- Written by Cristina Lee-Pisco
THE Czech Republic is set to hire more Filipino workers in
different fields as negotiations for group recruitment is underway, the Czech
envoy in Manila said.
Czech
Republic Ambassador to Manila Jaroslav Olša Jr., said starting this year, he is
expecting some 300 to 400 Filipino workers to get their visas.
“We
are starting this year. We think some 300 to 400 (Filipino workers) will
probably get the visas but next year it will be 1,000,” the Ambassador said in
an interview.
He
explained the special program just started a month and a half ago where
qualified Filipino workers will be recruited by agencies accredited by the
Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).
“There
is a program which was prepared by the government this year which will bring
1,000 Filipinos a year to the Czech Republic on special program. It started
only a month and half ago,” Olša said.
He
said local recruitment agencies working with POEA are in contact with Czech
companies which are selecting the jobs for Filipinos.
“It’s
starting because there was never such a program between the Czech and the
Philippines yet,” he said adding majority of the Filipinos, about 700 who are
now in the Czech Republic were recruited individually.
Workers
are needed in the fields or baking, sales, drivers, IT, electronics,
manufacturing and healthcare such as caregivers.
Czech
officials recently met with Philippine labor officials to discuss their need
for Filipino workers.
The
Ambassador said the POEA head recently visited Prague and the Philippine
Association of Service Exporters Inc. (PASEI) officials were coming to Czech
and Poland to look for possible partners.
“That
means its moving and you will see the results in a matter of few months,” he
said.
The
Czech government, on its website said they are allocating 1,000 job openings
for the Philippines, 1,000 for Mongolia, and up to 10,000 for Ukraine which is
their main source of agricultural workers.
According
to data published in August 2017, Czech Republic has the lowest unemployment
rate in the entire European Union (EU) with only 2.9 percent as compared to the
7.7 percent of the economic powerhouse Germany.
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