The need to go through the legal process when seeking employment overseas has been stressed repeatedly. Still, many Filipinos went out of the country and gain employment in a foreign land through illegal means.

To solve or lessen the problem regarding undocumented workers, Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait implemented tighter rules in their immigration policy by granting amnesty period for illegal workers.

Another Middle Eastern Country, United Arab Emirates (UAE) implements the same policy by granting a three-month amnesty for illegal workers to legalize their status. The three-month period started last June 4. During the last general amnesty in UAE (January 1 to June 30, 2003) almost 100,000 illegal workers were able to legalize their status.

The Philippine Embassy in UAE is urging illegal Filipinos working there to take advantage of the amnesty. According to Libran Cabactulan, Philippine Ambassador to the UAE, “The offer is with good intentions."

Illegal workers who fail to legalize status after the 9O-day period will be subject to punishments like heavy fines, imprisonment, and deportation.

According to Antonio Curameng, Consul General in Dubai said that he is organizing a meeting with consulate officials, the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to talk about  the arrangements and guidelines  for the repatriation of the illegal workers.

As consequence of the amnesty program, stricter rules will also be imposed for UAE citizens or companies who will be caught hiring illegal immigrants.