Survey says Philippines is one of the most welcoming countries for expats

expats
The survey by HBC found that the majority of expats in the Philippines were happy with their lives

A survey by an international bank has concluded that the Philippines is one of the most welcoming countries for expats.

According to a survey by HSBC Bank, over half of expats and their families say they have a better life in their new home than they would in their country of origin.

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Whereas half of expats told the survey that their children took at least six months to settle into their new home and one in four only felt at home after at least a year, expats in the Philippines felt part of the community much quicker.

Kris Werner, HSBC Head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management said: “In the Philippines, almost half of expat parents (45 per cent) say that they felt like home almost instantly or in less than six months. This is not surprising given the innate hospitality of the Filipino people.

“The Filipinos are such a happy, family-oriented culture, and more and more expats agree that working in the Philippines allows them to benefit from the booming economy, but also offers a good place to raise a family,”

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The survey also found that 57 per cent of expat families found the cost of living in the Philippines cheaper than their home countries.

The Philippines also scored highly for friendship and culture.

Filipinos were described as welcoming regardless of faith, gender, race or sexual orientation by 56 per cent of expats, while almost two thirds found making friends easy.

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The HSBC report commented that this was “certainly aligned with the local environment that is generally reported to be affectionate, indulgent, and supportive.”