These Filipinos paid thousands for a job in Poland. Now they feel cheated
Summary
Date Reported: 26 Jan 2024
Location: Poland
Other
Not Reported ( Recruitment agencies ) - RecruiterAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Philippines , Manufacturing: General , Women , Unknown migration status )Issues
Recruitment Fees , Access to Information , Contract SubstitutionResponse
Response sought: No
Source type: News outlet
Summary
Date Reported: 26 Jan 2024
Location: Poland
Companies
Meta (formerly Facebook) - Other Value Chain EntityOther
Not Reported ( Recruitment agencies ) - RecruiterAffected
Total individuals affected: Number unknown
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Philippines - Sector unknown , Women , Unknown migration status )Issues
Recruitment Fees , Mental Health , Intimidation , Access to Non-Judicial RemedyResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Resource Centre
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Victoria filed complaints with Filipino authorities against the Polish agency. To date, no one has been punished and she has not received a refund or compensation. To repay her debts and support her son, Victoria has since taken a job as a domestic worker in a Gulf country. Meta replied to the Resource Centre's request for comment.
Source type: News outlet
...
Al Jazeera interviewed 10 Filipino workers and saw written statements from 20 others who claim they were promised jobs in Poland that never materialised, after falling prey to a network of agencies and individual agents working together across multiple countries.
Despite having paid thousands of dollars in fees, they fear they won’t ever reach the European country...
Filipino workers in three different locations – Qatar, the Philippines and Hong Kong – told Al Jazeera they were led to believe they would find higher salaries in Poland, although they were rarely informed would also face significantly higher taxes...
According to migrant workers and labour experts, unscrupulous agents are taking advantage of the country’s growing allure.
Most workers said they were asked to make payments in three instalments.
The total amounts varied from about $3,500 to $5,000, well above the legal maximum amount in the Philippines. Poland prohibits employment agencies from charging placement fees outright.
Workers also reported hidden charges, a lack of regular updates, and sometimes even verbal intimidation from agents...
Over more than six months, Al Jazeera monitored several social media accounts recruiting for jobs in Poland, finding that Facebook and TikTok accounts with thousands of followers would be shut down only to reemerge soon after under a different name...
CIS Group Manpower and its owner Imran Mehmood have been on the Philippines Department of Migrant Workers’ temporary watchlist for employers since May 2022...