POEA Governing Board allows licensed agencies to recruit Filipino nurses for Germany free of placement fee charges

Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz yesterday announced that the
Governing Board of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration which she chairs has
issued last a resolution, GB Resolution No. 4, Series of 2016, allowing the participation of private
recruitment agencies in the recruitment, deployment, and employment of Filipino nurses to
Germany.

“The resolution now paves the way for the immediate hiring and deployment of nurses to
Germany outside of the Triple Win Project,” said Baldoz, who explained that the high demand
for professional nurses in one of Europe’s largest and most stable economies made the issuance
necessary.

“We will allow the hiring and deployment of Filipino nurses to Germany outside of the Triple Win
Project. However, licensed private recruiters cannot collect any placement fee from
applicants,” Baldoz said.

Apart from Secretary Baldoz, Governing Board members who signed the resolution were Hans
Leo J. Cacdac, POEA Administrator and Vice-Chairman; Milagros Isabel A. Cristobal, Women
Sector Representative; Alexander E. Asuncion, Land-based Sector Representative; Felix M. Oca,
Sea-Based Sector Representative; and Estrelita S. Hizon, Private Sector Representative.

Under the Triple Win Project and as outlined in the Philippines-Germany labor agreement signed
on 19 March 2013, job placement of Filipino health professionals in Germany, particularly
nurses, may only be carried out by the POEA’s in-house placement facility and the Federal
Employment Agency (BA) through the International Placement Services (ZAV).

On July 2013, however, the government of the Federal Republic of Germany passed an
employment ordinance allowing “the immigration of recognized occupations, including nurses
among others, into the German labor market, under the so-called ‘White List’ of the German
Employment Regulation, through the private sector.”

The Secretary said the recruitment and placement of Filipino nurses to Germany by PRAs shall
be in accordance with existing rules and regulations of the POEA.

She also urged owners of licensed recruitment agencies to adhere to the framework of a
transparent, fair, and ethical recruitment and employment of the nurses for their protection and
welfare.

Under GB Resolution No. 4, Series of 2016, the PRA shall not collect placement fees from
applicants, but they are allowed to charge service fees from the employers. Other fees to be
paid by the employer are for Preparatory German Language, visa, POEA processing fee, OWWA
contribution, and airfare. Recruitment agencies are required to pay for the nurse’s compulsory
insurance coverage. Applicants have to pay for their passport, medical tests, government
clearances and membership with Philhealth and Pag-IBIG.

News Release
February 10, 2016



Pinoy Abroad on Facebook | Pinoy Abroad Home | Canada Job Bank - Work Abroad | Manila Buzz - News and Views
----------------------------------