What happens to POGO workers after visa downgrade deadline?

Not more than half of foreigners working in various Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) offices voluntarily downgraded their worker’s visas, according to the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

In Dano Tingcungco’s Wednesday report on "24 Oras," the BI said of the more than 30,000 foreign POGO workers in the country, only 12,000 voluntarily changed to temporary visitor visas despite the deadline on Tuesday, Oct. 15.

Among those who downgraded their visas were the 17 foreigners who were arrested for working in a suspected scam hub in Makati City. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/metro/923466/nbi-raids-alleged-scam-hub-in-makati-17-foreigners-nabbed/story/

The BI said foreign workers who voluntarily downgraded their work visas will be given time to finish their pending business in the Philippines.

“They automatically get 59 days to wind down their affairs. Yung mga voluntarily umalis po ng bansa at nag downgrade ng kanilang visa may return to the Philippines if they have legitimate reasons to go back to the country. Halimbawa, those with families here already, those who want to apply to other sectors legitimately,” BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said.

(They automatically get 59 days to wind down their affairs. Those who voluntarily left the country and downgraded their visas may return to the Philippines if they have legitimate reasons to return. For example, those with families here already and those who want to apply to other sectors legitimately.)

Meanwhile, foreigners who fail to downgrade their visas automatically have an Order to Leave recorded in their passports, which means they need to immediately leave the country.

The BI clarified that even if it is not a derogatory record, it is permanently on the foreigner’s passport and may become a hindrance from returning to the Philippines.

“Pag makita po yan ng immigration officer, there will be more scrutiny sa kanila dahil yun po ay itinuturing natin na red flag dahil nagtagal sila dito without legally downgrading their visas,” Sandoval said.

(If the immigration officer sees it, there will be more scrutiny on them because it is considered a red flag that a foreigner illegally stayed in the country without downgrading their visas.)

Those who remain in the country by January will be arrested to be deported and included in the blacklist.

“We are monitoring their departure up until the end of the year. After the year ends, lahat na po yan itinuturing nang illegal (They will be all considered illegal) whether they filed for downgrading, whether they did not file for it as long as they remain in the country,” Sandoval said. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/LDF, GMA Integrated News