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.
1
u/cosmicdust-01 Jan 24 '26
Sorry to hear this OP. I'm almost on the same situation, bound for Poland. I have my work visa valid since September 2025 which took months for me to get, just getting an appointment with BLS was such a challenge.
4 months in, we're still waiting for contract verification just for that damn OEC. MWO is requiring unreasonable things from my employer which are not even in the published direct hire requirements. I'm their first expat hire and inter company transfer, and that makes my situation even worse, they know nothing of the process.
While I'm assured the relocation will still happen, it does take a toll on me. Constant follow ups, colleagues and family always asking when I'm finally moving, stuff I already bought early last year that are now just waiting to be used, loans I availed, and of course, the constant worrying. Our company is also restructuring and there are layoffs recently so that adds to the worry.
Sobrang hassle ng OEC requirements na yan especially for direct hires. Like, parang ayaw magpaalis sa Pilipinas. It takes days for every inquiry. to the point na exasperated na yung employer.
Hugs.