THE Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) warned applicants against placement fees imposed by recruitment agencies in exchange of being hired in Guam, a United States Pacific territory.
In an advisory, POEA Administrator Jennifer Manalili stressed that placement fees are not allowed since the time of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
"The POEA has adopted a policy that prohibits charging of placement fees from workers applying for jobs in countries that do not allow charging of such fees since 2001," said Manalili.
She said one of the countries that have such regulations is the United States and its other territories, including Guam.
Aside from the US, other countries with existing bans for placement fees are United Kingdom, Ireland, Israel, Netherlands and some parts of Canada such as Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia, and Seskatchewan.
Manalili also warned recruitment agencies that are collecting fees, saying they could be held liable for administrative charges.
"Administrative charges carrying a penalty of cancellation of license shall immediately be filed against recruitment agencies found violating the no-placement fee policy in these countries," said the POEA official.
Last week, the Department of Labor and Employment announced that there would be about 1,000 construction jobs that will be up for grabs in Guam in line with the transfer of American military facilities from Okinawa, Japan.
The build-up is also set to continue until 2020 leading to a demand of some 7,000 to 10,000 construction workers in the succeeding years. (AMN/Sunnex)