No OEC for Qualified Balik-Manggagawa OFWs

No OEC for Qualified Balik-Manggagawa OFWs

Balik,manggagawa Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) will soon be exempted from the overseas employment certificate or OEC requirement.

Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III announced a group of OFWs will be the first to try the no OEC policy for balik-manggagawa starting tomorrow September 15, 2016.

The signed Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Governing Board Resolution No. 12, Series of 2016 will waive the OFWs OEC requirement if they are:
(1) Returning to the same employer and job site and listed in the POEA's database of OFWs
(2) Hired through POEA's Government  Placement Branch.

An OFW balik-manggagawa shall register at bmonline.ph and encode personal and employment details before their departure date to validate if they are exempted from obtaining OEC. The OFWs updated profile will be forwarded to the Bureau of Immigration to serve as basis for clearance to exit the country without of processing fees.

For OFWs who will go to the airport failing to register first to BM Online System will be referred by the Bureau of Immigration to the POEA's Labor Assistance Counter (LAC) for evaluation and determine if the worker may be cleared for departure or needs to further complete their travel documents.

The resolution is issued following the order of President Duterte to streamline processes in the deployment of OFWs, to afford them facility and ease in transaction before government offices. POEA is already implementing Balik-Manggagawa Online Processing System which has eliminated the long lines at its offices but still needs to improve system for OFWs who are returning to the same employer and job site.

Probation Period Under Saudi Labor Law

Probation Period Under Latest Saudi Labor Law


This article is important for every expatriates and fellow OFW working in Saudi Arabia. Every country has its own labor law which will guide both parties 'Employer and Employee' to stick on it in any situations.

Article (53) in Latest Saudi Labor Law:

- If an employee is subject to probation period, the fact should be explicitly state and mention clearly with in the employment contract, It should be not exceed in 90 days.

-In case both parties agreed in documents, the 90 days probation period can be extendable for another 90 days a total of 180 days (As per 38 Amendments of Saudi Labor Law ) enclusive sick leaves and Eid-Adha, Eid al-Fitr holidays.

Article (54) in Latest Saudi Labor Law:

-An employee should not be placed on probation period more than once by the same employer.

-As an exception to the above rule, An employee may, however and with the approval of the contract parties, be subject to another probation period of not more than 90 days on the condition that this period is for another work or profession.

-If the contract is terminated during the probation period, neither party shall be entitled to compensation nor shall an employee be entitled to End of Service Award.

-As per amended lasbor law, An employee can be placed on additional probation period with both parties agreed on a document, If the relationship between both parties has expired for a period of 6 or more months.

Related Articles : Vacations and Leaves in Saudi Arabia,  Working Hours,  Overtime

Requirements for Renewal of MRP or Green Passport

Philippine Consulate General Jeddah

Renewal of MRP or Green Passport for the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and all Pilipinos will only be processed by the PCG in Jeddah upon submission of the following documents:

1. Actual Green Passport
2. Birth Certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (NSO)
3. At least one (1) valid identification document (SSS ID, Philippine Driver's License, Voter's ID, PRC ID, etc. )

Othet support documents as necessary (i.e. Authenticated Marriage Certificate if married and using married surname).

How to Update PhilHealth Member Data Record

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) are recomended to be member of PhilHealth to avail benefits entitled for them. OFWs pay an amount of P2,400.00 per year as their premium contribution so they can avail of PhilHealth benefits for hospital confinements and surgeries.

To be able to enjoy these benefits, any changes in the OFW membership data record should be updated at once (i.e. civil status etc.) to avoid any inconvenience.

OFWs should follow the steps below to update their PhilHealth member data record:

1. Download the PhilHealth Member Registration Form.
2. Check the box 'For Updating'  found on the upper right-hand side of the form.

3. Fill the part where the necessary revisions should be. Double-check the information you are to provide.
4. After filling up, email the accomplished form to ofp@philhealth.gov.ph

5. Wait for an emailed copy of your updated Member Data Record.


OFWs can pay their contribution in advance for five years or depends on the duration of the employment contract with their overseas employer.

DISCLOSURE POLICY

DISCLOSURE POLICY

 This policy is valid from 12 September 2016 This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. This blog does not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. However, we will and do accept and keep free products, services, travel, event tickets, and other forms of compensation from companies and organizations. The compensation received will never influence the content, topics or posts made in this blog. All advertising is in the form of advertisements generated by a third party ad network. Those advertisements will be identified as paid advertisements. The owner(s) of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest. To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org

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This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on September 12, 2016.
If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly here: jay.orongan81@yahoo.com

Sponsorship Transfer

Job Change or Sponsorship Transfer or Tanazul If you are on Company visa:


Saudi Arabia has been the best place for employment to expatriates whether they are new visitor or experienced. But, changing job or Naqal Kafala or transferring your Sponsorship (Tanazul) from one company to another company in Saudi Arabia is very difficult. However there are only two ways to do a job change or Tanazul for those who are on  company visa.

First way is go for final exit and come with new visa.
Second way is transfer your Sponsorship to another company, If your employer agree (rarely possible). Employer never agrees transferring you to another company as it is hard and lengthy process to get new visa.

Sponsorship Under Red Category:


If your company is in red, You can get easily transfer to another company without revealing your first company. You can check your company category by following this link "Nitaqat Color Category".


Job Change on Own (Paid or Azad) Visa:


If you are on your own visa (Azad visa) then you can switch easily from one company to another company without transferring Sponsorship to one company, Azad visa is no more entertained in Saudi Arabia and treated as illegal if they caught.


Things to Do Before  Changing Sponsorship (Naqal Kafala) :

1. Read your current company contract, terms and  conditions.
2. Assure you got offer or request letter from new employer requesting transfer.
3. Always be pleasing and kind to current sponsor (employer), satisfy him (else he have right to complain on you).

Things not to Do Before Changing Sponsorship (Naqal Kafala) : 

1. Do not reveal your mind planning to any of your colleague or employer.
2. Do not think of Exit/ Re-Entry visa.

Saudi Arabia Labor Law 2015 38 Amendments

Saudi Arabia Labor Law
38 Amendments 2015


Labor Ministry and the Council of Ministers approved 38 amendments updates in new Saudi Arabia Labor Law on March 2015, Which is affected after 6 months of approval, that is from October 2015.
The major updates of these 38 amendments are as follows.

1. Training for Saudi's : A company with 50 or more employees must train 12% Saudis and take them as original employees. Earlier it was 6% and It is stated in Article (43) of Saudi Labor Law.
You can also see this article " Nitaqat Categories".


2. Probationary Period : 90 days probation period can be extended by additional 90 days (But not more than 180 days, Earlier it was only 90 days). If both parties agreed for that period. An employee in one organization can go on probation period only once, Unless the job is separate from the earlier one or when worker left and returned back organization.

3. Fixed  Contracts : For Saudi Nationals, If the employment fixed contract is extended for 4 years (successfully renewed 3 times) then it will become unlimited contract. Earlier it was 3 years (renewed 2 times). It is as per Article (55) in Arabic contract of Saudi Labor Law.

4. Absent From Work : As per Article (80) in Saudi Labor Law, Employee absence from work without valid reason for more than 20 days or 10 consecutive days are increased to 30 days or 15 consecutive days are subject to termination without any salary.

5. Termination Notice : Expanded notice periods for termination of unlimited contracts from 30 days to 60 days for monthly payable employees and 15 days to 30 days for hourly payable employees.
Referring Article (75) in 38 new amendments of Saudi Labor Law.

6. Leaves : Increased in Short term leaves of Article (113) in Saudi Labor Law 2015.
- Marriage Leave is increased from 3 days to 5 days.
- Paternity Leave is increased from 1 day to 3 days.
- Bereavement Leave is increased from 3 days to 5 days.
- Muslim women will get 4 months 10 days leave in case of husband dies or divorce. For Non Muslim women she is entitled for 15 days leave with full pay. As mentioned in Article(160).

7. Maternity Leave : 10 weeks maternity leave for women with full pay starting 4 weeks before delivery, Additional 1 month leave with out pay. As mentioned in Article (151, 152).
Similar article " Vacation & Leaves in Saudi Labor Law".

8. Transfer of Employee : The employer must get written permission of employee before transferring from one place to other. In emergency situations employer can transfer employee to other place not more than 30 days in a year.

9. Employment Certificate : Article (64) New Saudi Arabia Labor Law, The employer must provide a certificate of employment at the end of the contract. Certificate should not include anything that harm the reputation of the employee.

10. Working Hours : An employee should not stay at workplace more than 12 hours per day, No more than 5 consecutive hours work without a break, Break should be attacked least half an hour every day for prayer and lunch. You can also read this article "Working Hours as per Labor Law".

11. Work Injuries : As per Article (137), An employee who met with work injury is entitled to full pay of 2 months (Earlier it was 1 month) amount compensation and thereafter 75% pay till the treatment which can be up to 1 year, where upon he shall classified as disabled and eligible for compensation.

12. Wage Protection System : As in Article (90.2), Currently KSA is implementing Wage Protection System where companies are required to deposit salaries into a bank account for each employee. As of now, WPS is on 8th stage which is applicable to firms with 130 or more employees, It started with largest firms with 3000 or more employees.