Immigration allowing OFWs on vacation to return to their jobs in Kuwait

February 14, 2018

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is allowing Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Kuwait who are on vacation in the Philippines to leave and return to their jobs.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente made the announcement Wednesday upon learning that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has issued a new directive exempting “Balik Manggagawa” passengers from the deployment ban of OFWs to Kuwait.

Morente said he has instructed Marc Red Mariñas, BI port operations division chief, to make sure OFWs returning to Kuwait are documented and subjected to immigration departure formalities.

He said Kuwaiti-bound Filipinos with short-term non-working visas are also not covered by the ban and they will be allowed to depart.

BI personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were compelled to defer the departure of more than a hundred OFWs to Kuwait as they awaited the DOLE’s decision.

“With this development, there is no more obstacle and impediment for these ‘Balik Manggagawa’ OFWs to return to their jobs in Kuwait,” Morente said.

“As for those who have just been recruited to work in Kuwait.  We are sorry but we cannot let you leave,” added Morente.

Mariñas said BI officers in all the ports are under strict orders to adopt stricter screening procedures and rigid inspection of all departing passengers. DMS