OFW Advisory
2006

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Attention vacationing OFWs from Greece
The Ministry of Public Order in Greece announced on November 20, 2006 that immigrant workers who have applied for renewal but are
still waiting to be issued their residence permit may leave Greece any day after December 15, 2006 and return before January 30, 2007.
   Upon returning to Greece, the worker shall present to the Greek immigration a valid passport; the residence permit that has expired; and the Veveosi, the document issued to the immigrant indicating
that he/she has applied for renewal of residence permit.  

Jordan accepts domestic helpers only 
Applicants should not be enticed by certain recruiters to work in Jordan as salesladies, nurses and hotel staff. Jordan only allows the entry of foreign domestic workers in its labor market and maintains tight restrictions for other jobs. 

Beware of "Carondelet"
The POEA warns job applicants against accepting job offer of nurses and caregivers from  "Carondelet Health Network, USA". Carondelet uses the website http://www.carondelet-usa.com in their recruitment activities. The POEA has previously closed the "Carondelet Training Center" in Manila for illegal recruitment.

No recruitment of nurses and caregivers to Japan yet
There is no recruitment yet for Japan nurses and caregivers. Recruitment will begin upon finalization of the memorandum of understanding between Philippines and Japan that will define the process of selection and deployment
of our workers, and the selection and qualification of Japanese employers. Applicants are asked to be wary of illegal recruiters who may take advantage of them. MORE

Beware of "Baby Domingo"
The POEA warns job applicants against accepting offers of jobs in Canada by a certain "Baby Domingo". Domingo has no license to recruit but has been going around the provinces enticing applicants to work as nurses or caregivers in Canada using tourist visa. This illegal recruiter collects as much as US$1,000 for "processing fee" from her victims. The public is advised to report to POEA or to other law enforcement authorities the activities of Domingo. 

Employers should pay for UAE visa
Employers in the United Arab Emirates should pay for the work visa issued to foreign workers.
   UAE Labour Minister Dr. Al Kaabi said it is illegal on the part of the company to demand money from the employee for visa charges and has  issued a  warning to  companies not to collect money from employees for issuing a visa.
   Companies doing so will be heavily penalized and will be asked to close down their operations. Foreign workers are advised to file complaints against the employer at the labor ministry.

Beware of fake travel documents
Filipinos planning to work abroad should be wary of a scam by illegal recruiters using fake passports and visas. Some Filipinos bound for Italy and France were recently caught in Hong Kong using forged Philippine passports and fake Schengen visas.
   Anyone who uses fake travel documents commits an offense that is punishable with imprisonment and deportation.
 
Beware of fake jobs in Ghana
    Jobseekers are warned against accepting offers by some groups and individuals for 'employment' in Ghana. The Philippine Embassy in Nigeria has reported that some Filipinos have been victimized already by these illegal recruiters, paying for non-existent jobs. At present, deployment to Ghana has been minimal, averaging to only 50 workers per year and were mostly administrative and managerial staff. 

Deployment of OFWs to Lebanon suspended
The POEA has ordered the suspension of deployment of workers to Lebanon as of June 13, 2006. As such, documented workers scheduled for departure are not given clearance at the NAIA and other exit points. The Department of Foreign Affairs had earlier issued a ban on travel to Lebanon.

General nurses removed from UK shortage
occupation list
The United Kingdom Home Office has announced the removal of general nurses from the shortage occupation list, and retaining only those with specific field of specialization.
   The new policy which will take effect on August 14, 2006, would mean that UK employers, both the NHS and independent health providers would have to satisfy first the resident labor market test before they can recruit general nurses from abroad. Employers recruiting general nurses will have to advertise any vacancies first and demonstrate to the Work Permit UK that they cannot fill the same with a UK or EEA applicant or that no resident nationals were considered suitable.
   The new policy does not cover the following categories of nurses which were still included in the shortage occupation list: audiology, sleep/respiratory physiology, neurophysiology, operating theater nursing, clinical radiology, pathology, and critical care and will have no effect to nurses currently working in the UK.

100,000 jobs in Spain not yet available
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration is not accepting applications for jobs in Spain and the reported 100,000 jobs are not yet available pending the guidelines
for the recruitment of Filipino workers for the said country.
   There are no such job orders yet from employers in Spain except  those from Servicio De Prevencion De Riesgos Grupo
Los Nogales for the projecto piloto or pilot project for caregivers. The foreign principal  is represented in the Philippines by Sunace International Management Services. The job order was approved by the POEA on March 22, 2006.
  The job order included vacancies for nurses, occupational and physical therapists, and caregivers.

Warning on fake jobs in Europe
   The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong warned of an illegal recruitment scheme which offers spurious jobs in Italy, Spain, Portugal and other European countries.
   Some Filipinos and Chinese individuals have been illegally recruiting domestic helpers in Hong Kong for non-existent jobs in Europe.
   The victims were lured into paying HK$25,000 to HK$40,000 for their plane tickets and the processing of their tourist visas.

Cebu Manpower has no job orders for
Iceland and Sweden
Cebu Manpower Corporation has no accredited principal or employer and approved job orders for Iceland and Sweden as of date. Our labor attache in London has yet to validate the manpower request of a principal in Iceland for various skilled workers through Cebu Manpower. POEA revoked the  accreditation of an employer in Sweden following confirmation by the Philippine Embassy that the factory is virtually not operational.

Australia needs skills
Australia is looking for skilled Filipino workers who are fluent in the English language to be part of its Skilled Migration Program. Applicants should have professional or trade skills  included in the Migration Occupations in Demand List (MODL) and must be under 45 years old. Click here for Expo Information for Overseas Skilled Workers

UAE cracks down on illegal workers
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration cautions applicants for  overseas jobs against going to work in the United Arab Emirates using tourist visas.
   The UAE immigration authorities are currently conducting a random check among establishments and companies to determine if they are employing expatriates with tourist visas.  This is clear indication that immigration authorities are now seriously implementing the prohibition for visit visa holders to work, paid or unpaid, either on a part-time or full time basis.
   Visit visa holders found to be violating the law are subject to immediate deportation following their detention for seven days while their employer face penalty.

10 Filipino victims of illegal recruitment repatriated from Hong Kong
   The POEA reiterates its earlier warning to job applicants that there are not much jobs available in Macau even as 10 Filipino victims of illegal recruitment were repatriated from Hong Kong.
   The victims arrived in Macau last January 15, 2006 and found out that there is no job vacancy waiting for them. The victims were advised  by the Philippine Consulate to return to the Philippines because of lack of documents for further stay in Macau.
   Macau is implementing its localization program where local residents are given priority in the recruitment, particularly those who are qualified for basic level jobs.
   Foreign workers are allowed only to fill up shortage occupations in Macau like supervisors in the executive, finance, casino, gaming operations, hotel and restaurant, information technology and marketing departments.
   Non-residents who are working without valid work permits will be penalized up to 20,000 patacas and will be banned to work in Macau for two years.

No POEA vacancies for Australia, New Zealand and Japan
POEA is not recruiting workers for Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Australia and New Zealand are accepting skilled immigrants but not through POEA. Applicants may send applications to the two countries' respective embassies in the Philippines. Japan and the Philippines has yet to finalize the agreement for hiring Filipino caregivers and nurses.

Wanted: Queen of illegal recruiters
POEA and police authorities want information leading to the arrest of a certain Rose or Rosemarie Liwanag. Liwanag  has 27 illegal recruitment and estafa complaints filed at the POEA, in addition to a number of illegal recruitment complaints filed against her before the Presidential Anti-Illegal Recruitment Task Force (PAIRTF), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the different Prosecution Offices.

Korea requires language test for EPS applicants
The Korean government now requires passing the Employment Permit System-Korean Language Test (EPS-KLT) as a criterion in the hiring of foreign workers, including Filipinos. MORE