Returning OFWs to Kuwait not covered by work ban – BI

Returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Kuwait who are currently vacationing in the Philippines are allowed to leave the country, the Bureau of Immigration said on Wednesday.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said they have issued the new directive following the announcement of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) that the “Balik Manggagawa” passengers are exempted from the deployment ban.

Morente also said that he has instructed Marc Red Mariñas, BI port operations division chief, to make sure that OFWs returning to Kuwait are properly documented and subjected to the usual immigration departure formalities.

He further disclosed that Kuwaiti-bound Filipinos with short-term non-working visas are also not covered by the ban, thus, they, too, will be allowed to depart.

Morente clarified that the ban only covers the new employment.

READ: Immigration to stop OFWs bound for Kuwait