DOLE to overstaying OFWs: Go for amnesty

MANILA, Philippines - Labor and employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz advised overstaying overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the United Arab Emirates to leave the country without penalties by regularizing their visas as soon as possible.

Baldoz said the recent amnesty granted by the Abu Dhabi government from Dec. 4, 2012 to Feb. 3 of this year may overturn Filipinos' illegal stay, according to a report from Philippine Labor Attaché to Abu Dhabi Nasser Munder.

“Illegal UAE residents who had overstayed their visas can obtain exit passes and leave the country without penalties, or regularize their visas after payment of fines,” Baldoz said.

In the report, Munder said overstaying OFWs exit passes or outpasses may be availed from residency departments across UAE to avoid being penalized.

The last granted amnesty for illegal residents was in 2007 when over 341,000 workers of various nationalities were exempted from the offense.

At that time, 95,000 illegal workers were recognized as legal by UAE authorities.

Although the Department of Labor and Employment does not have estimates of the number of OFWs who may need amnesty, Baldoz said there are 209,385 Filipinos residing in the country for work.