New deal on hiring Filipino domestic workers in UAE

Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry are able to offer recruitment.

Abu Dhabi - A contract will be signed by the employer and employee upon the arrival of the latter to the country.

To make hiring of Filipino domestic workers more transparent in, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the UAE and Philippines on Tuesday.
Saqr bin Ghobash Saeed Ghobash, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, and Silvestre H. Bello III, Secretary of the Philippines' Department of Labour, signed the MoU at a ceremony held in the ministry's premises in Abu Dhabi.
Hiring of Filipino domestic workers under the new deal will begin once the necessary procedures are taken for facilitating the recruitment process.
Saqr bin Ghobash said that the MoU reflects the keenness of the two countries to enhance their cooperation and ensure transparency between them in the recruitment of domestic workers.
The MoU is a result of many consultations, which began when the UAE Cabinet tasked the ministry to oversee the domestic workers sector in the country, he added.
The ministry contacted its counterparts in countries from which the UAE has a huge demand for domestic workers, and among them was the Philippines. The goal was to reach an understanding on the employment of domestic workers from the aforementioned countries, which opens up new markets for attracting domestic workers, he noted.
Philippines' Secretary of Labour said that the MoU strengthens the partnership in the area of labour force, and improves the management of the contractual period between employers and expat workers.
As per the MoU, the recruitment office is tasked with sending the job offer to the employee in their home country and listing the obligations of the labour contract. The contract will be signed by the employer and employee upon the arrival of the latter to the country.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry are able to offer recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers that have been submitted by employers. Awareness and guidance programmes will also be organised for the employer, and the employee before exiting Philippines. The programmes will inform contractual parties about their rights and obligations towards each other.
Key points in MoU

1. Recruitment office has to send offer letter to employee in home country
2. It has to list the obligations of the labour contract
3. Contract will be signed by employer and employee upon the arrival of the latter in UAE
4. Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry are able to offer recruitment