OFWs warned against illegal recruitment agencies in HK

MANILA, Philippines - Filipinos seeking a job abroad should be cautious in dealing with illegal recruitment agencies in Hong Kong that promise employment in third country destinations, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday.

The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong issued on Dec. 6 a warning to overseas Filipino workers dealing with employment agencies for jobs in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic and other European countries.

Labor Attaché Romulo Salud of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office said there are no job orders for Filipino workers coursed through Hong Kong-based recruitment agencies.

This comes as reports said a certain agency has been recruiting Filipinos in Hong Kong for fictitious jobs in Cyprus and other third country destinations.

“The same advisory advised the public to review the matrix of labor market opportunities for several destination countries in the Philippine Consulate General’s website www.philcongen-hk.com and ensure, at the minimum, that their prospective work offers in destination countries must be verified by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and authenticated by the relevant Philippine Embassy or Consulate,” DFA said.

The Consulate said it has been helping victims of illegal recruitment and that it is also coordinating with The Consulate General in Macau and the DFA in Manila to assist other victims.

“Individuals who have relevant information on any recruitment agency processing workers for Cyprus is encouraged to consult with the Consulate’s Assistance-to-Nationals Section and POLO-HK for guidance,” DFA said.