DMW Suspends OFW Deployment to Middle East as Regional Conflict Escalates
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has issued a critical advisory, urging private recruitment agencies (PRAs) to immediately cease deploying overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Middle East countries amidst intensifying regional warfare. This directive aims to safeguard Filipino nationals from the dangers posed by ongoing hostilities and travel disruptions.
Deployment Bans Across Alert Levels
In Advisory 10, Series of 2026, the DMW explicitly stated that OFW deployment is currently suspended to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), despite these nations not having an elevated alert level. The ongoing regional tensions and airspace restrictions currently suspend deployments to these areas until further notice, emphasized the department.
Furthermore, a total deployment ban remains in effect for Gaza, Syria, and Yemen, all classified under Crisis Alert Level (CAL) 4. Similarly, Iraq and Lebanon, under CAL 3, also enforce a complete prohibition on sending OFWs.
Restrictions on Returning and New Hires
For countries under CAL 2, including Iran, the Kurdistan Region, Israel, and the West Bank, the DMW permits only returning OFWs with existing employment contracts to proceed. Newly hired OFWs are temporarily barred from deployment to these areas.
In contrast, Jordan, which is under CAL 1, allows the processing and deployment of both newly hired and returning or re-hired OFWs to continue without interruption.
Urgent Advisory to Recruitment Agencies
All PRAs are strongly advised to temporarily refrain from processing workers for deployment to these countries until further notice, in order to prevent inconvenience and ensure worker safety, the DMW reiterated. This precautionary measure is crucial as the conflict, which began on February 28 between the US, Israel, and Iran, has rapidly spread across various Middle Eastern nations, exacerbating regional instability.
Impact on Thousands of OFWs
Since the onset of the war, an estimated 40,000 OFWs have been stranded in the Philippines, unable to depart for their intended destinations. Recruitment analyst Emmanuel Geslani confirmed this figure, noting that these workers are bound for different Middle East countries and have been left in limbo due to the crisis.
Some 40,000 Filipinos are now cooling their heels in accommodation centers of deploying agencies or have been sent back to their provinces, Geslani reported. He added that a significant number of re-hires or vacationing workers are also unable to fulfill their contracts because of scarce flights to the Middle East.
The majority of the affected 40,000 OFWs are household service workers (HSW) scheduled to join their employers in the region. Deployment of professionals, skilled workers, and unskilled positions have completely been stopped by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Geslani stated, highlighting the broad scope of the suspension across all employment categories.
