List of deployment bans on Overseas Filipino Workers

This list tackles current and past bans on the deployment of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) or Filipino migrant workers to other countries.

Background

The Philippine government assesses which countries where Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to by evaluating the general peace and order situation in the country as well as working conditions for migrant workers in a certain country.

Peace and order

The Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines issues four levels of crisis alert levels, a travel warning which also serves as a basis for labor deployment bans for Filipino migrant workers to certain countries.[1]

Crisis Alert Levels[1]
Alert Level Action
1"Precautionary phase", No deployment ban
2"Restriction phase" and ban on deployment of newly hired Overseas Filipino Workers only
3Voluntary repatriation and total ban on deployment of Overseas Filipino Workers
4Mandatory repatriation and total ban on deployment of Overseas Filipino Workers

Worker conditions

Aside from countries experiencing problems with peace and order. The Philippine government can also restrict deployment of Filipino workers to countries determined by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs to be non-compliant to the Republic Act 10022 also known as Amended Migrant Workers Act.[2]

A country can be assessed as compliant with the said law if it:[3]

  1. Has existing labor and social laws protecting the rights of workers, including migrant workers;
  2. Is a signatory to and/or a ratifier of multilateral conventions, declarations or resolutions relating to the protection of workers, including migrant workers; and
  3. Has concluded a bilateral agreement or arrangement with the government on the protection of the rights of overseas Filipino workers;

International companies and contractors with operations in non-compliant companies can still deploy Filipinos to countries with no existing ban.[3]

Current bans

Nationwide

Country Type Since Notes
 Afghanistan Total Non-compliance to Amended Migrant Workers Act.[2]
 Chad Total Non-compliance to Amended Migrant Workers Act.[2]
 Cuba Total Non-compliance to Amended Migrant Workers Act.[2]
 Burundi Total Unstable peace and order situation.[2]
 Haiti Total Non-compliance to Amended Migrant Workers Act.[2]
 Libya[2] Partial
 Mauritania Total Non-compliance to Amended Migrant Workers Act.[2]
 Mali Total Non-compliance to Amended Migrant Workers Act.[2]
 Micronesia Total An initial total ban ordered on OFW deployment to Micronesia in September 2018 due to reports of abuses and maltreatment of Filipino workers was partially lifted later that month, exempting returning workers from the ban.[4][5]
 North Korea Total Non-compliance to Amended Migrant Workers Act.[2]
 Niger Total Non-compliance to Amended Migrant Workers Act.[2]
 Palau Partial Ban applies only for domestic workers[2]
 Palestine Total Non-compliance to Amended Migrant Workers Act.[2]
 Rwanda Total Unstable peace and order situation[2]
 Somalia Total Non-compliance to Amended Migrant Workers Act, Unstable peace and order situation[2]
 South Sudan Partial
 Syria Total Unstable peace and order situation[2]
 Yemen Total Unstable peace and order situation[2]
 Ukraine Partial
 Zimbabwe Total Non-compliance to Amended Migrant Workers Act.[2]

Ban on select areas

Region / Area Country Type Since Notes
 Chechnya  Russia Total Unstable peace and order situation[2]
 Iraqi Kurdistan[2]  Iraq Partial
Rest of Iraq[2] Total Unstable peace and order situation
Nationwide except Khartoum and Kenana Sugar Plantation in the White Nile[2]  Sudan Total March 30, 2005 Unstable peace and order situation[6]

Previous bans

Country Type From Notes
 Nigeria Total January 22, 2007March 13, 2007 A total ban was imposed in January 2007 following incidents of kidnappings in Nigeria. Partially lifted in March 2007 to allow returning Filipino migrant workers employed in Nigeria. Total ban was reimposed in 2008 and includes Filipino seafarers boarded on ships docking on Nigerian ports.[6]
Partial March 13, 2007January 31, 2008
Total January 31, 2008August 12, 2009
Partial August 12, 2009March 21, 2012
 Kuwait Total February 12, 2018May 12, 2018 Due to the 2018 Kuwait–Philippine diplomatic crisis the Philippines banned the deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait in February 2018.[7] Deployment of "skilled" and "semi-skilled" were allowed on May 12[8] and the ban was completely lifted on May 16.[9]
Partial May 12, 2018May 16, 2018
 Libya Total February 22, 2011December 20, 2011 POEA suspended the deployment of Filipino workers to Libya due to political unrest. In December 2011, workers in the medical and petroleum industry began to be gradually deployed to Libya. The situation in Libya was assessed to have been improved when the Alert Level on Libya was reduced to level 1 from level 2 on February 23, 2012 and the ban was fully lifted in March 2012.[6]
Partial December 20, 2011March 21, 2011

References

  1. Mabasa, Roy (18 July 2017). "DFA raises various crisis alert levels in 21 nations". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  2. Medenilla, Samuel (1 January 2018). "POEA lists 24 countries off-limits to OFWs". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  3. Torres, Estrella (2 November 2011). "List of 'OFW-friendly' countries bared". ABS-CBN News. BusinessMirror. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  4. "Total ban ordered on OFW deployment to Micronesia". Philippine Daily Inquirer. September 11, 2018.
  5. "PH partially lifts deployment ban to Micronesia". ABS-CBN News. September 27, 2018.
  6. "POEA lifts deployment ban to Nigeria, Libya, South Sudan". GMA News. 21 March 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  7. Patinio, Ferdinand (12 February 2018). "DOLE orders total deployment ban of OFWs to Kuwait". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
  8. Gita, Ruth Abbey (15 May 2018). "Philippines partially lifts Kuwait deployment ban". Sun Star Manila. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  9. "Duterte orders total lifting of deployment ban to Kuwait". ABS-CBN News. 16 May 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
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