Singapore relaxes work permit rules for PH household workers

Filipino household service workers (HSW) in Singapore can now apply for a two-year work permit without being restricted by the expiry date of their passports, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said.

In a statement, Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz disclosed that the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) of Singapore recently implemented the new work permit regulation to reduce possible disruption for migrant HSWs in completing their employment contracts.

“Foreign household service workers in Singapore will now be given the full work permit duration of two years, provided that their passports are valid at the point of issuance or renewal,” said Baldoz citing a report from Labor Attaché Ramon T. Tionloc Jr.

“Singapore will allow this even if the remaining validity of the HSWs passports is shorter than two years,” she added.

The labor chief, however, clarified the MOM’s regulation will not affect the separate processing being conducted by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) on the work permits of HSWs.

She said Filipino HSWs would still have to renew their passports within the six months from its expiration to avoid unnecessary delays in the renewal of work permits.

According to the 2013 data from the Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO), there are currently around 160,000 overseas Filipino workers in Singapore. A large portion of them are HSWs. Eased Greek remittance

restrictions Meanwhile, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) also announced the Greek government has relaxed its restrictions for remittances made outside its territory.

“As a result of this decision, the transfer of Euro 500 per person per month was allowed by authorities. Parents with children studying abroad are allowed to send up to Euro 8,000 per person month to cover their educationrelated expenses,” POEA said an advisory.

It said this will now allow overseas Filipino workers (OFW) to send money to their families through their remittances centers in Greece.

Last June, the Greek government imposed more stringent banking transaction restrictions to prevent capital flight.