Retirement Visas on hold.

[Shady]

1 hour ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

It should be obvious to all concerned that retiring foreigners are bringing money into the country but I wondered who benefits?  I believe that in a large way it is the Filipinos with large houses and cars who are beneficiaries but the trickle down effect has average Filipinos driving cars with payments or 10K a month.

Exactly, who doesn't benefit financially.  The elite protect their interests by making it near impossible for outsiders to become citizens, they own all the land and all the big business.  They build endless condos, then thousands of Chinese/Koreans 'retire' at 35, pay $50,000 for the SRRV, and use that money to purchase a condo.

It's possible the concern is that they aren't exactly 'retired', and somehow by working in the PH they're siphoning money away from the locals (as well as breaking the law).

[hk blues]

25 minutes ago, Shady said:

You realize those foreigners are refugees who don't assimilate and take money from the host population, and the situation in the Philippines is literally the exact opposite, right?

 

 

I rest my case.

[Dave Hounddriver]

14 minutes ago, Shady said:

It's possible the concern is that they aren't exactly 'retired', and somehow by working in the PH they're siphoning money away from the locals (as well as breaking the law).

I am convinced that is their reasoning, but they could do the same on a tourist visa so what's the difference?

[GeoffH]

2 hours ago, Shady said:

You realize those foreigners are refugees who don't assimilate and take money from the host population, and the situation in the Philippines is literally the exact opposite, right?

I don't think that's always the case, there are governments (like the current one in Australia and from what I can see on the news the current USA one) who get political milage out of being perceived as 'hard on refugees and minorities'.

And it doesn't seem to matter if those people are working hard and paying taxes or even in some cases if they've already assimilated and made themselves a valuable part of a local community. 

As just one example of may there was/is a high profile case case in Australia where a small rural town (Biloela) lobbied very very hard for this family to stay.  The family were making a valuable contribution to the community and were accepted members of it and had the full support of the council and the vast majority of the town citiaens. 

Despite this the government, raided their house without notice, flew them offshore and locked them up in off shore detention (including a little girl which I find incredibly sad).

Despite all the pressure from not only 'the lefties' and the 'bleeding hearts' but also from a significant portion of moderate and conservative voters and church groups that family remain locked in an off shore detention with limited access to the normal Australian legal system, minimal health facilities and practically non-existent schooling. 

Further more the Australian government passed legislation which made it a jailable criminal offense for Doctors, nurses, lawyers and similar to go public with details of problems inside the detention facility so now no one knows what's happening.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-12/asylum-seeker-family-removed-at-dawn-biloela-central-qld/9538368

2 years later a partial victory in the courts at least for the daughter but what now?  Split the family?

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-27/commonwealth-ordered-pay-costs-biloela-family-appeal/12189602

This type of action is much more common that western news outlets like Fox would have people believe (it doesn't suit their agenda to cover it).

Edited October 24, 2020 by GeoffH

[Gas]

5 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

 

 

My comment.  Zenophobic double standards.  OFWs can go all over the world but foreign early-retirees are not wanted.

At a closer glance a lot OFWs get treated like shit and do not get the same benefits, as other expats. For example you or i go and work in say Hong Kong for 7 years and we can apply for residency.  Mary from the Philippines spends 30 years of her life working in Hong Kong, but she is counted as a guest and cannot apply for residency. Double standards? 

[Snowy79]

3 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

I am convinced that is their reasoning, but they could do the same on a tourist visa so what's the difference?

Maybe there's been an increase in Chinese retirees since they stopped the visa on arrival and in country extensions for Chinese tourists.

[Tommy T.]

4 minutes ago, Snowy79 said:

Maybe there's been an increase in Chinese retirees since they stopped the visa on arrival and in country extensions for Chinese tourists.

So far as I know from reading news articles, SRRVs have not been issued since some time soon after the virus arrived. And, as I am sure most or all members know that SRRV holders are - at last look - not permitted to return if overseas. It really saddens me because, even though it may seem a bit pricey to some, I think it is a good program.

Other countries I have visited in the past 20+ years have similar programs with various requirements regarding cost, time, etc. But then, every good or positive program can be subject to abuse and the abusers screw it all up for everyone else. Another example of inconsideration and selfishness, in my opinion.

[hk blues]

2 hours ago, Gas said:

At a closer glance a lot OFWs get treated like shit and do not get the same benefits, as other expats. For example you or i go and work in say Hong Kong for 7 years and we can apply for residency.  Mary from the Philippines spends 30 years of her life working in Hong Kong, but she is counted as a guest and cannot apply for residency. Double standards? 

There was a lengthy case in Hong Kong on this topic - it went as high as the High Court there.  The court said it was not discrimination because it was based on job type and applied to everyone doing that type of job.  So, you and I would not be able to apply for residency either if we were OFWs.  A convenient (for Hong Kong) finding considering the number of OFWs there!  Pragmatic as well as double standards probably.

[Freebie]

50 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

Another example of inconsideration and selfishness, in my opinion

I wouldnt expect anything less from our dear chinese neighbours. You should see the selfishness they display to each other in every chinese city...parking on pavements, blocking entrances,smoking where it says No Smoking, etc etc and 100 other etcs

[Jack Peterson]

11 minutes ago, Freebie said:

You should see the selfishness they display to each other in every chinese city...parking on pavements, blocking entrances,smoking where it says No Smoking, etc etc and 100 other etcs

 Thats is why they like the PI to them it is just like being at home without the Restrictions they might have in China