RP lifts DH ban to Switzerland

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino household workers can now work in Switzerland after the government lifted the more than two-decade long suspension of their deployment.

Administrator Jennifer Manalili of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said the government decided to lift the ban after the Swiss government put in place necessary regulations to protect foreign workers.

“We have already approved a resolution lifting the ban on deployment of au pair so we can now resume deployment of household workers to Switzerland,” she said.

Negotiations are still ongoing concerning the possible lifting of ban on the sending of household workers to Norway, she added.

The Philippine and Norwegian governments are expected to forge an agreement for the lifting of the ban, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The ban would not be lifted on household workers traveling to other European countries like Denmark.

In Norway, the number of Filipino household workers grew to 2,060 in 2008 from only 78 in 2000.

Similarly, Filipinos in Denmark rose to 2,163 last year from only 21 in 1999.

The Department of Labor and Employment sees the opening of the Swiss market for Filipino household and other skilled workers with the lifting of the ban.

Labor attaché Manuel Imson said the Philippines is yet to tap the big employment opportunities for Filipino workers in Switzerland.

Existing programs promote the hiring of Filipino workers to Switzerland, but a limited number of Filipinos avail of these, he added.

The Philippine and Swiss governments are discussing the possibility of forging agreements for the hiring of overseas Filipino workers, particularly health workers in the coming years, Imson said. — Mayen Jaymalin