The 12 countries tightening OFW visas are driven by a mix of economic nationalism, post-pandemic labor adjustments, national security concerns, and efforts to curb illegal migration and worker abuses. These policies prioritize local employment through quotas and localization drives, while addressing issues like overstays, labor disputes, and geopolitical tensions.
Reasons by Country Group
Gulf States (Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman)
- Localization (“Saudization,” “Kuwaitization,” “Emiratization”): Mandating higher local hiring quotas in retail, construction, healthcare, and domestic work to boost citizen employment.youtube+2
- Kafala system reforms: Stricter sponsor verification, background checks, and crackdowns on illegal job transfers or undocumented workers.youtube+1
- Labor abuse history: Past incidents prompting tighter approvals and monitoring.
Asia (South Korea, Israel, Jordan)
- Workforce quotas and scrutiny: South Korea cut foreign worker quotas by up to 40% (e.g., E9 visas for manufacturing), halted Filipino caregiver pilots due to overstays and illegal work.youtube+2
- Security/geopolitical issues: Israel suspended new deployments amid conflicts; Jordan and others cite airspace/security risks.
- Economic self-reliance: Prioritizing locals in low-skilled sectors amid youth unemployment.youtube+1
North America/Others (United States, Iran, Lebanon)
- Enhanced screenings/delays: US faces stricter H-1B lotteries, processing times, and enforcement under immigration pauses
- Tensions and crises: Iran halts due to geopolitics; Lebanon advises returns amid economic collapse.
- Broader migration controls: Visa pauses for high-risk countries (US lists 75, including Philippines indirectly via scrutiny).
