Salary Guide for Filipino Seamen
Hardworking and competent, Filipino seamen are considered to be the best in the world. Filipino seamen are often employed in the tankers and vessels of Panama, Liberia, Cyprus, Bahamas, Jamaica, Greece, Malta, Singapore, Norway and the Republic of Germany.
To maintain the caliber of our seamen, the Philippines is a member of International Maritime Organization. The organization ensures that all maritime courses and trainings follow the standards set by the 1978 International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW).
A job amidst high seas is far from ideal, as it not only requires long periods of separations from loved ones but backbreaking labor as well. However, the promise of higher salary, made many Filipinos choose and dream to be a seafarer.
How much money does a seaman earn? Like in every profession, the salary of seamen varies according to one’s position. The following are average salaries for different positions in the seafaring profession. Figures can be higher or lower depending on the company or employer.
Position – Salary
Captain – USD 4,500
Chief Officer – USD 3,200
2nd Officer – USD 2,500
3rd Officer – USD 2,350
Chief Engineer – USD 4,200
2nd Engineer – USD 3,200
3rd Engineer – USD 2,500
Electrician – USD 2,200
Bosun – USD 1,700
Able Seaman – USD 1,500
Ordinary Seaman – USD 1,150
Fitter – USD 1,600
Oiler – USD 1,500
Wiper – USD 1,150
Chief Cook – USD 1, 600
Messman – USD 1,000
Seamen are also entitled to other benefits like medical insurance, standby pay for senior officers and good performance bonus for officers. The employment contract is usually from seven to eight months.
source: Carmela Bignotia (ofwguide)
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Comments
are u sure about this rate?coz i know somebody his salary is just as low as 400$ and one thing more his contract is 12 months..don;t u think thats too low based on your posted rates..is that legal?
thanks
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tAn Reply:
April 5th, 2012 at 2:55 am
depende yan sa agency.. pipichogen cgoro ang agency nya.. yung salary rates na binigay din dito, medjo malayo sa katotohanan..ang laki na kaya nag sahod ng kapitan..US7k-15k per month..
depends on what type of vessel rin..
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I do not think the figures above represents the average filipino seafarer’s received. I know of someone who received only half of the above salary of a second officer.
Does government set a minimum salary for our seafarers?
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no, salary depends on the company/employer rates. above rate is just an average salary. there are several rates, poea rate. semi-itf and itf.
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those salaries are way too high…
i’ve been a seaman for about 12 years – emplyed in total for about 8 years.
i’m a 2nd mate now and usually get employment on large oil tankers. my take home pay is about $1200.
if you can name the employers / companies that pay those rates it will be of so much help to us. we can try to apply with them so we may get those salaries.
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A/B Jerome Causing Reply:
March 26th, 2012 at 4:25 pm
NMM,ptc.bagtikan st,makati city…$4500 secondmate $3500 thirdmate.
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Wow! Just curious if this salary is per month? And Marinero, I wanted to ask something, do u know how to find a ship emergency telephone number to call? I heard before that all ship they have emergency number to call but not sure if that is true. I’m asking this because I have a cousin who is seaman too and his onboard now and his mother juz passed away. The family they don’t know how to contact him.
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to josephine:
salary for passenger ship falls to $500 and below especially for kitchen crew and hotel department.they earn more due to tips from passengers.
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The above rates are still true for some principals but if you are employed in other principals especially european principals. you can get double than that. like my father who is an elect. earns 3400USD for a car carrier while if he is onboard a tanker 4000-4500USD.
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the above mentioned salary are below the average monthly pay for a seaman, im a 2nd officer and im earning 3,800 dollars and that is still considered low when compared with other companies. chief officer earns 7500 and capt. earns 10,500 a month.
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i am a daughter of an able seaman. i want to know how much allotment our family is going to receive because we are not aware and we haven’t received the allotment since he was hired as a seaman, since i was in elementary and now i’m 20 yrs old.
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Hi, my hub is a seaman. He recently applied to other agency and now aboard a cruise ship. His former agency kept on texting and calling him to report to their office. Does his old agency still have a hold on him even if he finished his contract with his previous vessel? What should we do? Should we tell the truth? Ignore them? Or tell them he’s retiring as a seaman?
Please help. Thanks.
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crhugo777 Reply:
March 3rd, 2012 at 3:03 pm
yOUR HUB CAN CHOOSE ANY COMPANY AS LONG HE IS QUALIFIED TO A CERTAIN JOB. HIS PREVIOUS PRINCIPAL DON’T HAVE RIGHT TO FORCE HIM TO WORK TO THEM THAT IS WHY SEAMAN’S TERMS OF WORK BY CONTRACT,
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the salary rates are okay and its up to the ship owners if they would add more or lessen it, anyway, this article gives us guide on the salaries we would earn.
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those posted salary is way too low…..im a 3engr and im getting usd3800.plus yearly bonuses and increments…
seamen get there pay thru the agent in the phil.. it depends to the shipping agent what is there schedule of paying the allotment to the family…it is mandatory to remit the 80% of the basic pay to his/her family less with sss philhealth and pag ibig contributions. ….
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i’m interested in your site because is very educative and informative, please i will always want you to up date me any recent development in marine world especially on seafaring, like standard wages, companies looking for the services of seafarers in the world, and any other important iformation, thanks.
john kayode.
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hi good day…..may i know f the double pay of seamen who are in somalia now can be given to their alotee?thanks po.
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Nobody receives this wages…each company has something called REGISTERING ships under other countries flag….no such thing as minimum wage lmao, some companies pay 900 pounds to AB a month….no such thing as overtime, some pay 2000…..
Merchant navy is messed up.
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rates are poea standard if you are on board a chemical and hazardous ships more benefits will be given to you ,before you can achieve these, a bundle of trainings and examination you will undergo.but all is worth it and if you are willing to sail on stormy seas , for me the ship is my home ,the sea is my country. gudluck;”; tan2
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sir ,i want to know the basic salary of seaman .sir how can we check that the academy is right and not a cheating (furgy) academy.what type of knowledge should we have to take for taking admission in the merchant naivee academy? please you send information about basic (starting salary) of seaman.
my contact 9838683677.
ok…
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with the rates above, how much is the tax paid? or how much ang expected take home pay ? Hope you answer this..
Thank you…
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where in the philippines agency can i apply a seaman going to singapore
Please reply.
Thanks
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im particular with the salary and the abovementioned is subject to general. my other concern is that
if my husband is a seaman and its his first time to board
is their any instances in their lifestyle as a seaman
in becoming unfaithful to their wife
especially when they are assigned international.?
i want to know because i think im routed to an expert
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if for example po my husband is a third mate with your salary range how much po to be exact ung allotment na marereceive ko less all deductions???
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i’m not married with my childs father is she entitle for an allotment as he is not sending child support.
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im ofw land-base in taiwan,
1.there have a possible to get seaman course or seaman book? when i go to Philippines and
2.where is best training school for noobies? like me… and what is first rank if i passed…
3.there have a age limit for seaman?
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As from what others have said “SALARY DEPENDS ON THE COMPANY THEY’RE IN.”
For those who are so anxious to know their partners salary I suggest you confront them, if they don’t want to tell you then stop ask’n.
They should also enjoy money that they’ve worked hard for. Try to put yourself unto their shoes so that you’ll know how hard and sad it feels to be alone in the middle of nowhere for months or even years while you..left hr easily spend what they’ve earned.
Guys try to understand reasons why your only receiving 50-70% of their allotment. Dont be so selfish!
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im a graduate of 2 year course, and i have a friend that he will help me to become a seaman.He ask me that i need 100,000 for the training.If i take the training and get work on the ship you can say that im totally a seaman? I mean like other seaman who graduated for 4 years have license, getting promote.Is there a limit for a only taking training like me?
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i’m so proud to be a seafarer. before they laughing about a seafarer. they say “pang bisaya lang ang seaman profession” they don’t know how lucky we are! we can receive a bunch of money! but that money is paid by our blood and tears.
can you imagine the a salary of a master is up to
14,000 USD. per month. more than a half million peso.
but i’m not bisaya.. hehehe..
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bakit po di libre ang medical eh ex crew na ko ano po dapat gawin ko at saka mababa ang pasweldo sa tanker..
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im louie, 21 y/o and i am a 3rd officer on bord a car carrier ship.. yes 3rd officer..from deck cadet to 3/O immediately.. for 2 years of seafaring i have seen and meet people of different nationalities.. and it sad to know that that although filipinos accounts the largest number of seafarers, very few of them are officers and captains..very few compared to the total number of filipino seaman and one more our salary is farly behind compared to other nationlities. they actually received twice the amount indicated above.. so for you guys who are planning to choose this profession, please do your very best to immediately act as officer on board a ship.. messman or captain, we are all in the surface of the water.. therefore we have to give our very best.. thank you guys..
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HI Mr.Juan Belo I hope you can help me to get a job at el victor Im a previous messboy now im already gp. but my salry is only 600 dollar. hope u can help me to be an AB so i can get high salary than 600. thank you
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in carnival cruise line os is $700 and they have also processing fee and no alottee,no phil health,sss,pag ibig and amosop,san ka pa!
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the article said that it can be higher or lower depending on the company or employer.it did not say that,that’s exactly the salary of a seaman.and of course it also depends on the rank.i am a wife of a seaman,and for me,some amounts are low.i know a chief engineer receiving $9,000 a month. so u better choose companies with high rates. =)
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and if a chief engineer is receiving $9,000 a month, how much more a Captain’s salary. Captain receives higher salary than a chief engineer.some say, $10,000 a month is the captain’s salary…love it..
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I just want to know how can i find somebody who is a seaman..if im not mistaken he is already a master by now…is it possible that i can find him? I mean which website should i browse that can give me the complete list of seaman in the phils.
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help…need advice…parents of a seaman naghahabol ng allotment sa anak is it possible? or it is d desicion of d son kumg magbibigay o hindi..f ever possible what will d parents will do…hopeless na parents tinalikuran na ng anak nila father is sickly..diabetic..ang nanay naman nagwawalis lang sa plaza..ASAP po mag e embark na anak 3rd week january…TIA
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My hubby s a seaman he started as cadet nw he s a chiefmate hs age s 31 on board cargo vessel liberian flag.hs total salary s $5600. Minsn may byahe pinas …iv been n thier ship.i saw n observe dr lyf onboard.sana tayong mga pamilyng naiwan hinayhnay lang sa pag gasta dahl ganun kadali hanapin ang pera.puyat subra sa duty nila.most seaman r family man,gud provider n romantic lyk my hubby
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My brother s a seaman too.on board last.nov.2011as ordinary seaman just promoted as a.b. Salary s 1200$ onboard panama flag eurobulk principal same with my hubby
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hello, anybody here who knows the requirement for seaman’s licensure examination? i’ve been searching at the PRC website but i didn’t find anything about this matter. Hope somebody here could help me and share the details about the requirements. thanks a lot.
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better look for a good company.. yung high salary, kc yung trabaho e parehas lang.. yung salary sa Captain na $4,500 medjo mababa yan.. some Captain now receiving $500-$700 per day which is $15000-$21000 a month sa offshore vessel.. f u want a good pay..lipat kau sa offshore..
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my ex husband is seaman until now,,but im not totaly separated,,but he said he can stop the allotment for my daugther if he don’t have chance to barrow his daugther,,thats true?he can stop the allotment even i dont have sign?what can i do if he do that to me,,pls response thanks,,
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anybody know where can i find the directory or seamans listing i want to find out where my friend is he is a seaman
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marco Reply:
March 8th, 2012 at 12:09 am
try to find him in the PRC
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