MidEast top destination for OFWs in 2010 – govt

Major development projects in Middle Eastern countries make the region still the top labor market for overseas Filipino workers (OFW) for 2010 and the years after, according to the government’s overseas employment agency.

In its report called “OFW Deployment Trend Outlook for 2010 and Beyond,” the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said Gulf Estates such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have major projects set to start this year.

POEA Administrator Jennifer Manalili said the projects involve the sectors of construction, energy, industry, petrochemicals, power, water, transport, health, food, tourism, retail, telecommunication, production and distribution services, banking, education and information technology.

Saudi Arabia, for example, remains the top destination country for OFWs as it embarks on a medium to long-term socio-economic development plans, including the creation of 12 mega-industrial/economic cities across the Kingdom, expected to last until 2024.

Job prospects across Asia

The Asian region, meanwhile, will continue to hire skilled workers and professionals in light of the development plans of these countries to widen their economic base, the report said.

For instance, Malaysia’s economy, particularly the petroleum sector, continues to thrive amid the global financial crisis, according to the POEA.

Development plans include new infrastructure projects in transport and communication, tourism development, public housing, healthcare services, and public utilities in the energy sector, it added.

Japan is also expected to promote employment of highly skilled foreign workers in healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, construction and machine assembly for the next 10 years.

The POEA, however, added that Japan would hire only around 60 nurses and 101 caregivers this year for the second batch of health workers under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa) due to the effects of the financial crisis.

On the other hand, Taiwan’s comprehensive medium-term development plan will generate 700,000 jobs in the next five years, over 200,000 of which will be offered to foreign workers in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Workers in demand in Asia are engineers, teachers, operators, health workers, welders, pipe fitters and riggers, plantation workers, service workers, IT specialists, manufacturing and hotel and gaming workers, IT and financial workers, and those in the healthcare, construction, ship building and repair sectors.

Reduced opportunities

Employment opportunities for Filipinos in Europe and other regions, however, remain low in light of the global crisis.

New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic and Australia are prioritizing employment of their own nationals as all are reeling from high unemployment rates due to the financial crunch.

Similarly, the United States is currently controlling the issuance of visas for workers even as it reportedly has a shortage of over 200,000 nurses.

Israel, which recorded one of the highest demands for caregivers last year, also recently implemented a legalization program that may slow down deployment of workers in the country.

The POEA is nevertheless optimistic that labor opportunities will be available in other parts of Europe, like Belgium, Cyprus, Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark, particularly in the fields of engineering, information technology, medicine and nursing.

In the African region, Libya reportedly needs more workers for its oil and gas industries, while Cameroon and Seychelles are planning to recruit more teachers in the next five years.

Access of OFWs to these opportunities will depend on job orders that licensed recruitment and manning agencies here can secure from foreign employers, the POEA added. – KBK, GMANews.TV