The UAE has long been acknowledged as a place of great opportunity, where people of all nationalities and backgrounds can prosper through hard work. Jobs here allow people to support themselves and their families in a way that would not be possible back home. Sadly, however, there are opportunists who prey on these people, and job applicants can find themselves dealing with illegal agents who do not have their best interests at heart.
The problems for many Filipinos start in their home country where contracts are signed via middle men who can make more money from the transaction than the employee. They often also make false claims about the nature of the work and the workplace conditions. As The National has reported, some people travel here on tourist visas and then begin a job search. If their visa expires and they are still jobless, they will do a "border run" to Oman to secure another 90-day stay in the UAE. But these people are also at risk of exploitation, with unscrupulous employers offering lower pay and conditions as they know that the applicants are desperate.
The UAE labour laws that came into effect this month have gone a long way towards protecting workers, by standardising the contract that is signed in the home country and clearly spelling out the job offer. However, the laws do not as yet include household staff such as maids, nannies, cooks and drivers. People applying for these jobs are among the most vulnerable and, sadly, there will always be employers who prey on their naivety or desperation.
The Philippines government is rightly concerned and has, in the past, stopped processing contracts for its citizens to come to the UAE as maids. This seems unduly harsh on people who only want a better life. The best way to protect workers is by weeding out the disreputable agents wherever they are, better regulating the licensed ones – including limits on what they charge for their services – and working with the UAE on devising a standard contract for domestic workers. There have already been talks between the two governments and, hopefully, the situation will be resolved soon.
