More Filipinos were working overseas in 2024, with the number of Overseas Filipino Workers reaching an estimated 2.19 million, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority, reflecting a 1.5 percent increase from the previous year.
The PSA data show that overseas employment remains largely formal, with nearly all Filipino workers abroad deployed under valid job contracts. A small fraction of the total workforce, just over two percent, consisted of Filipinos working without a work visa or relying on tourist, student, or other non-employment permits.
Women continued to make up the majority of the overseas workforce. Of the total OFW population in 2024, around 1.25 million were female, accounting for 57.2 percent, while approximately 937,000 were male.
In terms of age, overseas employment skewed toward older workers. Filipinos aged 45 and above formed the largest group, followed by those in the 30–34 and 35–39 age brackets, indicating that overseas labor continues to attract workers with longer employment histories and experience.
Regionally, most OFWs originated from CALABARZON, Central Luzon, and Western Visayas, underscoring the continued role of these areas as major sources of migrant labor.
Asia remained the leading destination for Filipino workers abroad, with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates topping the list of host countries for OFWs during the year.
Financially, overseas Filipinos sent home a combined P262.20 billion in remittances in 2024, highlighting the continued contribution of migrant workers to household incomes and the broader Philippine economy.
