Domestic workers from the Philippines who got work permits from the Immigration Department before November 11 can get overseas employment certificates as scheduled, the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong has said.
On Friday the Philippine government announced a 15-day suspension of the processing of citizens’ overseas employment certificates (OEC) so that it could investigate illegal recruitment practices, Ta Kung Pao reported.
The suspension started today – November 13 – and will last until December 1, but workers who got working visas from local authorities before November 11 will not be affected.
Matthew Cheung, the chief secretary, said on Sunday that the Immigration Department could extend work visas of Filipino domestic workers who are leaving the city, if necessary.
Cheung Kit-man, chairman of the Hong Kong Employment Agencies Association, believed that the suspension for nearly three weeks would affect about 1,000 local families.
The Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and secretary for Labour and Welfare Dr Law Chi-kwong both said on Saturday that the probes from Manila were not targeted at Hong Kong.
Shiella Grace Estrada, chairman of Progressive Labor Union, said the Philippine government will investigate employment agencies in the Philippines and in Hong Kong which may be involved in suspicious illegal recruitment, Apple Daily reported.
Some Filipino workers have arrived in Hong Kong but ended up being sent to work in mainland China.
Some workers were scammed, as they had paid money to local agencies for help to get working visas in foreign countries like Germany and Russia – only to find out later that no work had been arranged for them.
She said there were around 100 such cases in Hong Kong last year.
Cheung Kit-man revealed that employment agencies in Macau would also be targeted by the Philippine government probe as they had arranged for Filipinos to work in Macau without proper working visa applications. Cheung said those maids only held tourist visas, Sing Tao Daily reported.
Meanwhile, about 40 Filipino workers protested outside the office of the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong in Admiralty on Sunday, Oriental Daily reported.
They held a banner that said “Abolish OECs” and chanted slogans. They want their government to abolish Overseas Employment Certificates and stop using the certificates to make money.
Domestic workers need to pay HK$20 (US$2.56) to the Philippines government for each OEC application.
There are about 370,000 domestic workers in Hong Kong from the Philippines.
Yes its true i have my friend after her employer can’t take her visa to china the employer terminate her. ????????????
so sad
So bad…..
Tanong lang po bakit OK mag process ng mga paplis dito para maka punta ng Russia o kahit sang bansa gaming dito sa HK ?
It happens long time and suspension I think it’s not the solution better talk to immigration China no Filipino allow to enter China there are some employers not following the Law.
workers from hk brought to china is an employer’s fault.basicaly the agency are not aware that some workers are being brought to china.it is sole decission of the employer.employers dont follow the rules or agreement stated on the contract.most of employers are violating the contract agreement.must impose a more strict penalty to employers and workers who violates contract..
stop giving visa to the filipina dh because as long there is a visa the employer still force them to go China even they don’t like if they refuse they terminate it …
She should have reported the case to authorities. Sometimes just accepting termination without a fight will let employer escape what they are supposed to shoulder.
True
Very true….
The government should not only look at the workers being sent to China and being illegally recruited in the Philippines. They must protect their fellowmen working here and in any foreign country. How about a program which allow the embassy or any agency connected to the Philippine government to have some surprise visit to employer’s house to check if the helper is doing well or not. I know the helper has the sole responsibility to report if something wrong is going on but the fact that the helper doesn’t want to lose their job because they have debts to pay and they don’t have enough courage to do so. The government should think of some other way to reach out to the helpers (i don’t know if there’s already a program or law about that, i hope there is ). There are lots of heartbreaking stories that are being kept because Filipinos believe that no pain, no gain. And we really have a big heart for our family so we are trying our best to be strong and accept all the hardships even if we knew that we are already treated unjustly. But to be honest some employers are really not worthy of our service. We all came here to work, why some of us are being treated so badly? I pray that if you are with a bad employer, please do have the courage to report it since many got away with it already and keep on repeating it because of our silence, because we are allowing them to abuse us. Again we are helpers, we are not slaves. And we deserve to be treated as human beings because that’s what we are. HUMAN. No need for a superb intelligence to understand that one word. God bless us always. ????????????
be it knoqn,that OFWs that are sent to Russia got NO working VISA,they are ILLEGAL
Proper accommodation to helper as well .Please include of the concern problem.Hope they check the employers home if they have proper room for helpers.