Need career advice: Stay in Qatar or go back to the Philippines?

Hi everyone,

I'm 27 years old and graduated with a BSIT degree in 2023. I recently earned my CCNA in May 2026, but I still don't have any professional IT experience.

I'm currently in Qatar looking for an entry-level networking job (NOC L1, Junior Network Engineer, etc.), but almost every opening requires at least 2–3 years of experience. Many companies also prefer candidates who are bilingual (Arabic and English), which makes the job search even more challenging.

To continue building my skills, I'm currently studying Fortinet NSE 1–3, and I'm also planning to take the AZ-700 exam since I earned a free Microsoft exam voucher.

I'm starting to consider whether I should return to the Philippines instead. For those working in networking or NOC roles there:

• Do you think I have a realistic chance of landing an entry-level NOC L1 or Junior Network Engineer role with a recent CCNA but no professional experience?
• Is the entry-level networking job market in the Philippines better than in Qatar?
• If you were in my situation, would you stay in Qatar and keep applying, or go back to the Philippines?

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who started their networking career without experience or has been in a similar situation.

Thanks in advance!