Illegal OFWs in Oman to benefit from amnesty

Illegal or overstaying Filipino expatriate workers in Oman stand to benefit from an amnesty allowing them to leave the country before March 31. The Arabian country in Southwest Asia has advised countries, including the Philippines, of the amnesty period, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said. The Oman Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a note verbale to the Philippine Embassy, Labor Attache Romeo Young reported to DOLE Secretary Marianito Roque. The POLO [Philippine Overseas Labor Office]-OWWA in Oman will set-up a" One-Stop-Shop" center for the registration and processing of overstaying overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who intend to avail of the amnesty, Young said. An article on the DOLE website said the note verbale asked the Embassy to “enlighten and educate its citizens about the amnesty." Young said the Philippine Embassy was also tasked to enumerate and register the names of those who are leaving and for those availing of the amnesty to submit the documentary requirements to facilitate their hassle-free repatriation. "[The] Philippine Consul General, POLO, and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) officials in Oman immediately met and sought the assistance of leaders of the Filipino community in disseminating the information about the amnesty program," the DOLE said. Young said that after the initial announcement, 16 OFWs went to the POLO-OWWA office as the first batch to be properly registered and processed. More are expected to avail of the amnesty as the deadline comes near, he added. More jobs for Pinoys in Oman? In the meantime, Young said there were signs that additional opportunities for Filipino workers for Oman will be available soon as the Ministry of Manpower of Oman announced that it has lifted the temporary ban on issuing work visas to foreign workers in 10 categories. Citing a report from the Oman Tribune, Salem Bin Nasir Al Hadhrami, Director-General of Employment at the Ministry of Manpower was quoted as saying that the ministry has allowed companies again to apply work visas for 10 professions such as shoe repair, real estate valuators, bicycle mechanic, electrician, upholstery workers, car mechanics, plumbers and painters, screen printing technicians, health club trainers, restaurants and coffee shop workers. But he clarified the suspension on eight other professions such as laundry and barbershop workers will continue till the end of 2010. Young said that although the ministry adopted a strategy to reduce recruitment of foreign labor, it continues to study market needs and economic development plans of the country. Omani employers have shown great interest in hiring more Filipino workers because of their good work habits, pleasing personality, and sunny disposition in life, which employers value most in the service-oriented establishments like hotels, parlors, restaurants, shopping centers, and coffee shops, he said. - RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV