OFW population in Poland increases

The number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Poland increased this year with more work permits issued to Filipinos.

Polish officials said there has been a gradual but noticeable increase in the number of OFWs in Poland.

According to the National Labor Inspectorate officials, a total of 730 work permits were issued to Filipinos in 2017 while 500 work permits were issued to OFWs for the first half of 2018.

The officials met with Philippine Ambassador to Poland Patricia Ann Paez to inform that 11 inspections were conducted by the Labor Inspectorate in 2017 while four had been undertaken during the first half of 2018. The inspections were done in worksites which employ OFWs and covered a total of 39 OFWs.

The Polish officials also apprised the Philippine embassy officials about the status of several labor-related complaints which were brought to the attention of the embassy by the OFWs and which the embassy, referred to the National Labor Inspectorate.

The Philippine embassy in Warsaw said Poland’s National Labor Inspectorate, headed by Chief Labor Inspector Wieslaw Lyszcek, has been actively supporting and cooperating with the embassy to ensure the welfare of OFWs in Poland.

The Philippines and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Office in Poland agreed to work together in ensuring the ethical recruitment of OFWs for the Polish labor market.

Paez and IOM-Warsaw head Anna Rostocka agreed on joint activities for the benefit of OFWs in Poland during their meeting at the embassy.

The embassy and the IOM were set to hold two seminars last September for OFWs in Poland on the following topics: “Cultural orientation for newly arrived migrant workers” and “Rights and obligations of OFWs in Poland.”