This list tackles current and past bans on the deployment of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) or Filipino migrant workers to other countries.
Background
editThe 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
editThe 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]
| Alert Level | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | "Precautionary phase", No deployment ban |
| 2 | "Restriction phase" and ban on deployment of newly hired Overseas Filipino Workers only |
| 3 | Voluntary repatriation and total ban on deployment of Overseas Filipino Workers |
| 4 | Mandatory repatriation and total ban on deployment of Overseas Filipino Workers |
Worker conditions
editAside 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]
- Has existing labor and social laws protecting the rights of workers, including migrant workers;
- Is a signatory to and/or a ratifier of multilateral conventions, declarations or resolutions relating to the protection of workers, including migrant workers; and
- 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
editNationwide
edit| 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] | |
| Federated States of 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 | Total | Unstable peace and order situation (Russian invasion of Ukraine)[6] | |
| Zimbabwe | Total | Non-compliance to Amended Migrant Workers Act.[2] |
Ban on select areas
edit| 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[7] |
Previous bans
edit| Country | Type | From | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | Total | January 22, 2007–March 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.[7] |
| Partial | March 13, 2007–January 31, 2008 | ||
| Total | January 31, 2008–August 12, 2009 | ||
| Partial | August 12, 2009–March 21, 2012 | ||
| Kuwait | Total | February 12, 2018–May 12, 2018 | Due to the 2018 Kuwait–Philippine diplomatic crisis the Philippines banned the deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait in February 2018.[8] Deployment of "skilled" and "semi-skilled" were allowed on May 12[9] and the ban was completely lifted on May 16.[10] |
| Partial | May 12, 2018–May 16, 2018 | ||
| Libya | Total | February 22, 2011–December 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.[7] |
| Partial | December 20, 2011–March 21, 2011 |
References
edit- ^ a b Mabasa, Roy (July 18, 2017). "DFA raises various crisis alert levels in 21 nations". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Medenilla, Samuel (January 1, 2018). "POEA lists 24 countries off-limits to OFWs". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
- ^ a b Torres, Estrella (November 2, 2011). "List of 'OFW-friendly' countries bared". ABS-CBN News. BusinessMirror. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
- ^ "Total ban ordered on OFW deployment to Micronesia". Philippine Daily Inquirer. September 11, 2018.
- ^ "PH partially lifts deployment ban to Micronesia". ABS-CBN News. September 27, 2018.
- ^ Jaymalin, Mayen. "Government bans OFW deployment to Ukraine". Philstar.com. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
- ^ a b c "POEA lifts deployment ban to Nigeria, Libya, South Sudan". GMA News. March 21, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
- ^ Patinio, Ferdinand (February 12, 2018). "DOLE orders total deployment ban of OFWs to Kuwait". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
- ^ Gita, Ruth Abbey (May 15, 2018). "Philippines partially lifts Kuwait deployment ban". Sun Star Manila. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
- ^ "Duterte orders total lifting of deployment ban to Kuwait". ABS-CBN News. May 16, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2018.