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OVERTIME AND BONUSES —
Overtime, Bonuses, and Hidden Income: Where the Real Money Is
If you’re serious about maximizing your earnings abroad, you need to understand overtime rules — because in all three countries, overtime can add 30-50% to your base salary.
Japan — Overtime
Japanese labor law is very specific about overtime premiums:
- Regular overtime (beyond 8 hours/day): 25% premium
- Late-night work (10 PM – 5 AM): additional 25% premium (stacks with regular overtime)
- Holiday work: 35% premium
- Overtime beyond 60 hours/month: 50% premium
In practice, many Filipino factory workers in Japan work 20-40 hours of overtime per month. At a base hourly rate of ¥1,100, overtime at 25% premium means ¥1,375/hour. Late-night factory shifts can push that to ¥1,650/hour.
Realistic overtime bonus: ¥27,500 – ¥66,000 per month (₱10,000 – ₱25,000 extra)
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Additionally, when you leave Japan after completing your SSW contract, you’re eligible for a pension lump-sum refund of ¥500,000 – ¥1,500,000. Spread over a 5-year contract, that’s an effective bonus of ₱18,000 – ₱56,000 per year.
South Korea — Overtime
Korea’s overtime rules are also generous:
- Regular overtime (beyond 8 hours/day): 50% premium
- Night work (10 PM – 6 AM): 50% premium
- Holiday work: 100% premium (double pay)
Korea’s overtime premiums are actually higher than Japan’s on paper. However, the Korean government has been tightening overtime regulations, and many employers are now limiting overtime hours. The standard maximum is 12 hours of overtime per week.
Realistic overtime bonus: ₩300,000 – ₩600,000 per month (₱12,000 – ₱24,000 extra)
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Korean employers in the EPS program also commonly provide bonuses, severance pay, and annual leave allowances. The retirement/severance pay — equivalent to approximately one month’s salary for each year worked — can result in a lump sum of ₩10,000,000+ (₱400,000+) at the end of a 4-year-10-month contract.
Canada — Overtime
Canadian overtime rules vary by province:
- Most provinces: 1.5x regular pay after 8 hours/day or 40-44 hours/week (varies by province)
- Some provinces calculate overtime weekly rather than daily
However, here’s the catch: many Filipino workers in Canada under the TFWP are in sectors where overtime is less common or where seasonal fluctuations affect hours. Agricultural workers may have busy seasons with lots of overtime but slow seasons with reduced hours.
Realistic overtime bonus: CAD $200 – $600 per month (₱8,000 – ₱25,000 extra)
Canada does not have a pension refund system for departing foreign workers like Japan and Korea do. What you earn is what you get — minus taxes and deductions.
The Overtime Winner: It’s a tie between Japan and South Korea. Japan offers more consistent overtime opportunities (especially in manufacturing), while Korea offers higher overtime premiums. Both significantly outperform Canada in terms of overtime accessibility for OFW workers.
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