Foreign migrant workers, including Filipinos, who have been deported from any member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will be barred from entering any other GCC country, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration said.
POEA chief Hans Leo Cacdac said that Qatar’s Ministry of Interior has issued a circular declaring workers who have been deported from any GCC country for running away from sponsors and employers or because of a court ruling for violating labor laws will be denied entry by other GCC countries.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman compose the GCC.
“The Ministry of Interior said the circular is in accordance with the resolutions of the Secretary-General of the GCC and the activation of the security link among GCC countries that any violator of labor regulations in one of the GCC countries will be treated as a violator in the other five countries,” Cacdac said.
The GCC hoped the measure will reduce cases of runaways and ensure labor market stability in the Gulf area.
Cacdac said GCC members also have an existing agreement to disallow foreign workers who were deported for being involved in criminal offenses from entering other GCC countries.