The Philippine Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) recently signed a crucial agreement with the Croatian government, allowing for the recruitment of Filipino workers in the hospitality industry.

On July 18, the DMW’s Undersecretary Felicitas Bay signed the ‘Implementing Guidelines for the Pilot Project on the Recruitment and Employment of Filipino Hotel Workers in Croatia’ in a virtual ceremony alongside Ante Loncar, the Director-General of the Croatian Employment Service. This agreement aims to provide safe and ethical job opportunities for Filipinos in Croatia’s hospitality sector.

Witnesses to the signing included Evangelina Lourdes Bernas, the Philippine ambassador to Austria, and Luka Čirko, the Croatian Director of Labour and Employment.

Bay emphasized that this milestone facilitates positive job opportunities and supports both nations’ commitment to fostering ethical migration paths. Under the arrangement, Croatian employers will cover the recruitment-related costs for Filipinos, ensuring a streamlined and transparent hiring process, thereby enhancing protective measures for workers.

This initiative also strengthens the bilateral partnership founded on trust and a mutual commitment to prosperity, alongside establishing a comprehensive dispute resolution system compliant with both Philippine and Croatian labor laws.

Prior to deployment, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) will arrange pre-departure orientation sessions, while the DMW will facilitate pre-flight briefings. This agreement is part of a larger cooperation initiative resulting from the ‘Memorandum of Cooperation in the Field of Labour Market’, which was signed in 2024 and ratified by President Ferdinand R Marcos Jnr earlier this year.