A million reasons
LADY Gaga might as well have been describing the Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) dilemma.
The current population of the Philippines is 107,353,160 as of Jan.11, 2019, according to the latest United Nations (UN) estimates. In addition (pun intended), 4,791 babies are born each day even as more than the 2,500 OFWs leaving daily, according to former president B. S. Aquino 3rd in 2015.
The number of Filipinos leaving three years ago has grown to 6,092 daily based on Department of Labor data, according to Migrante International.
OFWs “walk away” from the Philippines for two major reasons: there are not enough decentpaying employment available at home recognizing OFW skills and unbridled, systemic corruption remains despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s swearing to “kill corrupt politicians and police officers.”
In fact, Malacañang has admitted corruption “is a problem that cannot be solved overnight,” and the Philippines remains one of the countries losing its war against corruption.
In 2017, the Philippines dropped 10 rungs in the 2017 issue of the annual Corruption Perceptions Index ( CPI) as reported by Transparency International. TI stated that the “( h) igh levels of corruption also correlate with weak rule of law, lack of access to information, governmental control over social media and reduced citizens’ participation. In fact, what is at stake is the very essence of democracy and freedom.”
If OFWs are leaving, where would the new dawn be breaking?
While the United States ( US) remains the favored destination of Filipinos in both temporary and permanent migration, the immigrant journey to America is now fraught with uncertainty as the US is now experiencing the longest government shutdown ever on a contentious immigration issue.
A comprehensive immigration reform is off the table as the mercurial President Donald waddles through an incomprehensive path to a solution that would reopen the government and get the 800,000 federal workers back to work. They would be the lucky ones when that
the federal government on the other hand will not be paid.
Across the northern border, Canada rolls out the red carpet to immigrants.
After welcoming more than 286,000 permanent residents in 2017, Canada wants more than 1 million immigrants by 2021. The Northern Neighbor has become the most attractive destination for skilled workers and professionals seeking permanent residency through Express Entry, a points- based selection system that allows OFWs — where they are — to complete a candidate profile and be in the candidate pool.
Canada’s Express Entry system is working so well that even President Donald Trump and his Republican Party begrudgingly admit the US should have one like Canada’s by introducing the RAISE Act in 2017 ( by Senators Tom Colton of Arizona and David Perdue of Georgia) prioritizing skilled immigrants over family- sponsored permanent resident applicants.
The US currently allocates 140,000 immigrant visas for skilled workers, professionals and investors. The RAISE bill intends to cut legal family migration and transfer the numbers to skilled workers with the most number of points.
Express Entry continues its successful run in 2018 and with Canada’s expressed intent to welcome more in the next three years, 2019 is shaping out to be the winningest migration selection system among the four countries with established permanent residency programs.
This year, Canada’s multiyear immigration levels plan enhances its admissions target through the three programs under the Express Entry system — the Federal Skilled Worker Class ( FSWC), Federal Skilled Trades Class ( FSTC) and Canadian Experience Class ( CEC).
CEC in particular is set to increase in 2019 by 6,500 and another 4,400 in 2020. Canada’s provinces and territories. While the nomination numbers for the nine Canadian provinces and two territories have not yet been released the allocations are expected to rise again — more than the 34,700 allocations last year.
A record 89,800 invitations to apply for permanent residency through Express Entry were issued to candidates in the pool, the most issued in any year since Express Entry was introduced in 2015 — a hopeful sign of a stellar year in 2019.
Down Under, Australia also intends to increase the number of skilled workers to its states, territories and regions.
Responding to criticisms that metropolitan cities like Sydney and Melbourne are taking a disproportionate number of skilled migrants, the Australian government sets a new scheme in motion to distribute the migrant population to the regions.
Two regions have now taken that scheme to heart. The Warrnambool region in Victoria and the Northern Territory looks to the Designation Area Migration Agreement ( DAMA) for more skilled workers, even those with low skills — including cooks, family day care workers and motor mechanics - as long as they remain in the region for at least three years.
The Northern Territory ( NT) in particular has announced a list of 117 occupations eligible to nomination and a pathway to permanent residency under DAMA.
Earlier, the NT government issued a list of over 53 occupations listed as high priority — among them accountants, software engineers, mechanical engineers and chefs. A second announcement in September states NT will invest “$ 9.3 million to attract more people, including migrants, to the Territory with families being offered more than $ 15,000 over five years to move to NT to work in high priority jobs”.
Many occupations on the list are eligible for lower English language test results and exemption from the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold. Under current rules, Australian employers must pay foreign workers in temporary jobs a minimum of AUD53,900.
are providing NT’s Occupation List at the end of this column. The original spelling is retained in case an applicant wants to conduct a further search.*
Recruitment procedures
Being on the list is a first good sign, but that is not enough.
An OFW must have an authenticated, verified job order by the respective Philippine Overseas Labor Officer ( POLO) and comply with requirements set by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration ( POEA). The POEA has a list of approved job orders on its website:
Remember to verify a licensed recruitment agency’s good standing and that the job orders posted have not yet been filled. More importantly employers are not allowed to charge an OFW for the recruitment and deployment process.
Unless the Philippine government can provide “one good reason” for an OFW to stay, the millions of jobs and immigrant visa allocations remain a strong pull factor.