Total Number of OFWs Estimated at 2.2 Million (Results from the 2016 Survey on Overseas Filipinos)

The number of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who worked abroad at anytime during the period April to September 2016 was estimated at 2.2 million. Overseas Contract Workers (OCWs) or those with existing work contract comprised 97.5 percent of the total OFWs during the period April to September 2016. The rest (2.5 %) worked overseas without contract.

2016 Survey on Overseas Filipinos starts data collection in October 2016

In October 2016, the Philippine Statistics Authority is set to conduct the 2016 Survey on Overseas Filipinos (SOF) which aims to obtain data on Filipino citizens who left for abroad during the last five years. The SOF aims to generate statistics on overseas Filipinos and their contribution to the economy. The SOF provides data on the number of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), their remittances (cash and in-kind), modes of remittance, their occupation and place of work abroad.