Employment opportunities await pandemic-displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and jobseekers amid the reopening of economy at the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Labor department shared in a news release on Sunday.

More than 600 OFWs formerly employed by Dubai Duty Free shops will be rehired, said Labor Attaché John Rio Bautista of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Dubai.

“During the pandemic, Dubai Duty Free needed to lay off some workers. But with the revival of the economy here, the management reached out to us and we have a special facilitation for them. More than 600 Filipino workers will be coming back and their salary is competitive. Every week, we process not less than 100 contracts for OFWs who will be rehired,” Bautista said in a virtual briefing on Friday.

Aside from opportunities in the retail sector, Bautista said the health sector also expressed interest to hire Filipino professionals.

Meanwhile, over 8,000 job orders for household service workers (HSWs) have been verified by POLO since early April and around 6,000 to 7,000 of them have already arrived in Dubai.

“The initial implementation of the memorandum of understanding between the Philippines and UAE is really fruitful. The benefits for our HSWs, as instructed by President Duterte, is stated in the comprehensive employment contract. For instance, the provision of the minimum wage amounting to 1,500 dirhams,” Bautista said.

One dirham is about PHP13.75.

Since the implementation of the accord, distressed Filipinos housed at the POLO shelter have also dwindled to an average of 10.

The Labor department reminded overseas jobseekers to go through the proper process and to visit the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration’s website to verify the legitimacy of job offers.

POLO also processes documents of around 200 OFWs daily who are going home as UAE is in the green list, which won’t require quarantine for fully inoculated inbound Filipinos and tourists as long as there is a vaccination card and negative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction Covid-19 test result taken at least 72 hours prior to arrival.

“This is aside from the Balik Manggagawa or those who will come back to the same employer. They do not need to go personally to the POLO for contract verification. They only need to visit the POEA online portal,” Bautista said. (PNA)