Temporary Suspension of OECs For Direct Hiring Affects Canadian Families

Temporary suspension on the release of OEC for direct hires is affecting Canadian families who are currently waiting for their Filipino caregivers.

Last month, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III announced the suspension of OECs for direct hires because of the anomaly involving Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) officers. Sad to say, POEA officers are still allegedly receiving money from OFWs to exempt them from the hiring ban.

Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) is an exit clearance to ensure the safety of Overseas Filipino Workers.

“Ang suspension kasi nung processing, actually, covers yung mga i-issue pa lang na OEC para sa mga direct hires na manggagaling pa lang ng Pilipinas,” said Violeta Buenaventura, officer-in-charge of POLO. “Ito yung mga OFWs o prospective OFWs, na paalis pa lang para pupunta sa kanilang prospective employers sa worksite.”

“The suspension processing, actually, covers those pending for approval OECs of direct hires from the Philippines,” said Violeta Buenaventura, officer-in-charge of POLO. “They are OFWs or prospective OFWs, who are still going abroad to their prospective employers.”

“One, syempre yung hintayin yung lifting ng suspension para maka-resume yung processing ng direct hiring system,” she added. “Ung talagang nagmamadali sila na makuha yung worker dito nang makapag-start na ng services yung worker is to engage the services of a recruitment agency sa Philippines.”

“One, wait for the lifting of the suspension for the processing to get resumed,” she added. “For those individuals hurriedly wanting to go abroad as direct hires, they can engage the services of recruitment agencies in the Philippines.”

Furthermore, there is still no exact date as to when the suspension of OECs for direct hires will get lifted.

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