THE number of foreign nationals (FN) with Alien Employment Permit (AEP) in the country dropped by 34 percent last year as Covid-19 continues to disrupt business operations.
This as more Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO), which mostly employ FNs, continued to shed more jobs last year.
Based on the preliminary data of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the number of AEP holders last year dropped to 69,554 from 106,609 in 2020.
AEPs is a document a FNs must obtain from DOLE to be allowed to work in the country for more than six months.
Of the FNs displaced last year, 35,067 were previously employed by POGOs.
This was around half for the 79,017 FNs employed in POGOs in 2020.
Unlikely rebound
Despite the reopening of more businesses this year, Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique R. Tutay said they do not expect the number of FNs in the country to rebound anytime soon.
“It may not rebound this year, but it might be at the same level [as last year],” Tutay told the BusinessMirror in a Viber message.
Last Friday, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III issued Labor Advisory No. 14 series of 2022 assigning 385 labor inspectors to validate AEPs and monitor the compliance of their establishments with government regulations, including Covid-19 protocols.
They will inspect the list of AEP applicants, the list of FNs working at the time of verification, and the roster of local employees.
Through the inspection, they are usually made aware about the number of AEPs, who lost their jobs. “These workers will automatically have their AEPs canceled,” Tutay said.
However, the affected FNs will be allowed to look for a new job, which can hire them.
“Once they find another employer, they can apply for a new permit (AEP) in favor of that employer,” Tutay explained.