List of deployment bans on Overseas Filipino Workers
This list tackles current and past bans on the deployment of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) or Filipino migrant workers to other countries.
Background
The Philippine government assesses which countries where Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to by evaluating the general peace and order situation in the country as well as working conditions for migrant workers in a certain country.
Peace and order
The Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines issues four levels of crisis alert levels, a travel warning which also serves as a basis for labor deployment bans for Filipino migrant workers to certain countries.[1]
Mandatory repatriation and total ban on deployment of Overseas Filipino Workers
Worker conditions
Aside from countries experiencing problems with peace and order, the Philippine government can also restrict deployment of Filipino workers to countries determined by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs to be non-compliant to the Republic Act 10022 also known as Amended Migrant Workers Act.[2]
A country can be assessed as compliant with the said law if it:[3]
Has existing labor and social laws protecting the rights of workers, including migrant workers;
Is a signatory to and/or a ratifier of multilateral conventions, declarations or resolutions relating to the protection of workers, including migrant workers; and
Has concluded a bilateral agreement or arrangement with the government on the protection of the rights of overseas Filipino workers;
International companies and contractors with operations in non-compliant companies can still deploy Filipinos to countries with no existing ban.[3]
An initial total ban ordered on OFW deployment to Micronesia in September 2018 due to reports of abuses and maltreatment of Filipino workers was partially lifted later that month, exempting returning workers from the ban.[4][5]
A total ban was imposed in January 2007 following incidents of kidnappings in Nigeria. Partially lifted in March 2007 to allow returning Filipino migrant workers employed in Nigeria. Total ban was reimposed in 2008 and includes Filipino seafarers boarded on ships docking on Nigerian ports.[7]
Partial
March 13, 2007–January 31, 2008
Total
January 31, 2008–August 12, 2009
Partial
August 12, 2009–March 21, 2012
Kuwait
Total
February 12, 2018–May 12, 2018
Due to the 2018 Kuwait–Philippine diplomatic crisis the Philippines banned the deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait in February 2018.[8] Deployment of "skilled" and "semi-skilled" were allowed on May 12[9] and the ban was completely lifted on May 16.[10]
Partial
May 12, 2018–May 16, 2018
Libya
Total
February 22, 2011–December 20, 2011
POEA suspended the deployment of Filipino workers to Libya due to political unrest. In December 2011, workers in the medical and petroleum industry began to be gradually deployed to Libya. The situation in Libya was assessed to have been improved when the Alert Level on Libya was reduced to level 1 from level 2 on February 23, 2012, and the ban was fully lifted in March 2012.[7]
