POEA warns OFWs against recruiters promising jobs in Japan

January 3, 2019

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Thursday warned overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) against falling prey to illegal recruiters, who promise supposed employment opportunities in Japan.

In a statement, the POEA said those seeking job opportunities in Japan should be vigilant against those offering jobs without proper authorization.

“The POEA has received reports of unscrupulous persons, who are engaged in illegal recruitment activities and are collecting fees from applicants, allegedly for jobs in Japan,” said the POEA.

The supposed job offers, it noted, is being anchored on the newly-approved two new residency visa status in Japan.

Last December, the legislative branch of the Japanese government approved the opening of these two visa categories.

Designated Skills 1 and 2 visa status (DS1 and DS2), POEA said, are meant to attract lower-skilled workers in industries where there are labor shortages.

The two designated visas, though, is only set to be implemented in April 2019, said the POEA.

Instead of relying on illegal recruiters, the agency urged aspiring OFWs to just wait for the issuance of the rules and regulations on the deployment to Japan.

“The POEA advises job applicants to wait for the appropriate guidelines in the recruitment and deployment of Filipino workers for these two visa status to be issued by the Japanese and Philippine governments,” said the POEA. DMS