DMW reviews Saudi Arabia ‘whitelist’ agencies

TO ensure their compliance with existing policies and guidelines in the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is undertaking an assessment of recruitment agencies and foreign employers included in the “whitelist.”

Based on Advisory No. 25 – 2024, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said a performance review shall be undertaken every six months for recruitment agencies, foreign recruitment agencies, and foreign employers/principals involved in employing and deploying Filipino domestic workers and workers with vulnerable skills to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“The Department of Migrant Workers will conduct a performance review and update the whitelist every six months to ensure that all information is current and that entities remain compliant with the established guidelines,” said Cacdac.

“The Department of Migrant Workers shall conduct the said periodic performance review to monitor continued compliance of the agencies and foreign principals/employers with the criteria for inclusion to the whitelist,” he added.

Cacdac said the assessment shall be done in accordance with DMW Memorandum Circular No. 18 – 2022.

The whitelist refers to Philippine recruitment agencies, foreign recruitment agencies, and foreign employers and principals that will be allowed to participate in the recruitment and deployment of domestic workers and workers with vulnerable skill sets to the KSA.

Those that may be included are those found compliant with recruitment laws, rules, and regulations; practice fair and ethical recruitment and business standards; and employ gender-responsive staff, structure, and policies.

Also qualified are those that provide responsive welfare and allied services for OFWs; and provide superior terms and conditions of work.

To give way to the performance assessment, the department said no new applications for whitelisting shall be accepted.

“During this review period, the acceptance of new applications for whitelist inclusion will be temporarily suspended to facilitate thorough monitoring,” said Cacdac.