No Placement Fee Policy
The Philippine Embassy reminds all concerned of Memorandum CIrcular No. 09 dated 12 December 2014 from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) that New Zealand remains as one of the countries that has a prohibition on the collection of placement fees from workers.
The New Zealand Wag Protection Act of 1983 disallows employers to "seek or receive any premium in respect of the employment of any person, whether the premium is sought or received from the person employed or proposed to be employed or from any other person".
This advisory is in response to reports that a number of Filipino workers are being charged excessive fees by licensed recruitment agencies in exchange for working opportunities in New Zealand. Workers who have been charged theses prohibited fees by their recruitment agencies or employers are encouraged to report the matter to the Philippine Embassy.