Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Ma. Theresa Dizon-De Vega has issued a caution to Filipinos seeking employment in South Korea, urging them to avoid engaging with unverified recruiters.
Dizon-De Vega emphasized that South Korean employers hire foreign workers exclusively through a government-to-government arrangement. “Filipino jobseekers should coordinate with the Department of Migrant Workers to prevent falling victim to illegal recruiters, particularly those who operate online,” she said in an ABS-CBN News report.
Reports of Filipinos being scammed by illegal recruiters have prompted this warning. “Pag kayo po ay nilapitan ng isang ahensya o isang kumpanya at sinabi nilang, ‘kami po, pwede po namin kayong irepresenta at ipapa-hire sa isang small-and-medium enterprise sa Korea.’ Ito po ay isang senyales… na hindi po iyan legitimate,” Dizon-De Vega explained.
Most Filipinos working in South Korea are employed under the Employment Permit System (EPS), which prohibits private agencies or companies from participating in labor migration. Many OFWs in the country work in the manufacturing sector, while others are employed in information and communications technology, engineering, and teaching English. Additionally, seasonal workers engage in agricultural work for five to six months.
The embassy is assisting undocumented Filipinos and those deceived by illegal recruiters to regularize their status in South Korea. “We encourage them to legalize their stay as much as possible within the guidelines and processes of the host country’s laws,” Dizon-De Vega stated.
Currently, there is no provision for foreigners to apply as immigrants to South Korea, the ambassador noted.