PHILIPPINES: The Philippines will resume the deployment of Filipino workers to Saudi Arabia under new contracts next week, the Department of Migrant Workers announced on Friday.
Saudi Arabia is the most preferred destination for migrant workers from the Philippines, hosting one out of five Filipinos working abroad.
More than 1 million of them live in the Kingdom and are employed mainly in construction or as healthcare and household workers.
The deployment of Saudi-bound overseas Filipino workers, or OFWs, was suspended for more than one year, due to the coronavirus pandemic and various issues relating to labor and employment rights.
After months of negotiations, both countries have agreed to undertake joint measures to streamline employment procedures and ensure the protection of workers’ rights.
The return of OFWs to the Saudi labor market will begin under new rules on Nov. 7.
“Under a new employment contract that ensures greater workers’ protection, our workers would now be able to find gainful employment in one of the world’s biggest labor markets,” Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople told reporters during a press briefing in Manila.
“On Monday, our overseas labor offices in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Alkhobar will resume accepting offers of employment for Filipino migrant workers of all skills who wish to work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
For the first time, she said, employment contracts will include insurance coverage for unpaid salaries, air fares, and refund of recruitment costs in case of contract termination.
“The Saudi government will shoulder the insurance cost for skilled workers while Saudi employers are mandated to pay for the insurance coverage of Filipino domestic workers,” Ople added.
Also for the first time, she said, all Saudi job recruitment agencies would hire their own welfare desk officers, and abusive employers would be blacklisted.
A delegation from the Saudi Ministry for Human Resources and Social Development was expected to arrive in Manila next week to review the salaries of OFWs and the automation of recruitment processes.