Countries gradually ease restrictions, start accepting foreign workers —POEA

by Merlina Hernando-Malipot, Manila Bulletin, 2 Oct 2020

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on Friday, Oct. 2, said some countries have started easing restrictions, which were imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on foreign workers.

POEA administrator Bernard Olalia, during the “Laging Handa” public briefing, said more countries are now easing up their restrictions. “Unti-unti na pong nagluluwag ang mga travel restriction at lockdown sa iba’t ibang destination-labor countries natin (Various destination-labor countries are gradually relaxing travel restrictions and lockdowns),” he explained.

Given this, Olalia expressed optimism that more job opportunities will open up especially for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were displaced due to the pandemic.

Middle Eastern countries, for instance, are gradually easing up restrictions on foreign workers, Olalia cited. “Kamakailan lang nag-anunsyo na ang Bahrain at ang KSA o Kingdom of Saudi Arabia na sila ay tatanggap na muli ng foreign workers, particularly ‘yung mga OFWs (Recently, Bahrain and KSA announced that they are hiring foreign workers again, particularly OFWs),” he explained.

In these countries, Olalia said, jobs that are “in-demand involve our skilled workers.” He also noted that Hong Kong, Singapore, and Brunei have also started looking for skilled and domestic foreign workers.

Meanwhile, Olalia noted that healthcare workers such as nurses are in-demand in countries like Canada and the United Kingdom. “Unti-unti na rin silang tumatanggap (They are gradually starting to hire foreign workers),” he said. “Sa ibang lugar, sa Cuba meron nang tinatanggap katulad ng construction workers (In other places, such as Cuba, they are also hiring construction workers),” he added.

Olalia added that POEA is also currently processing paperwork for almost 500 nurses since President Duterte extended the exemption period for the temporary deployment ban for medical workers to Aug. 31, 2020.