Bureau of Immigration visa program creates 20,000 jobs for Pinoys

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Immigration’s new visa scheme for foreign employers has created almost 20,000 jobs for Filipinos since it was launched last month, the agency reported yesterday.

BI Commissioner Marcelino Libanan said in a statement a total of 47 companies are already enjoying the agency’s special visa for employment generation (SVEG) program and have employed 19,579 Filipinos.

Among these companies are Sykes Asia, Inc., with 11,000 employees; National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, 5,000; Fontana Development Corp., 439; Fort Ilocandia Development Co., 363; Trec Pacific Corp., 334; and Metro Banking Management, 73.

SVEG provides indefinite stay to a foreign employer who provides full-time jobs to at least 10 Filipino workers in legitimate and sustainable business in the country. The new job-generating visa aims to create at least 100,000 jobs in its first year alone.

“SVEG is timely in the face of the global economic crisis, as it would put the Philippines ahead of other countries in Asia in inviting more foreign capital amid the expected economic slowdown,” he said.

Libanan said a number of foreign investors have already applied for the SVEG. Libanan has visited major cities in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao to encourage foreigners to invest in the country and create more jobs in the countryside.

“With SVEG, they don’t have to fly all the way to Manila every two years to renew their working permit. They don’t have to pay the exit clearance fee either every time they leave the country,” he said. “Hopefully, in the future, Filipinos will no longer have the urge to find job opportunities abroad because they can find it here.” – Helen Flores