Filipino Job Seekers To UAE - Do Not Travel With UAE Tourist Visas

Urgent update from Abu Dhabi has asked Filipino job seekers to not travel to UAE in search for jobs on a tourist visa as these Filipino job-seekers are more vulnerable to exploitation and likely to accept anything offered to them by the prospective employers to beat their visa expiry dates.

Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Libran N. Cabactulan issued this official statement as the UAE government is going to implement stricter requirements for visit and tourist visas from August 1 this year. The Khaleej Times Online, expounds on this:

He said the UAE government is stipulating the new visit visa guidelines because it is better for both the country of origin and the UAE to have no people on visit visas if the same creates problems for workers, employers and their respective governments.

The Philippine Ambassador said of the ten Filipino job-seekers who come on visit visas, only three or even less find the right job they have ever wanted.

"Those who get jobs are also vulnerable to low salary offers and inhumane working conditions as the employers take advantage of the job-seeker's situation," he said.

He advised all Filipino workers to go to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) in Manila to find out whatever jobs are available in the UAE and which manpower agencies are recruiting workers to fill in these vacancies before coming to Dubai.

"If our job-seekers insist on finding jobs through the usual procedure, the employers here cannot offer them a salary much lower than what they should receive and won't have the chance to take advantage of them in any way," he added.

The UAE is now second to Saudi Arabia in hiring professional and skilled Filipino workers. Hence, there is a great opportunity for Filipinos to come here as a registered and bona fide worker through the usual employment channel instead of taking risks by coming on visit visas, the ambassador said.

Those who are already here must try their best to convert themselves into resident workers, he said. Once they get employed, they should register themselves with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) at the Philippine Overseas Labour Office in Deira to avail themselves of all benefits and rights due to a Filipino overseas worker.

Have You Tried The New GMA (Greater Modular Access) Jobs Center kiosks?

If you haven't seen the "new" GMA (Greater Modular Access) Jobs Center kiosks, you should. It's a cool touch screen kiosk that's in Robinson's Mall on Fuente. It allows people to job-hunt while in the comfort of the mall -- best of all it's FREE.

You can only access limited sites though. Mostly it's DOLE and their jobs database, which isn't so bad. This isn't the type of thing you'd like to wait in line for though because it takes a long time for people to sign up and actually start sending their resumes from this machine. It's touch screen and there is limited sensorial activity going on.

It is an advancement I think but of course, it does not support a lot of people. It can support about 1 person for an hour then another one. But at least it's an option to paid ways of trying to hunt for a job.

Apart from job-hunting, applicants can also register and post their qualifications as well as do job matching that complements their course

The online employment kiosk is in line with the priority thrust of President Gloria M. Arroyo to provide 1M jobs per year and thus, reduce incidence of poverty.

Though the machine costs about P100T, the DOLE is giving the three LGUs of Cebu free kiosks in recognition and appreciation of their support and cooperation to the programs of DOLE. Definitely over-priced (yet again - remember the lamp posts in Mandaue?), if I do say so myself. But nevertheless it's there so let's put it to good use.