World Immigration News

(Manila Bulletin)Philippines ranks last in Southeast Asia in immigrant-friendly index

Release Date
2026-06-01
Media
Manila Bulletin
Summary
The Philippines ranked last among Southeast Asian countries in Remitly’s Immigration Index 2026, placing 67th out of 82 countries with a score of 32.7 out of 100. The report said weaknesses in healthcare, income levels, safety, environmental conditions, and political stability reduced the country’s attractiveness to foreign migrants.

Despite the low overall ranking, the Philippines performed strongly in several areas. It ranked sixth globally for low unemployment and also received relatively good scores for happiness and banking access. However, these strengths were outweighed by poor results in other categories, including a negative score for political stability.

Within Southeast Asia, Singapore ranked highest at 18th globally and was considered the safest country in the world, followed by Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The index evaluates countries based on quality-of-life factors such as healthcare, economic opportunity, infrastructure, safety, family support, cost of living, and financial inclusion.
Tags
Philippines