The Migrant Workers Office in Dubai has issued a fresh advisory stressing that Filipino domestic workers must meet the prescribed minimum age before they can be legally deployed, citing a rise in violations linked to underage hiring.
In Advisory No. 5, Series of 2026, MWO Dubai reminded recruitment agencies and employers that the age threshold for Filipino domestic workers is 24 years old, a standard that has been in force for years under existing Philippine deployment policies. The office said the reminder was necessary after noting repeated cases where workers below the required age were processed for overseas employment.
The age requirement was raised from 23 to 24 under a 2007 governing board resolution of the Philippine overseas employment authority and later reaffirmed through a 2022 advisory. According to MWO Dubai, these rules remain binding and are consistently applied by Migrant Workers Offices worldwide.
The advisory also outlined sanctions under the 2023 rules of the Department of Migrant Workers for agencies found violating the policy. Agencies that hire or deploy workers who are minors or below the prescribed minimum age may face suspension of accreditation for up to 60 days. More serious cases can lead to license cancellation and additional penalties, as such violations are classified as serious offenses under the department’s regulations.
MWO Dubai further addressed claims circulating among some UAE-based recruitment channels that the minimum age rule is not being enforced. It said such allegations are unfounded and contradict long-standing practice observed by MWOs globally.
While Filipino domestic workers who do not meet the age requirement may still leave the UAE, the office clarified that their employment documents will not be verified. This non-verification results in the non-issuance of an exit clearance, effectively preventing lawful deployment tied to domestic work contracts.
The advisory added that any dissemination of misleading information on the enforcement of the minimum age policy by TADBEER centers will be dealt with accordingly under existing rules.
