Filipino maids already in UAE not affected by conflicting rules

Dubai: Filipino maids already working in the UAE who wish to renew their contracts and those who are on vacation in their home country may continue to work with their employers as they are not affected by the current conflict in policies on maid recruitment.

Hiring new housemaids directly from the Philippines has become tougher since the beginning of June due to conflicting recruitment rules from the UAE and labour-sending countries like the Philippines. The issue arose from a recent introduction of a unified contract for domestic workers issued by the Ministry of Interior leading to the suspension of various embassies’ role in verifying and attesting contracts, including the Philippines.

Rosalinda Baldoz, Philippine labour secretary, said only new hires from the Philippines are affected by the temporary suspension since their contracts cannot be processed without verification from labour offices in the UAE.

“Household service workers already working in the UAE are not affected. If they come to the Philippine labour office on their own request or initiative to ask for their OEC [Overseas Employment Certificate] and update their Overseas Workers Welfare Administration membership, they can do so,” Baldoz told Gulf News in a phone interview from Manila.

An OEC or travel exit clearance is a document that proves a returning Filipino worker is in the Philippines for a holiday and intends to go back to the same employer abroad. Manila airport officials do not allow Filipino workers to return to their jobs abroad without the document.

Baldoz said labour offices in the UAE will process requests for OECs of maids already in the UAE so they can return to their employers. Their employment contracts are stamped ‘seen and noted’ for purposes of records.

Baldoz said those who wish to work for a new employer are not affected as well.

“There are no regulations for transferees or maids who wish to transfer sponsorship. But if they come to us, we will welcome and serve them,” Baldoz said.

Baldoz earlier clarified that the Philippines does not have a deployment ban on maids to the UAE. The conflicting policies between the UAE and the Philippines, however, has led to a shortage of maids since no new maids can be deployed if no contract is verified by the Philippine missions.