Agencies see drop in OFWs going to Cyprus

SUN-STAR: Deployment of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Cyprus is expected to drop following the implementation of "stricter" requirements on foreign employers, local recruitment agencies warned.

Raul de Vera Jr., president of the Associated Agencies Accredited to Cyprus (AAAC), said the policy of the government could threaten the employment opportunities for Filipinos in Cyprus.

"We are in danger of losing our best employers in Cyprus because the Philippine labor officials there insist on the personal appearance of employers before employment contract approval," de Vera said.

According to de Vera majority of the employers in Cyprus are senior citizens and could no longer go to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) to hire their own caregivers.

"Cyprus is a favorite tourism destination in Europe and is now experiencing aging population, hence the desire to hire Filipino workers in the tourism and health sectors," he said.

He added that "prospective employers are turned-off by inconsiderate and arbitrary rules that require even their senior citizens to line up before the labor attaché and sign papers in his presence before the embassy starts processing their requests."

Losing the Cyprus market, de Vera said would be a great lost to the Philippines since the Cyprus market is a haven for documented and high paying Filipino caregivers.

Likewise, the recruitment groups said labor attaché Atty. Jaime Gimenez failed to heed the appeal of their counterpart association (licensed recruitment agencies in Cyprus) for greater understanding of the needs of their employers.

George Anastasiou, president of the Pan-Cyprian Association of Registered Private Recruiting Offices (Parpro), said the new policy is unfair because of two reasons: 1) Cyprus has a small population with many families holding jobs making it difficult for any potential employer or his relative to personally appear and handle contract verification duties, 2) Cyprus has allowed the private sector to put up licensed recruitment agencies to represent potential employers.

"We have nothing against contract verification. Don't you forget we even asked for it," Anastasiou said.

He also scored the labor attaché for arrogantly ignoring their existence, despite recognition by the Cyprus government and their continued efforts to fight against existing irregularities in Cyprus.

The AAAC lamented that even before the Philippine Labor Department raised the minimum entry-level salaries of domestic helpers for hiring abroad from US$200 to US$400, Cyprus employers were already providing a much higher minimum entry-level salary for Filipino workers. - Sun-Star

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