Beyond Recruitment: How Staffhouse Upholds Filipino Worker Rights in New Zealand
New Zealand is a land of great opportunities for overseas Filipino workers. The country offers a high and increasing minimum wage and is renowned for its excellent standard of living, encompassing a robust healthcare system, quality education, and a pristine environment.
The Philippine government recognises the importance of its people working in New Zealand, which is why it has specific employment laws and bilateral agreements with the New Zealand government to protect its OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers)’ legal rights.
Filipinos often turn to Philippine immigration agencies to facilitate overseas employment, handling immigration paperwork, job placements, and airfare arrangements for a fee. However, there are illegitimate recruiters.
In this blog, we’ll discuss the importance of worker welfare for Filipinos seeking work in New Zealand and how working with a DMW-accredited agency is the best course of action for aspiring OFWs to ensure that all their time, money, and efforts are not wasted or worse, exploited.
DMW (Department of Migrant Workers) in a Nutshell
The Department of Migrant Workers is the Philippine government’s executive department dedicated to safeguarding the rights and promoting the welfare of OFWs.
The DMW consolidates and exercises the powers and functions of seven merged agencies, including the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (OUMWA) of the Department of Foreign Affairs, and others.
The DMW facilitates overseas employment and reintegration of Filipino workers, aligning with national development programs. It promotes the empowerment and protection of OFWs through ongoing training and knowledge development.
The Role of DMW Accredited Agencies
Working with an accredited recruitment agency regarding foreign employment gauges program and service effectiveness, ensuring defined services and uniformity. More importantly, it gives workers a sense of trust that they are safe.
As per the DMW, accreditation refers to the grant of authority by the Philippine government to a foreign principal/employer to recruit and hire Filipino workers through a licensed and DMW-accredited agency.
Earlier this year, the DMW introduced new, simplified, and rights-based rules for hiring land-based OFWs, replacing the seven-year-old guidelines issued by the POEA. The updated guidelines include a one-strike policy for erring recruitment agencies’ immediate license cancellation for “cardinal sins,” such as graft, corruption, and minor recruitment. The rules aim to protect OFWs’ rights, regulate accommodations, and increase license validity and escrow deposit.
Hiring an accredited Philippines-based recruitment agency offers efficiency if you are a foreign employer. These agencies handle interviews, background checks, and assessments, freeing your HR team for other crucial tasks. It also doesn’t hurt that the Philippines has an extensive pool of qualified candidates, making searching for top talents easier.
Worker Welfare Measures Implemented by Staffhouse Recruitment Agency as A DMW Accredited Agency
At Staffhouse International Resources, we acknowledge that overseas Filipino workers are the true heroes of today. They contribute to the Philippine economy through remittances and embodying resilience. Despite homesickness, personal sacrifices, and challenging working conditions, they persevere to provide a better life for their families back home.
A significant portion of the Philippine government’s gross domestic product relies on the foreign earnings of its workforce. To ensure the safe employment of OFWs, the Philippine government closely monitors and regulates the overseas employment of Filipino nationals.
Staffhouse works hand in hand with foreign employers to ensure that foreign workers’ rights are protected and that foreign employers are aware of Philippine laws governing hiring overseas.
Before we recruit for a New Zealand employer in the Philippines, we ensure that the Philippines government accredits them as a foreign employer. This accreditation can be obtained through the nearest Philippines Overseas Labour Office in Canberra, Australia, or the Philippine Consul General in Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch.
The Philippine Overseas Labor Office in New Zealand, Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga facilitates worker employment and promotes Filipino workers’ welfare, aligning with the foreign service mandate to assist, prevent exploitation, verify employment contracts, conduct studies on the job market, and gather and analyse employment-related information.
Challenges and How Staffhouse Overcomes Them
• Fake job postings
The DMW warns Filipino jobseekers about fraudulent schemes offering employment opportunities in New Zealand, with scammers using established company names. Reports include a fake recruitment scheme by someone posing as a representative of a renowned company and another involving fake “immigration advisers” on a Facebook page imitating a legitimate consultancy office. Scammers charge fees for visa processing and other costs.
• Illegal recruitment
Illegal recruitment involves recruitment without a valid license or required authority and is punishable under Philippine laws.
Recently, DMW received a complaint from an aspiring OFW’s spouse about a deployment delay after paying P150,000 of the requested P280,000 for document processing. Staffhouse supports the DMW’s campaign to report suspicious employment scams and illegal recruitment activities.
Filipino migrant workers are increasingly vital for New Zealand employers to address labour and skill shortages. Consequently, their welfare is a priority for the Philippines government. If you want to know more about your legal rights as an OFW (Overseas Filipino Workers), check DMW’s website more: https://dmw.gov.ph/
Staffhouse International Resources: Your Trusted DMW-Accredited Agency
To ensure safe employment for Filipino workers across the globe, partner with Staffhouse. We’re proudly a DMW-accredited agency that prioritises worker welfare in New Zealand.
Staffhouse is an accredited Philippines-based recruitment agency for New Zealand recognised by POEA, now DMW, since 1999. With a valid and awarded license, including Top Performer Awardee and Top Deploying Agency in 2018, 2019, and 2020, Staffhouse has deployed over 30,000 Filipino workers globally. Testimonials from deployed applicants highlight the agency’s efficiency and assistance. If you’re seeking jobs in New Zealand, rely on Staffhouse’s extensive recruitment experience and commitment as a 100% non-fee charging company.
Gearing up to start your employment journey in New Zealand? Staffhouse is committed to offering top-notch employment opportunities to the country’s skilled workforce and professionals while highlighting the best of the Philippines globally.
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