The Philippines and Croatia have agreed on new measures to enhance the welfare and employment opportunities of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced Tuesday.
The two countries are now working on the possible deployment of Filipino healthcare workers and will streamline work permits and residence cards to improve labor mobility. Both sides also committed to strengthen cooperation on Pre-Departure and Post-Arrival Orientation Seminars (PDOS and PAOS), ensuring better preparation and protection for Filipino workers abroad.
The DMW and Croatia also vowed to tighten coordination to safeguard Filipino workers entering Croatia through third countries, guaranteeing they are properly documented and legally employed.
In addition, Croatia has opened 435 new job vacancies in its hospitality sector under a government-to-government pilot hiring program, offering no placement fee employment for Filipino workers.
The agreement was signed 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.
Currently, there are about 12,000 Filipinos working in Croatia, Slovenia, and Slovakia, mostly in the hospitality, construction, and service industries, according to the DMW.
