POEA warns applicants for Korea vs illegal recruiters

“The special hiring arrangement through Korea's Employment Permit System (EPS) is strictly 'government to government' and we have not authorized or recognized any third party to ride on or participate in this hiring program”, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration VI (POEA VI) Director Rhea Glynda Calantas said.

Recently, POEA VI had monitored that there are individuals and entities in the region that are taking advantage of this special hiring program by promising for a fee employment for Korea.

“We have received inquiries over the phone about individuals or recruitment agencies accepting applications or collecting placement fees up to $4,000 in exchange for employment in Korea under the EPS”, said Calantas.

To recall, the country started to participate in Korea's new Employment Permit System (EPS) under a government to government hiring arrangement in August last year. This is to further boost the administration's thrust to maximize employment opportunities for overseas Filipino workers.

Under the program, interested applicants are to register in person to the POEA or to designated PESO and DOLE offices. The pre-screening, test and interview is by the Korean employers while the processing and documentation of workers prior to deployment to Korea shall be handled by a special unit created at the Government Placement Branch of the POEA.

Calantas said there are only five agencies in the country that are allowed to deploy workers in Korea and this is under the Alien Industrial Trainee System and not under the EPS hiring program which is strictly to the POEA only.

Individuals or recruitment agencies engage in this kind of treacherous act by enticing applicants using the EPS program, said Calantas, maybe held liable for violation of the 2002 POEA rules and regulations governing the recruitment and placement of landbased overseas workers and Republic Act 8042 or Migrant Workers & Overseas Filipino Act of 1995. (PIA)