DOLE sees hiring of more OFWs in Canada

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) expects more overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to be hired in Canada next year.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz yesterday attributed the forecast to Canada’s plan to admit 17,500 residents through its live-in caregiver program (LCP).

“Although open to other nationalities, the Philippines is, and continues to be, the top source of live-in caregivers in Canada. The rapid uptrend in the deployment of Filipinos to Canada in the coming years can be expected,” Baldoz said in a statement.

She said Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Minister Chris Alexander has announced that they will slash application backlogs and processing times for skilled workers, parents and grandparents.

The backlog had grown steadily for the past years that the number of caregivers completing their work obligations and becoming eligible for permanent residency has routinely outpaced the planned levels of admissions from the program.

Alexander, however, said that Canada needs to honor its commitment of permanent residency to live-in caregivers after meeting work obligations in looking after children, the elderly, or disabled people under their care.

DOLE said there were around 9,000 permanent residents admitted in 2012 under the LCP.