self-employment, income from abroad, alien employment permit required?

[Muster Musterhausen]

• I am interested to permanently relocate to the Philippines and having difficulties to figure out if a work permit would be required in my case.
• I have more than enough monthly income to support myself and enough savings.
• I am providing services over the internet and could work from anywhere with internet.
• Money would come from my clients from abroad.
• It's probably best to refuse any business with locals to not be involved with the local economic, taxes and bureaucracy?
• I would not steal any job from the locals. I would actually bring lots of money to the country.
• I could keep my local country bank account.
• I want to stay legally single.
• I want to keep my local citizenship.
• Is in my case an alien employment permit required?
• I want this 100% legal.

[scott h]

Welcome to the forum Muster, lots of good members who will share lots of information based on their experiences:

13 minutes ago, Muster Musterhausen said:

I want this 100% legal.

If you would like to insure that everything is completely legal you will need to consult a local attorney, we are not immigration officials nor business consultants. All we can do is give you our best incites.

Having said that, based on what I know of life here in the Philippines and what you have posted about your plans, if you are just sitting in your home, on your computer and all moneys are deposited in your bank overseas, you should be fine. .

Again welcome to the forum 

[Dave Hounddriver]

2 hours ago, Muster Musterhausen said:

I want this 100% legal.

To add to what Scott said, this is a grey area so even if you are legal today that may change in the future.  If immigration starts deporting every foreigner who makes a dollar off the Internet, to supplement their budget, then there will be a lot expats evicted.  If they did start a crackdown it is logical they would start with bigger fish.

On the bright side, there is a visa that allows you to stay in Philippines if you have a business that employs 10 or more filipinos.  If you want to expand to the point where you are actually hiring people then you could really be an asset to the country and be 100% legal.

[Jollygoodfellow]

From what you said I think you will be Ok with that scenario. You of course will be needing a visa to stay more than 30 days but thats another subject.

You want to stay legally single, well might have to wait awhile on the outcome of that one. 

Oh providing services over the internet, make sure you stay within the law as we do not know what services you are providing. Dating services are against the law in the Philippines so dont go there.  

[i am bob]

I too work online...  Sort of...  My prime occupation lately is as an author...  Pounding out novels as only a sick and twisted mind can...  My other career choice is carried out online as well...  Personal Development Advocate - commonly referred to a life coach...  So my sick and twisted mind is used to guide other sick and twisted minds...

Now every country (and sometimes this will mean every state or province) will have different ways to set up for taxes...  But the nice thing is, is that the Philippines has tax treaties with most countries...  For example, Canada...  Which means, as my money is made offshore the Philippines..?  No taxes are paid to the Philippines...  But, yes, they are paid to Canada..!  This is where my consulting business is - as well as my stated residence as an author ( with publishing established in, first, Canada, and, secondarily, in the USA...  While I relax here in Davao on my Tourist Visa...

Oops...  It's 2 am...  Time to go to work...  (translate that to i can't sleep tonight...  lol)