UAE, Philippines sign MoU on recruitment of domestic workers

The United Arab Emirates and Philippines have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, on mutual cooperation in areas of recruitment and employment of domestic workers in the UAE.

During a ceremony held today at the ministry's premises in Abu Dhabi, the MoU was signed by Saqr bin Ghobash Saeed Ghobash, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, and Silvestre H. Bello III, Secretary of the Philippines' Department of Labour, in the presence of senior officials of both sides.

According to the memo, recruitment of Filipino domestic workers will begin once all the necessary procedures are taken for facilitating the recruitment process.

Minister Ghobash said that the MoU reflects the keenness of the two friendly countries to enhance their cooperation in the field of labor and facilitate the procedures of accepting and bringing domestic help workers to ensure transparency between the contractual parties, and that the process is in accordance with the las of both nations.

The MoU is a result of many consultations held between the two countries, which began when the UAE Cabinet tasked the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation with overseeing the domestic workers sector in the country, he added.

The ministry contacted its counterparts in countries from which the UAE has a huge demand for domestic workers, and among them was the Philippines. The goal was to conduct consultations and reach an understanding on the employment of domestic workers from the aforementioned countries, which opens up new markets for attracting domestic workers, he noted.

Philippines' Secretary of Labour said that the MoU strengthens the partnership between the UAE and Philippines in the area of labor force, and improves the management of the contractual period between employers and expat workers.

The MoU stipulates a host of procedures concerning the different stages of the contractual process, with the employment process of domestic workers being subjected to a UAE model contract. The recruitment office is tasked with sending the job offer to the employee in their home country and listing the obligations of the labour contract. The contract will be signed by the employer and employee upon the arrival of the latter to the country.

Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry are able to offer recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers that have been submitted by employers. Awareness and guidance programmes will also be organised for the employer, and the employee prior to leaving the Philippines. The programmes will inform contractual parties about their rights and obligations towards each other.