- Philippines and Croatia signed new agreements to enhance welfare and employment opportunities for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
- The partnership includes the deployment of Filipino healthcare workers, streamlined work permits with residence cards, and stronger PDOS and PAOS programs for worker protection.
- Croatia opened 435 job vacancies in its hospitality sector under a no-placement-fee, government-to-government hiring program, reinforcing fair and transparent employment practices.
The Philippines and Croatia have inked new measures toward improving welfare and employment opportunities for overseas Filipino workers, the Department of Migrant Workers announced.
The two countries are now working on the possible deployment of Filipino healthcare workers and will facilitate work permits with residence cards to improve labor mobility. Both sides also committed to strengthening cooperation on Pre-Departure and Post-Arrival Orientation Seminars, or PDOS and PAOS, respectively, to better equip and protect Filipino workers abroad.
DMW and Croatia also promised to tighten coordination to protect Filipino workers who enter Croatia via third countries, making sure that they are properly documented and legally employed. Moreover, Croatia has opened 435 new job vacancies in its hospitality industry through a government-to-government pilot hiring program offering no placement fee employment for Filipino workers.
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The agreement was inked at the DMW’s main office in Mandaluyong City, coinciding with the Philippines Croatia Friendship Week celebration. Migrant Workers Undersecretary Jainal Rasul Jr. represented the Philippines, while State Secretary Ivan Vidis signed for the Croatian side.
"To our partners from the Croatian government and employment sector, thank you for your trust in the Filipino workforce and for upholding fair and transparent hiring practices under our bilateral agreement", said DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac.
At present, there are around 12,000 Filipinos who work in Croatia, Slovenia, and Slovakia - mostly in the hospitality, construction, and service sectors according to the DMW.
