Government resumes OFW deployment to Saudi Arabia

MANILA, Philippines — Overseas Filipino workers can look forward to working in Saudi Arabia again after the government decided to resume the deployment of OFWs in November, according to the Department of Migrant Workers.

DMW Secretary Susan Ople said the government opted to lift the deployment suspension following the signing with the Saudi government an agreement ensuring the welfare and protection of Filipino household service workers (HSWs) and other skilled workers.

“Based on our agreement, we will resume the deployment starting Nov. 7,” Ople said at a press conference.

She said the lifting of the deployment ban is expected to benefit thousands of OFWs aspiring to work in the Kingdom.

The lifting of the suspension covers household, construction and other skilled workers.

DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia said the Philippine and Saudi governments agreed to revise the standard employment contract of OFWs.

Olalia said the revision of the employment contract would address issues affecting OFWs as well as abuses, delay and non-payment of wages.

The new standard employment contract, he said, provided mandatory insurance coverage for unpaid wages.

Olalia said the revised employment contract also allows pre-termination of employment.

Before resuming the deployment, the Philippines will release a blacklist and whitelist of Saudi recruitment agencies and employers.

Agencies and employers included in the blacklist will no longer be allowed to hire Filipino workers.

Ople said the Saudi labor ministry committed to review a proposal for the DMW to reduce the duration of the employment contracts of domestic workers to one year.