Recruitment experts said at least 20,000 HSWS are expected to be deployed in the first quarter of 2023 as demand is very high for Filipino maids.
It was learned that hundreds of household service workers (HSWs) are ready to depart before Christmas Day, as their recruitment agencies have submitted to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) verified contacts from Saudi Arabia sent by their counterpart foreign recruitment agencies.
Over 120 private recruitment agencies deploying to Saudi Arabia have been qualified by the POEA Employment Branch in the “white list,” allowing the agencies to participate under the new rules and regulations issued by the POEA under Memo Circulars nos. 18 & 19.
In Saudi Arabia, more than 100 Foreign Recruitment Agencies (FRAs) have also been pre-qualified by the Philippine Overseas Labor Officers (POLO) in the white list for their participation in the HSW market.
It will be recalled that the successful trip of newly confirmed Department Secretary Migrant Workers Ma. Susana “Toots” Ople to Saudi Arabia, it was concluded in the agreement of the Philippines and Saudi Arabia to resume deployment of HSWs by November 7. 2022. The DMW and Saudi Arabia agreed to draw up guidelines and rules for the participation of agencies in the Saudi labor market through a white and black list that ensures the protection and welfare of OFWs. A standard employment contract was also drawn up specifically for the HSWs agencies and mega recruitment companies that includes insurance for the workers.
FRAs have shipped to their Manila counterpart hundreds of verified contracts for HSWs and under POEA Memo circular No. 5, these contracts are approved and barring any minor glitches, the processing for OECs is expected to be issued within a ten-day period.
Local agencies are jubilant that after a one-year hiatus of zero deployment, their staff can look forward to 2023 for regular deployment of HSWs to KSA.
Meanwhile, CLADS (Coalition of Licensed Agencies for Domestic Services), which has been in the forefront of the resumption of HSW deployment to Saudi Arabia, is set to sign a MOA with the Overseas Welfare Administration as the guiding manual of HSWs working in in the Kingdom and a monitoring system for HSWs deployed by the PRAs.
