Qatar needs more domestic helpers from PHL

Demand for Filipino household helpers has been increasing in Qatar, a report said, citing a Philippine official there.

Interviewed by Gulf Times, Philippine Ambassador to Qatar Crescente Relacion said many Qatari families “are willing to pay the minimum salary of $400 per month set by the Philippine government for domestic workers.” [Read report here.]

This development came after the issuance of visas for Indonesian and Ethiopian domestic helpers was stopped.

A separate Gulf Times report, citing local Arabic daily Arrayah, said the Indonesian embassy's decision to stop recruitment of  maids from the country had led to an increase in recruitment rates.

Qatar's General Directorate of Border, Passports and Expatriate Affairs, meanwhile, has stopped issuing visas to Ethiopian housemaids.

The report said officials expect that the decision to start procedures for recruitment of Filipino housemaids would help decrease the number of complaints over delays in hiring domestic workers and might  bring down recruitment rates.

According to Gulf Times, hiring maids from the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Nepal costs QR12,000. Comparatively, hiring an Indonesian domestic worker costs QR15,000, while an Ethiopian, Kenyan, or Ghanaian domestic worker costs QR9,000.

The report said the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) has been receiving an average of 15 contracts daily for verification during the past months.

A separate report on The Peninsula said the number of requests have increased since February and March.  —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News