Planning to work abroad? 5 ways to avoid getting scammed

PHOTO: When applying for work abroad, use only trusted sites to avoid getting scammed.

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Working overseas is part of many Filipino health professionals’ career goals. With the rise in demand for Filipino nurses and doctors, it has also become increasingly easy for scammers to lure in unsuspecting applicants with bogus offers from fake overseas employers.

If you are a nurse or a doctor looking to pursue your dream of working abroad, keep these useful tips in mind so you don’t fall victim to illegal recruitment and employment scams:

Only trust licensed recruitment agencies. With so many recruitment agencies in the country, it’s easy to get confused as to where to apply. Fortunately, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is ready to help with its list of licensed recruitment agencies available on their website (https://www.poea.gov.ph/services/recruiters.html). Before submitting your applications, conduct careful research and don’t be hasty with your applications.

Do not transact outside the registered address of the agency. All business transactions — from submission and signing of documents to making payments and other transactions — must all be done during the official office hours and at the registered address of the agency. If recruitment is done in the province, applicants must check if the agency has a provincial recruitment authority.

Be cautious when paying placement fees. Placement fees require a substantial amount of money so you have to be vigilant when handing over the payment. Before making a payment, make sure you already have a signed employment contract and that the agency will issue an official receipt for your payment.  Do not pay more than the allowed placement fee, which is equivalent to one-month salary, exclusive of documentation and processing cost.

Do not deal with fixers. A “fixer” is an individual who has access, whether or not officially, to the operation of a government office or an agency. They usually lure in their victims with the promise to expedite their application for a fee.  Keep in mind that this practice is illegal. Not only do they charge exorbitant fees for their services, they usually also run away with your money without fulfilling your desired results.

Check out employment opportunities at trusted sites. If you’re looking for lucrative careers abroad, trusted sites like TrueProfile.io have access to a wide network of employers from different parts of the world who are looking for healthcare professionals with fully verified documents and credentials.  

To get your documents – education and employment records, license and certifications – verified, log on and create an account on TrueProfile.io, build a myTrueProfile page, and then set contact settings to the ‘Recommended’ option in order to attract new career opportunities. Members can also utilize recruitment services including licensing services such as processing their DataFlow Report and country-specific requirements, along with a wealth of resources to answer any queries about moving to a different country.  Soon, the TrueProfile.io platform will launch a new jobs platform where members can apply directly for lucrative positions worldwide.  

There are numerous and attractive employment opportunities worldwide for Filipino healthcare professionals.  By dealing only with legitimate agencies and making sure their documents are properly verified, they can avoid being scammed and make their dream overseas employment a reality. To know more, visit https://www.trueprofile.io/.