Proposed BI border fee to affect OFW rehires, say immigration experts
MANILA, Philippines — Nearly two million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) returning to the country would be affected by the planned border fee by the Bureau of Immigration (BI), some immigration experts said.
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MANILA, Philippines — Nearly two million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) returning to the country would be affected by the planned border fee by the Bureau of Immigration (BI), some immigration experts said.
Loreto Soriano, an expert from the Migration and Policy Development Center, raised concern that the proposed border fee amounting to P240, or $4 dollars, to Filipino travelers may also affect OFWs, particularly rehires.
OFW rehires, also known as “Balik-Manggagawa,” are workers who return to the country for a vacation or after a contract to renew their employment with the same employer or principal.
Under the Aviation and Immigration Security Services (CAISS), the planned border fee would help recover the P10.7-billion partnership with United States-based Securiport LLC.
According to the BI, the CAISS aims to install an integrated border security platform at 11 airports and border crossings to enhance the country’s border control systems and strengthen national security.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado previously explained at the House of Representatives hearing on the planned 2027 budget of the Department of Justice and its attached agencies that employers of OFWs would cover their travel expenses.
Under Section 53 of the 2016 Revised POEA Rules and Regulations Governing the Recruitment and Employment of Land-Based Overseas Filipino Workers, the principal or employer is responsible for recruitment and placement costs of OFWs.
But Soriano said that migrant workers flying back to the country for personal reasons or with pending renewal contracts would have to shoulder the additional travel expense.
Recruitment consultant Emmanuel Geslani explained that employers would only cover the travel costs for outgoing travels to their job site. Thus, migrant workers intending to fly back to the country would also be burdened by the planned border fees, he said.
“I’m referring to those OFWs who return for vacations or renewal of their contracts every year will be the ones most affected by this issue,” Geslani told INQUIRER in a phone interview.
He added, “They simply give you the return ticket. In fact, sometimes we will give them ticket– but that amount is not included in their contract that they will pay the border fee,”
He further cited that, as of 2025, there are more than 1.7 million rehires in the country, based on the data of the Department of Migrant Workers.
Soriano then mentioned that the planned CAISS would become redundant following the assistance provided by the United States Trade and Development Agency to enhance the Ninoy Aquino Main international airport’s security screening systems.
“The question is not simply whether four dollars is cheap. The real question is whether OFWs should be subjected to a new border charge despite the special protections Congress gave them,” he said in a statement.
The BI chief also previously explained that the proposed border fee in the country is significantly lower compared to other countries.
The fee in Australia amounts to P2,600 per passenger, around P2,400 in Singapore, around P1,800 in Thailand, around P1,500 in Hong Kong, and around P1,200 in Japan, Viado noted.
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Although, he assured that the proposal is still being reviewed by the Department of Finance and the Office of the Solicitor General. /das
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