BI warns OFWs vs ‘third-country recruitment’ scheme

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday warned aspiring overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) against recruiters who use the “third-country recruitment” scheme, in which victims are given fake itineraries and then brought illegally to another country to work there.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente issued the warning after they intercepted four OFWs, all women, who presented work documents for Maldives but were actually bound for the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The victims were caught separately at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) and Clark International Airport.

Morente said the scheme appeared to be an “emerging” modus based on the experiences of other victims rescued recently from war-torn countries like Syria.

Immigration personnel at Naia Terminal 3 reported that two of the victims who were 26 and 33 years old had presented valid overseas employment certificates, work visas, employment contracts and itineraries for Maldives.

But a check with online systems showed that they had valid tourist visas for the UAE.

“Both victims admitted that they received their documents only prior to departure, and one of [them] said that she [had been] instructed by their recruiter to conceal her UAE visa. She admitted that they [had] applied to work as domestic helpers, but were given documents to work as sales assistants in Maldives,” he said. INQ