PH, Canada sign first federal-level bilateral labor agreement – DMW

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced that it signed the first-ever federal-level bilateral labor agreement with Canada, ensuring fair and safer recruitment regulation for overseas Filipino workers.

DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said during a press briefing on Friday, July 10, that the joint declaration of intent (JDI), signed during the four-day working visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Canada, ensures there are legal pathways for Filipinos working abroad.

He added that, under the joint declaration, the recruitment and deployment of workers will be governed and regulated by the laws of both nations.

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“The elements of the JDI is an emphasis on the legal pathways of migration, where the recruitment and deployment of workers will be governed and regulated by the laws of both countries,” Cacdac highlighted.

The move also seeks to ensure ethical recruitment and licensing processes, as well as the establishment of a mutual recognition of worker credentials of migrant workers, according to Cacdac.

He further reminded that the recruitment fees or related costs are not charged to workers and job seekers, including the overcharging schemes of immigration consultancies.

“No such recruitment fees and related costs shall be charged against the workers and job seekers, including those we are complaining about, the overcharging or charging by Immigration consultancies here in the Philippines with the intent to hire a particular job seeker,” Cacdac said.

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Although the country already established labor cooperation with several Canadian provinces, he emphasized that the shared framework with Canada’s federal government outlined the principles that will further guide the cross-border labor migration.

Cacdac expressed that the agreement is a significant step towards “making overseas employment safer, fairer, and more accessible for Filipino workers and their families.”

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