A RECRUITMENT analyst said guidelines set by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) make it hard for recruitment agencies and employers to be included in the “whitelist” of the Saudi Arabia market.
Emmanuel Geslani said many recruitment agencies “have to pass through the eye of the needle in order to qualify and resume deployment of their workers to Saudi Arabia.”
Last week, the DMW and the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al-Khobar officially resumed the verification process of new job contracts for Saudi-bound overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
With the resumption of OFW deployment to Saudi Arabia, the two countries agreed to implement a “whitelist” system which means
Philippine and foreign recruitment agencies and foreign employers and principals will be allowed to participate in the recruitment and deployment of domestic workers and workers with vulnerable skill set to the KSA.
Qualified are agencies that are found compliant with recruitment laws regulations, practice fair and ethical recruitment and business standards, and employ gender-responsive staff, structure, and policies.
Also qualified are those that provide responsive welfare and allied services for Filipino workers and superior terms and conditions of work.
The POEA said those that intend to be assessed for inclusion in the whitelist are required to submit a letter of intent and a notarized affidavit of undertaking, and clearance from the Adjudication Office the Welfare and Employment office, and the Licensing and Regulation Office.
POEA Advisory No. 72-2022 says all recruitment agencies and employers have until Jan. 15, 2023 to file their application for inclusion in the “whitelist.”
The application will be periodically opened during the first two weeks of every quarter or every January, April, July, and October.
Geslani said, “Many agencies, who may have not given extra efforts in repatriating their wards during the pandemic, will have to work overtime to qualify for the whitelist.”
