7,000 foreign workers face deportation

MANILA, Philippines — At least 7,000 foreign workers, mostly Chinese employees with no permits, could soon be deported as the government starts implementing a stricter policy to regulate the employment of foreigners in the country.    

Dominique Tutay, director of the Department of Labor and Employment’s Bureau of Local Employment, said DOLE is submitting to the Bureau of Immigration the list of foreigners working without the necessary alien employment permits (AEPs).

“As of June 24, there are 7,000 foreign workers in the list who were given until mid-June, but are yet to comply with the requirements. We will give it to the (Bureau of) Immigration for possible deportation,” Tutay said yesterday.

Tutay said most of the foreign workers are probably not applying for AEPs for now because the new policy regulating the employment of foreigners is yet to take effect. 

Prior to the implementation of the new policy, Tutay said DOLE had already recorded an increase in the number of foreign workers applying for work permits.

Compared to 9,000 in the first quarter last year, the number of AEP applications rose to 15,000 during the same period, she noted.

But Tutay said the number of foreigners facing deportation could also go higher considering that DOLE has only inspected Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) located in Metro Manila.

She said DOLE and the Department of Finance (DOF) would deploy a joint inspection team to check other POGO firms in economic zones and other regions nationwide.

Yesterday, a joint memorandum circular (JMC) governing employment of foreign workers in POGOs and other companies in the country was signed by the different concerned government agencies.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said aside from an increase in revenue, the JMC will ensure that no Filipino will be deprived of work because of the entry of foreign nationals.

“Foreign nationals will not be given a working permit if they won’t be paying taxes. So those are the most important objectives of the joint memorandum circular,” Bello said.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) expects to collect P2 billion in revenue from foreign workers as a result of the JMC’s implementation. The JMC is set to take effect next week.

Bello said the JMC will be retroactive, thus foreign nationals should immediately comply with the requirements and secure the necessary work permits to avoid immediate deportation.

The JMC provides that foreign nationals intending to work in the country shall secure a work visa as well as apply for Tax Identification Number (TIN).

Under the JMC, the government shall also develop a system that would capture the data on foreign nationals working in the Philippines.  

Based on DOLE data, there are 130,000 foreign workers legally employed in the country.    – With Evelyn Macairan