Each year, more than a million Filipinos leave the country to work abroad, a trend that concerns the Philippine government. Migration has long been a key part of the country’s economy, with around 10 million Filipinos now living overseas. Many go abroad temporarily to earn money and send it home, while others leave for good.

To manage this migration, the Philippines set up several government agencies in the 1980s. These agencies help prepare Filipinos for life abroad through mandatory training programs and maintain records of those who emigrate. One such agency, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), focuses on permanent emigrants.

Managing the departure

In partnership with the CFO, researchers at the University of Innsbruck recently studied the effects of these pre-departure programs, particularly for Filipinos moving to the United States. The programs include a two-and-a-half-hour training session and a handbook aimed at helping emigrants understand the country they’re heading to.

The study, which surveyed 1,300 people before and after they emigrated, found that the training programs had little effect on job prospects, housing, or overall well-being. However, participants who completed the program formed fewer social connections abroad.

The researchers explained this by suggesting that the better-informed migrants felt less need to seek advice from locals or fellow Filipinos, reducing their need to build new networks. While the program filled gaps in their knowledge, it also made them more independent socially.

This study has raised new questions about the role of such programs in a rapidly changing global labor market. As industrialized countries face labor shortages, they are increasingly competing to attract workers from countries like the Philippines. The balance of power between origin and destination countries may shift as a result, shaping the future of migration.