The Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Dubai and the Northern Emirates has issued a critical advisory to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) regarding the dangers of third-country recruitment and cross-country employment through fraudulent immigration and consultancy companies.
The advisory, designated as MWO-Dubai Advisory No. 1, Series of 2024, reinforces previous warnings such as MWO Dubai Advisory No. 3, Series of 2023. It urges OFWs to be cautious of job offers and employment applications circulated through social media platforms like Facebook, Tiktok, Instagram, and YouTube.
“OFWs are advised to exercise vigilance and extreme caution in pursuing job offers and application for employment that are posted in social media… by immigration and visa consultancy companies, promising deployment in other countries like Canada, Italy, Norway and Poland, through the third-country/cross-country recruitment scheme,” the advisory states.
The MWO strongly discourages the use of services that facilitate the recruitment or hiring of overseas workers for employment outside their current jobs, noting that those who engage in such practices are at risk of experiencing unfair labor practices and conditions.
“While there may be legitimate immigration and consultancy companies based in the UAE, there are still a number of unscrupulous companies engaging in illegal recruitment activities,” the advisory, signed by Labor Attaché John Rio A. Bautista, warns.
OFWs are encouraged to deal exclusively with licensed Philippine Recruitment Agencies and to verify the legitimacy of job orders per position, agency, and country through the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) website.