Pursuant to POEA Governing Board Resolution No. 03, series of 2013, on the inclusion of Iraq in the list of countries certified as compliant with RA 10022 and the lowering of the crisis alert level in Iraq from alert level 3 to alert level 1 by the DFA which effectively lifted the deployment ban on Iraq subject to certain conditions, and GBR No. 04, series of 2013 on the identification of the œno-go zones  in Iraq, the following guidelines are hereby issued for the processing and deployment of overseas Filipino returning or balik-manggagawa (BM) workers to Iraq.

A. Coverage.

1. Returning/vacationing/BM workers who have existing valid employment contracts and who are returning to their employers to finish the unexpired portion of their contracts;
2. Returning/vacationing/rehired/BM workers whose contracts were extended or renewed onsite; and
3. Workers under categories 1 and 2 shall cover all skills, except household service workers (HSWs).

B. œNo-Go  Zones

Processing and deployment of BM workers to the following œno-go  zones in Iraq identified by the Philippine government shall not be allowed.

1. Anbar Province
2. Ninewah / Nineveh Province
3. Kirkuk Province (a.k.a. Tamim; AI Tamim, At-Tamim)
4. Salahuddin / Salahaddin Province

C. Requirements for BM Processing

1. passport valid at least six (6) months from date of intended return to jobsite
2. valid work visa or equivalent document
3. employment contract providing among others, the exact address/location of jobsite; telephone number and email address of employer;
4. certification of employment indicating the period of employment with the company;
5. undertaking from the employer on the following:
   
   
   1. protection and safety of the worker;
   2. that the worker will not be deployed/assigned to identified no-go zones;
   3. to report to the Philippine Embassy and/or Philippine Overseas Labor Office significant incidents affecting the employment, safety and welfare of the worker; and
   4. immediate evacuation/repatriation of the worker as may be warranted.

Processing of BM workers for Iraq shall be undertaken only at the POEA Central Office.

This Circular shall be effective immediately.

(SGD.) HANS LEO J. CACDAC
Administrator