Undocumented OFWs face tighter screening in UAE

Filipinos who leave the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to come home to the Philippines may be barred from taking their flights back to UAE if they lack the proper employment documents.

The Filipino workers who went to UAE using a visit visa and later found employment have the burden to show employment papers, Gulf News XPress reported.

The report quoted a Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) official in Dubai as saying “It is the (Philippine Overseas Employment Administration) that requires the documents to those applicants/OFWs who left the Philippines with undocumented status - meaning departed the Philippines on visit visa and after sometime found employment in the UAE."

The POLO official said the stricter rules will apply to those who went home without obtaining an overseas employment certificate (OEC) in Dubai.

An OEC costs Dh10 (P116.83) and exempts Filipino overseas workers from paying travel tax of Dh160 (P1,869).

It is also used by Manila to ensure their workers abroad are documented and insured.

The OEC can be obtained by personally appearing before the POLO office and presenting a proof of employment and a valid residence visa.

The nannies applying for an OEC must present a contract stating their monthly salary as $400 (about P17,174).

OEC applicants in Dubai must pay membership and insurance cover with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and must sign up with Pag-IBIG.

Filipino workers who go home on vacation but failed to obtain an OEC from Dubai are asked to produce an employment letter from their human resource department and an original labor contract.

They may also be asked to produce copies of passport, UAE residence, UAE Labor Card and the company’s commercial license.

These must be authenticated by the Polo against a Dh40 (P467) fee, the official said. - VVP GMA News

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