The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) posted an advisory yesterday warning the public of illegal recruiters promising jobs overseas, particularly in Dubai, via social media.

According to the advisory, the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad reported a surge in the number of Filipino workers being trafficked into Iraq from Dubai.

Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Julius Torres said illegal recruiters entice prospective workers to acquire work in Dubai by traveling over as tourists. However, once their visas expire, workers are given the choice to work in Syria or Iraq, or pay $3,000 for airfare back to the Philippines.

Workers are also threatened with imprisonment for overstaying.

“The ban on the deployment to Iraq, or Kurdistan, of newly-hired workers, that was imposed in 2014, has still not been lifted,” he reminded.

The United Arab Emirates, where Dubai is located, has an ongoing amnesty program for those in the country illegally or have overstayed their visas, which the DFA encouraged overseas workers in such situations to take advantage of.

While the program runs until October 31, any cases reported after July 31 will not be considered./WDJ