OWWA has launched the search for the 2007 Model OFW Family of the Year Award (MOFYA) which for this year will focus on successful family relations.

The nomination and selection of awardees will start in October at the regional level. In November, three of the finalists will be chosen as national champions representing Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The three big winners will receive cash prizes of P200,000, vacation trip packages, laptop units plus other exciting prizes. Visit OWWA’s website for more information.

If you receive an overseas job offer via email, beware. Email scams are proliferating offering high paying jobs to overseas multinational companies. Here is how to detect an email scam:

1. You will be told that they found your resume through a job bank.
2. The company will require you to undergo a seminar/training fee.
3. You will be tasked to pay a reservation fee, OWWA membership and other taxes.

Once you have paid the amount, the person will simply disappear without communication.

To protect yourself from these types of frauds, check and verify the existence of the company and call up the person who sent you the email using the office number of the company.

The City of Perth, capital of Western Australia is now experiencing a boom in their construction and mining industry. To accomplish the numerous infrastructure projects, Perth needs to recruit foreign workers.

Western Australia has many job openings for engineers and other qualified workers. According to David Blizzard, a recruitment specialist, Australian employers prefer to hire high-skilled Filipino workers. – OFWGuide

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will be holding a Livelihood Fair and Photo Exhibit from June 8 to June 12 at the Rizal Park, Manila. A local and overseas job fair on the otherhand will be held on June 12 at the same venue.

Effective January 1, 2008, United Kingdom (UK) will start implementing its new immigration policies for all foreign workers. Edgardo Espiritu, Philippine Ambassador to London, announced this information. One of the proposed changes presented to the UK Parliament last March is that all visa applicants in UK will now be required to have a sponsor.

Under the new system, applicants for a UK visa will be classified into five levels and will be subject to a points-based system. This new rule will cover all foreign workers except the highly skilled. –OFWGuide