US: ‘No recruitment fee’ for Guam-bound OFWs

 The Philippine Embassy in Guam has reiterated that the United States has a “no recruitment fee" policy for workers with H2B visas, following reports that Filipino applicants continue to pay manpower agencies such fees.

This was after the US State Department confirmed that it has been processing applications from prospective Filipino workers bound for Guam who admit they paid placement or recruitment fees to their manpower agencies.

Philippine Consul General Bayani S. Mercado said he met with the US State Department’s Fraud Prevention acting manager Clay Allen to discuss joint measures to inform the general public about the “no recruitment fee" policy for the H2B visa.

The H2B visa is a 10-month visa for short-term or seasonal workers in non-agricultural positions, such as in construction, cleaning, hotel, restaurant and landscape.

During the meeting, Allen reiterated that his office continues to receive applications from workers bound for Guam who admit paying placement or recruitment fees, according to a release posted on the website of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

He added that Topline Manpower Services, a Philippines-based manpower agency faulted for violating the policy, continues to operate as a labor recruitment agency despite the US Embassy in Manila sending notice to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.

Allen expressed willingness to meet with Philippine government officials and media for an information campaign on the US policy. He added that his office is looking closely at applications for H2B workers.

He was accompanied by Reynaldo Beltran, Consular Investigations Assistant at the US Embassy in Manila, and Douglas Carter of the Consular Security Service, the release noted.

It added the US Embassy's Anti-Fraud division has been working closely with the Guam Department of Labor and other federal agencies in Guam to ascertain that workers coming from the Philippines are employed in the jobs they were hired for, and at the salary scales stated in their applications.

POEA warns agencies

In light of this, the POEA warned agencies anew against charging placement fees for applicants falling under the H2B category.

“The policy, contained in POEA Memorandum Circular No. 10 Series of 2009 issued in September last year, is in line with US Government regulations which forbids the charging of recruitment or placement fees from a worker as a condition for employment under an H-2B visa," the POEA said in a separate release posted on its website.

It added that the POEA has adopted a policy that prohibits charging of placement fees from workers applying for jobs in countries that do not allow such fees since 2001.

The US, including Guam, is now one such country, along with United Kingdom, Ireland, Israel, some provinces of Canada like Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan, and the Netherlands.

“Administrative charges carrying a penalty of cancellation of license shall immediately be filed against recruitment agencies found violating the no-placement fee policy in these countries," said POEA administrator Jennifer Manalili.

She also urged jobseekers to visit the POEA website or call hotlines 722-1144/7221155 or text 2917 for any developments on the Guam labor market.—Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMANews.TV

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