did get away with it

 

[yakc130]

I met someone through a retired friend while out for dinner one night. Both were living in the Phils, and his friend was living in the Phils working for a US company hiring Pinoys to work abroad. He was receiving a US based salary in US dollars.

It would be awesome to get a gig like that.