Philippine Job Agencies Exploit OFWs; Women Mostly Affected

Some Philippine job agencies are allegedly cheating on OFWs, especially Filipinas.

Philippine Job Agencies Exploit Overseas Worker Applicants; Women Mostly Affected — Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Libya arrive at the Manila International Airport on February 27, 2011. A second batch of Filipino workers arrived home from violence-torn Libya on Sunday as the Philippines' foreign secretary landed in Tunisia to help oversee evacuation plans for the thousands still stranded. A total of 168 Filipinos have so far arrived home. NOEL CELIS/AFP via Getty Images

As global inflation worsens, many Filipinos are trying their luck to land higher-paying jobs in other countries. However, instead of helping Philippine residents get overseas work easily, employment agencies are working with money-lending companies to take advantage of this situation.

If you are planning to apply for work abroad, here's what the latest documents revealed about the negative activities of Philippine job agencies.

Philippine Job Agencies Exploit OFWs; Women Mostly Affected

According to The Guardian's latest report, Philippine employment agencies are cheating overseas worker applicants with crippling loans and illegal fees.

Based on acquired complaints, which were compiled by a migrant rights organization, these recruiters are charging applicants medical and training fees, which exceed the allowed limit.

Philippine job agencies allegedly take applicants to financial companies they are working with to take out loans just to pay the required fees.

However, these loans have exorbitant interest rates, exceeding 130%. This is already against Philippine law since lenders are not allowed to charge OFWs more than 8% annual interest.

The Philippine law also states that OFWs can't be charged job placement fees. However, recruitment agencies can require them to pay for medical examinations and training.

Although this is the case, the amount that OFWs can be charged is capped at 5,000 PHP (around $90).

Philippine's Simplified Penalty System for OFW Job Agencies

Rappler reported that the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) simplified its rules regulating OFW recruitment agencies.

This adjustment leads to 20 "mortal sins" that can evoke the license of recruitment organizations. These include charging unauthorized placement fees, offering harmful/deadly works, accepting minor applicants, etc.

Now, if you are applying for a job in a different country and are asked to pay exorbitant medical and training fees, the best thing you can do is report it to DMW.

You can click this link to learn more about it.