DMW holds Job and Livelihood Fair for displaced ex-Saudi OFWs and family members; nearly 17,000 jobs available

Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople today said the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) will be holding a special job fair on Saturday, November 19, for former Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Saudi Arabia displaced due to the closure of several mega-construction companies.

Job vacancies will be both for the domestic and overseas workforce in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) and other government agencies as well as private sector partners.

The special job fair will be held at the Starmall at the corner of EDSA and Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City from 10am to 3pm. Over 11,000 overseas and 6,000 local job offerings as well as various livelihood opportunities will be made available.

“We will be holding a series of special job fairs for OFWs whose companies in Saudi Arabia declared bankruptcy as far back as 2015-2016,” Ople said.

Local employment opportunities from five private employers in need of 4,526 workers will be offered. The Public Employment Services Offices (PESO), under the auspices of the DOLE, will also be offering 1,440 vacancies.

“We want to bring government closer to the people especially during these difficult times through the DMW’s job and reintegration fairs for displaced OFWs and their families,” Ople added.
DMW Undersecretary for Foreign Employment and Welfare Services Hans Cacdac said there will be some 11,000 overseas postings from 46 land-based recruitment agencies with 8,000 job offers and almost 3,000 openings from seven manning or sea-based agencies.

The job offerings are in the Middle East (Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE), Europe (Croatia, Germany, Hungary), Asia (Brunei, China, Japan, Hongkong, Malaysia, Singapore), Oceania (Australia, New Zealand), Morocco and the Cayman Islands.

Meanwhile, DMW Assistant Secretary for Reintegration Venecio Legaspi said job categories range from highly skilled and professional workers to low skilled work. The top three countries with overseas job offerings are New Zealand with 1,746 jobs, Hong Kong with 935, and Saudi Arabia with 832.

Legaspi added the largest worker category openings are for medical professionals, specifically nurses, at 1,225; and semi-skilled workers or carpenters at 500 vacancies.

List of participating agencies and offices:

1. Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE)
2. Mandaluyong City Government
3. Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA)
4. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
5. Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) / Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Worker Affairs (OUMWA)
6. Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)
7. Social Security Service (SSS)
8. Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG)
9. Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth)
10. Office of the Congresswoman Camille A. Villar
11. Office of Rep. Marissa del Mar
12. National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)