Despite the Philippines’ efforts in pushing for fair and ethical recruitment, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) acknowledged that the country has limited control over visa policies for workers heading abroad, leaving decisions in the hands of host countries.

In an interview with DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac during the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) of the Philippines with Slovenia on labor cooperation last 11 March, he stressed this limitation, adding that visa policies are ultimately a political decision of the receiving country.

“However, in our partnership with Slovenia, we do prescribe, recommend and push for arrangements where the embassy is located in the Philippines. We will work closely with the embassy so that visa issues for workers going to that particular host country are resolved here,” Cacdac said.

“This aims to prevent the temptation to facilitate third-country hiring, especially in vulnerable skill sets,” he added.

Cacdac also cited their "prescription" for Filipino workers eyeing jobs in Hungary as an example, where workers residing in a third country must return to the Philippines before applying for a work visa in Hungary.

The recently signed MoU between the Philippines and Slovenia acknowledges the need for discussions regarding the employment of healthcare professionals, including doctors and nurses. Slovenia, facing labor shortages across multiple industries, has expressed strong interest in hiring Filipino workers.

“In Slovenia, almost all industries are experiencing labor shortages, so we are very interested in cooperation with the Philippine side in the field of employment,” Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon said.

She also highlighted the growing presence of Filipino workers in Slovenia, praising their “hard work, flexibility and professionalism.”