Australia is looking to the Philippines as a source country for workers needed to help address a skills shortage there.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday that the situation has prompted Australian companies to hire workers from other countries, especially the Philippines.

Although Filipinos seeking overseas work will find Australia a good prospect, the DFA warned prospective overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to be wary of illegal recruiters.

Reports received by the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney said that individuals posing as recruiters are victimizing Filipinos who wish to work in Australia, after it was reported last January that the country has 120,000 job openings available to foreigners.

The consulate advised Filipinos to be aware of the type of visa that their recruiter is applying for them.

It said the visa commonly issued to Filipinos for work in Australia is “457 Visa.”

The Australian government issues to its companies a “Temporary Business Long Stay Visa,” also known as the “Standard Business Sponsorship Subclass 457 Visa” or the “457 Visa,” which is then provided to foreign workers they employ.

Authorized companies can either directly hire Filipino workers or employ a manpower agency accredited by the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency.

A Filipino who is recruited for Australian employment is matched to an Australian company that has been issued a 457 Visa, DFA officials said.

The DFA explained that the 457 Visa allows a foreigner temporary long stay for work purposes for six months to four years.

But this visa does not give permanent residency or migration status, it said.

The DFA said that illegally hired foreign workers in Australia are exposed to abuses, hazards, and risks.

“If they are caught, they are deported and blacklisted from future re-entry into Australia.”

A legal recruiter should not also make the applicant pay for Australian administrative fees and/or air travel to Australia, as laws require a company to shoulder all costs of fees and the worker’s air travel to Australia, the Australian embassy in Manila said.

The worker must not pay for his air travel to Australia.

It said inquiry or complaint may be lodged with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) through email address nsw.457Jntegrity@fmmi.–gov.au.

Philippine Consul General to Sydney Maria Theresa Lazaro stressed that Australia does not allow the recruitment of domestic maids and farm workers from overseas.

In January, former Australian ambassador to Manila Tony Hely said that the Philippines has become the strongest source of skilled migration into Australia over the last two years.

Hely said Filipinos have a strong interest in going to Australia as skilled migrants.

He said that Australia is actively promoting migration from the Philippines because it has structural skills shortage across a wide range of industries and there are skills that are in abundance in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Canada expects an increase in the arrival of Filipino workers there within six months after passing the screening conducted by Canadian employers in Manila recently.

Canada’s Province of Saskatchewan said that the 11 Saskatchewan employers who participated in the Philippines mission were “extremely satisfied” and expect to offer over 250 jobs to Filipino candidates.

“Those new employees can expect to arrive in Saskatchewan within six months,” the statement said.

Successful missions to the Philippines and to southwestern Ontario have Saskatchewan employers returning home optimistic about the number and quality of potential recruits.

“We are working to sustain our economic momentum by helping meet Saskatchewan’s talent challenge,” Advanced Education, Employment and Labor Minister Rob Norris said.

Norris said about 12,000 jobs is opening up in Saskatchewan in the next years.

He urged Filipinos to consider Saskatchewan province rather the than Canada’s centers if they intend to work there because of better chances of higher quality of life and higher income.

Norris said Saskatchewan is in need of skilled labor, particularly in the manufacturing, service and health sector.

“Most people go to Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. These are the centers. But in smaller communities the environment is easier and less expensive. It’s more than just Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver,” Norris said.