The implementation of the Saudi’s unified contract scheme, a proposed system in the recruitment and deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) bound to Saudi Arabia is indefinitely suspended. This new development is the result of the agreement reached by authorities of recruitment agencies in the Philippines and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

The DFA spokesman Claro S. Cristobal said, "There is still a full deployment ban to Lebanon and a partial ban to Jordan, meaning there should be no new deployment there.

A memorandum of agreement was signed between the Philippines and the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, British Columbia and Alberta creating lots of job opportunities for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

A new policy on the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Saudi Arabia called the unified contract scheme was supposed to take effect last September 1. The decision of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia to suspend its implementation is favored by groups of recruitment agencies which strongly opposed the new policy claiming that it will make OFWs more prone to exploitation.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) released Memorandum Circular No. 05 (Series of 2008) regarding the processing of Seafarers’ Employment Contracts during week-ends and holidays.

The United Kingdom (UK) has a new visa scheme called Post-study Work visa for international students from the non-member countries of the European Economic Area (EEA). After studying in UK for at least one year or obtaining an undergraduate or postgraduate certificate/diploma, foreign students including Filipinos are now entitled to a two-year work visa.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the government of Taiwan and the Philippines was recently signed making it possible for employers in Taiwan to directly hire overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).The recruitment scheme is also called the Special Hiring Program for Taiwan (SHPT).

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced that the registration for overseas absentee voting for May 10, 2010 national election will start on December 1, 2008 up to August 31, 2009.

The largest organization of licensed landbased recruitment agencies in the Philippines, the Philippine Association of Service exporters in the Philippines (PASEI), is against the implementation of a Recruitment and Manpower Deployment Contract (aka unified contract scheme ) being proposed by the Saudi National Recruitment Committee, (Sanarcom), a Saudi recruitment agency.

With the rising demand for Filipino workers in Australia, the newly established Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Sydney, Australia and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) felt the need to revised Memorandum Circular No. 4, series of 2006. The said memorandum contains the guidelines on the recruitment and deployment of Filipino workers to Australia.

Foreign workers in South Korea are now allowed to work for five straight years. Previous rule only permit three straight years of work with an enforced one-month vacation leave to be spent outside of Korea. With the new policy, foreign workers can opt not to have the one-month leave.

FOR nearly a decade, more than six thousand Filipino women are living out what’re usually depicted in Korean romance telenovellas. It is life imitating art, according to the latest study on cross-border marital arrangements in Korea or inter-racial marriages between Koreans and other nationalities.

Filipino workers bound to Korea need to learn about occupational safety and health, and gain knowledge about the labor policies of Korean labor laws such as the Labor Standards Act, Minimum Wage Act and the Foreign Employment Act.

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) need not go to the main office of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to obtain a passport. They can take care of their passport needs right at POEA because the DFA satellite office there now gives full-service passport services for OFWs.

Could it be that the Philippines got too excited about the demand for nurses worldwide that today, there are too many nurses than the healthcare institutions can handle.

In spite of the rampant campaign of the government to stop illegal recruitment activities, illegitimate recruiters continue to proliferate and come up with schemes that victimize innocent Filipino workers robbing them of their money and dreams.

on that day (June 13, 2008), free long distance calls to the Philippines will be given to low-income and unskilled OFWs in Dubai and northern regions of UAE. Starting at 11 a.m. they can enjoy free calls at Al Nasr Leisureland.

Good news to all overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Now there is a faster and more convenient way to apply for their clearances as the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) launched an online registration system. The new system aims to speed up the documentation process of all departing and returning OFWs.

The event dubbed as the Parañaque City Summer 2008 Overseas Mega Jobs Expo will be held on May 31, 2008 (Saturday). Event's venue will be the air-conditioned 3/F, Entertainment Area, Building B of SM Sucat Mall, Sucat Road, Parañaque City.