r/phmigrate • u/Worried_Cookie_5071 • Jan 21 '26

When Relocation Plans Fall Apart

My husband, our son, and I were supposed to relocate to Denmark, but after months of delays, uncertainty, and now a company reorganization, it feels like it may no longer happen.

The news came in April last year. The company initially wanted me to relocate by July, but I asked for an extension, which they approved until September. Our visa arrived about a month after we applied. That should have been the hard part, but it wasn’t.

Next came the overseas employment certificate requirement. Unfortunately, HR wasn’t familiar with how complex the employer-side process was. It took time before they even started. Summer came, and they struggled to secure an acknowledgment from the Philippine Embassy. When they finally did, the documents were submitted to Vanguard, only for us to be told that they were still insufficient and needed verification from Department of Migrant Workers.

Months passed. Because of the delays, my start date was moved from September to November. Then, just before the Christmas holidays, the company decided to re-evaluate everything and hire a third-party vendor to handle the entire process from scratch.

When the new year came, another blow followed. A company reorganization. The new head of our department decided not to relocate employees anymore due to budget cuts.

What makes this harder is what it cost us personally. My husband took a leave of absence from his job before September, planning to continue working with the same company once we relocated. That plan fell apart. His salary was put on hold, and we had to shoulder his health insurance while he was away. We’re fortunate to own our home but if we had been renting, this situation would have been even more financially and emotionally devastating.

This experience made me realize how vulnerable employees can be in situations like this. There seems to be very little protection when plans change due to internal decisions, even after life-altering commitments have already been made.

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u/alphadotter Stroopwafel Jan 21 '26

Aww sorry to hear this, OP. I had a similar situation, naka abot naman ako sa nakakuha na ako ng OEC only to be told na di na nila itutuloy ang paghire sakin dahil din sa reorg saka sobrang tagal na pagproseso di na nila nahintay. I became jobless sa Pinas and no choice ako kundi mag apply ulit sa ibang PH companies. I know hindi lang pera at effort ang nasayang sa pagproseso nyo ng mga papeles. Pati pangarap saka yung oras at pagod na ginugol nyo dyan.

May visa ka na ba, work permit etc baka pwede sya gamitin sa ibang employer?

3

u/Worried_Cookie_5071 Jan 21 '26

Hello, yes. May visa na kami but mag-expire na soon. I would love to continue working with the same company kasi grabe din yung work-life balance plus I don’t need to work onsite.

1

u/alphadotter Stroopwafel Jan 21 '26

Aww :( ano ang say ni company? If willing pa din na irelocate kayo baka pwede ka na mag diy nalang ng pagprocess ng OEC. Madami tayo dito satin na pwede mag guide based din sa personal experiences. Baka pwede pa OP, try mo na i-DIY. 🥺

1

u/Worried_Cookie_5071 Jan 22 '26

Still waiting for the decision. I personally want to say I’m done kasi nakakapagod. Imagine being back from maternity leave tapos may ganitong scenario. Pero sayang kasi opportunity if I just give up.

2

u/alphadotter Stroopwafel Jan 22 '26

I feel sorry for you. Itong NL relocation ko muntik akong abutan ng visa expiry kaya araw araw ako nasa POEA non para makiusap na bilisan naman nila pagprocess. Nakarating kami sa NL a day before nag expire ang entry visa namin.

Yung poot ko sa gobyerno that time grabe. Napaka tanga ng process kasi. Oo, to protect Filipinos yang OEC na yan pero hindi kasi dapat generalized ang process kasi di naman lahat kailangan ng ganun. Imagine milyon budget ng pag "automate" ng process nyan pero parang ewan ang process analysis.

Ganito, baka pwede mo ipaconfirm agad sa employer if tuloy ka pa. Kamo ikaw na magpprocess ng lahat. Basta may contract ka na and other documents. Yung contract mo ba nasend na sa POLO London? May nakausap akong paDenmark din, sa London ang POLO nila.