Philippines: Direct Hiring of Overseas Filipino Workers - Policy Research and Development of a Risk Assessment and Due Diligence Guidelines

In spite of the ban on direct hiring of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the 1979 Philippine Labour Code, demands for the method of direct hiring by employers have been consistent for finding eligible migrant workers. Almost no evidence is available as of today to substantiate potential impacts – both positive and negative – of direct hiring. Job seekers often do not have access to sufficient information on different recruitment practices as well as their rights and risks associated with them.

The objective of the proposed project is to contribute to improved labour recruitment practices for OFWs. The project will conduct a policy research on the benefits and risks of direct hiring as well as possible impacts of the direct hiring ban on migrant workers, which will inform the Government’s policy process on labour migration and the recruitment of outbound OFWs. Further, the Risk Assessment and Due Diligence Guidelines (RADDG) for workers and foreign direct employers will be developed in order to enable both groups to make informed decisions based on the opportunities and risks of direct hiring. The project will also aim to have the RADDG for foreign direct employers incorporated into the existing Foreign Employers Orientation (FEO).

With a view to maximising the long-term impacts of the proposed project, IOM Philippines will work closely with government partners including the Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE), and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).