Thinking about moving to Manila – realistically, are there jobs for a German in technical sales?

Hi everyone,

I recently spent three weeks in the Philippines and completely fell in love with Manila.

What really struck me was the combination of Southeast Asian culture and how widely English is spoken. It made it feel very different from the other places I've traveled.

I spent the first few days wandering around Manila on my own, and later experienced the city with a local, which gave me a much better sense of what everyday life there might actually look like.

I'm from Germany, 38 years old, and I've been thinking about living abroad for a while. My English is pretty good, but not quite at the level where I can speak it completely effortlessly every day, mainly because I don't get much daily practice in Germany.

I work in B2B technical sales, mainly selling equipment (capital goods) in metalworking and industrial automation. I also have a technical background, so I'm used to discussing manufacturing processes, machinery and automation solutions with customers.

I don't expect to just move to Manila and get a German-level salary at a local company. But I'm really curious whether someone with my background could realistically find a well-paid role at a multinational, an international sales organization, or perhaps an APAC-focused position based in Manila.

Has anyone here made a similar move in the middle of their career?

I'd especially appreciate advice on:

Companies or industries worth looking into

International/European companies that hire foreigners in Manila

Realistic salary expectations

Work visa sponsorship

Whether it's better to apply from Germany or build a network locally

I'm not packing my bags tomorrow; I'm trying to gauge whether this could become a realistic plan over the next few years.

Any experiences or advice would be hugely appreciated!