The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) recently issued an advisory for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) about unscrupulous recruiters who promise jobs in Ghana, Malaysia, and the Netherlands without legal work documents and non-existent jobs.

According to POEA Administrator Rosalinda Baldoz, the agency, despite of its consistent warning to the public, continuously receive reports from unsuspecting applicants being promised of immediate jobs in Malaysia without going through the POEA and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) said the .

“This is an old modus operandi. Although I have already issued several warnings in the past, the false promise of an easy way to work abroad in exchange for a big sum of money is still attractive,” Baldoz said.

The POEA also advised jobseekers who aspire to work in Ghana, to be extra careful in accepting jobs offered by some groups and individuals. The Philippine Embassy in Nigeria has reported that some Filipinos have been victimized already by these illegal recruiters.

Filipinos who have been victimized by said recruiters shell out money for non-existent jobs.

Currently, deployment of OFWs to Ghana has been minimal, averaging to only 50 workers per year and were mostly administrative and managerial staff. 

The POEA administrator also warned those who plan to work in the Netherlands not to use tourist visa. Baldoz said that due to the rising number of illegal immigrants in the said country, the Dutch government is expected to implement tougher measures and heavier penalties against illegal immigrants.

Baldoz added that soon, the Malaysian government would issue identification cards with enhanced security features, such as thumbprints, to all foreign workers, as an answer to the various schemes of illegal recruiters.

She also added that interested applicants wishing to work in Malaysia or the Netherlands are advised to first check with the POEA if the individuals or the companies offering them jobs were licensed or not.