What should OFW need to know when your passport is kept by the recruitment agency?

The Philippines has produced millions of world class manpower workforce to every parts of the world. They are commonly called 'bagong bayani' or simply Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW).

And these OFWs usually becomes prey to almost all placement agencies in the Philippines that has practices of keeping the passport of an applicant that makes them take an advantage to them. Not to mention the over charging of the placement fee and processing fee. And the applicant can't find an option to look for a better job offer because he/she is bound to the agency with the passport kept in.

Now, supposed you have a better job offer to other company abroad so practically you can't transfer easily without your passport. Not to mention the benefits to OFW applicant that some good company can offer to such as free placement and processing fee, free medical etc. If that is the case, remember the POEA - Philippine Overseas Employment Agency being the government agency in-charged to settle problem like this. It is important to have knowledge or familiarization of POEA Rules and Regulation and seek advice from a legal officer at the POEA office. Their services is free of charge.

As I summarized below, under Sec. 2 (L) Rule 1, Part 6 of the POEA Rules and Regulation. It states that

'withholding or denying travel or other pertinent documents from workers for considerations

other than those authorized under existing laws and regulations'

is not to be allowed. So, if in any case an OFW plans to transfers to other agency you can use this as your basis or a valid reason to withdraw your passport from an agency. Provided that your visa is not yet been approved because you will pay an equivalent amount of the visa if you withdraw your application or documents when your visa is already available.

Another thing is that a placement fee is equivalent only to one month salary to be paid in cash or through salary deduction. And accordingly, POEA only allows the agency to charge from their applicant a processing fee from 5,000 to 10,000 pesos.

Now, its your consent whether to continue to apply through a placement agency that will charge placement and processing fee too much.

P.S. Please see this link below

http://www.poea.gov.ph/rules/POEA%20Rules.pdf

l. '

withholding or denying travel or other pertinent documents from workers for considerations

other than those authorized under existing laws and regulations'

http://www.poea.gov.ph/about/hiring.htm

EXPENSES FOR HIRING FILIPINO WORKERS

Private land-based recruitment agencies are allowed to collect from its selected/hired workers a placement fee equivalent to one (1) month salary, except in countries where laws prohibit collection of fees from workers.