Spanish envoy: No jobs available in Spain for Pinoys right now

Published March 26, 2012 5:40pm

Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines Jorge Domecq said on Monday there are no jobs available for Filipinos right now in Spain, which is struggling to cope with a high unemployment rate and a looming recession.

“This is not the right time to go to Spain and find a job,” Domecq said. “I don’t think it’s good to go there and find yourself among the unemployed.” He said the Spanish government may consider opening its doors once again to foreign labor if their economy recovers. “If you listen to your Department of Labor they will not recommend you to go to Spain where we now have a high unemployment. So I guess you will have to look at other markets,” Domecq said.

Domecq warned Filipinos against illegal recruiters offering jobs in Spain because “there is no current program” for foreign workers in the country.

Some 60,000 Filipinos are living and working in Spain. There had been no significant increase in the figures during the last 10 years, Domecq said.

Spain's unemployment figure stands at 5.3 million, the highest rate in nearly 17 years.

The Philippines is a major labor-exporting nation with about 8.6 million skilled and unskilled workers abroad. - VVP, GMA News

Tags: spain, pinoysinspain, dole