JEDDAH, 19 March 2008 — Filipinos seeking work in Canada should beware of recruiters charging placement fees, an official of the Philippines’ biggest group of labor recruitment agencies said yesterday.
Victor Fernandez Jr., president of the Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. (PASEI), said Canadian law requires that employers shoulder all costs related to the hiring of foreign workers. “Canada’s government is very strict about this requirement. A number of employers and agencies have lost their licenses for charging workers placement fee,” said Fernandez, who is currently in Jeddah.
He said some Filipino workers in the Kingdom have solicited his opinion amid reports that members of the community were being encouraged by some groups to apply for jobs in Canada.
Canadian authorities have announced that 1.9 million new jobs would be created over the next 10 years particularly in the Western provinces of Canada such as Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Fernandez said he was not aware that such recruitment efforts were going on in the Kingdom, but urged those who are interested to apply with licensed agencies in the Philippines. “Some may say this is self-serving on our part but the fact is that workers are better protected if they apply with licensed recruitment agencies. If you do not pass through a legitimate agency, you don’t have anyone to run after should you encounter problems in the worksite,” he explained.
In Manila, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) yesterday warned those aspiring to work in Canada to deal only with licensed recruitment agencies.
Recruitment consultant Emmanuel Geslani said job applicants should be cautious of illegal recruitment syndicates enticing them with easy payment schemes.
“Entry through Canada can only be done with a direct employer who will furnish the documents like a work permit or immigrant visa to a qualified applicant. This could also be done through POEA-licensed private recruitment agencies that have approved job orders for skilled workers and professionals in various industries,” Geslani said
Fernandez also said the POEA should reconsider enforcing the Memorandum Circular No. 4, which requires foreign employers who wish to hire workers from the Philippines without passing through a placement agency to post a $5000 repatriation bond for each employee.
Employers are also required to pay a performance bond of $3000 per worker as guarantee that the employees would be paid their salary for the duration of their respective contracts.
In addition, prospective employers will only be allowed to hire directly after a screening of employers and a verification of the contract by either the labor attaché or the Philippine Embassy at the host country. Only members of the diplomatic corps and of international organizations and government officials may be allowed to directly hire migrant workers.
The new policy, however, came under fire from OFW groups worried that it could reduce the competitiveness of Filipino professionals from the world labor market.
Because of the adverse reaction, the POEA recalled the policy in certain countries where the salaries of overseas workers are already protected. (With input from Inquirer News Service)
