The Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Jeddah (POLO-Jeddah) held a job fair recently to help Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) gain employment after legalizing their work status.
“The job fair, which attracted some 500 OFWs from different professions, was held in response to a clamor among Filipinos who were, and are, in the process of correcting their status,” Labor Attache Alejandro A. Padaen told Arab News.
All illegal foreign workers, including Filipinos, have until Nov. 3, 2013, to either leave or correct their status if they want to continue working in the Kingdom.
Padaen said he was happy with the result because local companies with many Filipino employees participated in the job fair. “We are waiting for the report from companies which participated in the job fair regarding the number of Filipinos they will hire and the positions on offer,” said Padaen, a lawyer.
Padaen said that POLO-Jeddah also held a job fair early last month, in which a number of local companies participated with 300 OFWs in attendance. The job fair was held in anticipation of the fact that many Filipinos prefer to stay and continue working in the Kingdom after they correct their status, he said.
Earlier, OFWs who had decided to leave the Kingdom were having second thoughts, but were advised by Filipino officials to do so since there are many opportunities waiting for them back home.
However, Filipino community leaders said that many OFWs are hesitant to go home because they believe they have a better life in the Kingdom.
“It’s true that the Philippine government has programs to help returning OFWs by way of training for local employment or entrepreneurship, but the competition back home is stiff,” they added.
Job fair for OFWs held in Jeddah
