The Philippine Oversea Employment Administration warned Filipino workers in Japan to follow that country’s law on the proper use of visa or residence status or face severe penalties, including deportation.
POEA Administrator Bernard P. Olalia said the consequences, other than detention and deportation, may include prison term and a ban to reenter Japan depending on the gravity of the violation of the residence status and forfeiting their right to pursue other employment opportunities in Japan.
Olalia issued the warning after the Department of Labor and Employment-Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Tokyo reported some Filipinos were involved in unqualified activities in violation of the Immigration and Refugee Control Act of Japan.
“Unqualified activity includes taking up a job or work which is beyond the limitation of the visa or the permitted work under the category of residence status of a foreigner in Japan,” Olalia said.
According to Labor Attaché Marie Rose Escalada, there are engineers with engineering, humanities, international services visa who worked as laborers, factory workers, machine operators or kitchen helpers.
“Some went to Japan as teachers or instructors but end up as babysitters or nannies in school or household of the supposed employer,” the POEA said.
Other Filipinos holding a visa of an interpreter were found working as care workers in facilities for the handicapped or elderly, while international sales persons supposedly to market the products of the Japanese employer ended up as hotel cleaners or kitchen staff,” he said.
“Overseas performing artists were caught moonlighting as club workers or hostesses and many household service workers recruited under a special program for domestic work at the National Strategic Zones,” the POEA said.
He said Filipinos should not violate their visa status which may result to the cancellation of working agreement with Japan.
On the other hand, the POEA also advised applicants for overseas jobs to have the appropriate work permit or visa or employment contract approved by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and processed by the POEA before leaving the country.