Cebu Pacific Named Official PH Carrier to Canada and New Zealand

Cebu Pacific has been designated as an official Philippine carrier to New Zealand, Myanmar and Canada, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) said. CAB said the decision was made in its recent board meeting, which also granted Cebu Pacific additional entitlements for 5 international routes from Manila to Singapore, Myanmar, New Zealand and Macau; and from Cebu to Hong Kong. The Gokongwei-led budget airline was granted seven flights weekly from Manila to New Zealand and 1,260 entitlements from Manila to Singapore. The additional entitlement also allowed Cebu Pacific to upgrade its current daily Airbus A320 service to an Airbus A330 service. CAB also granted Cebu Pacific’s opposition to the extension of the code share agreement between...

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Posted in: Cebu Pacific , Immigration News , philippine Tourism , philippine travel , travel news

DOLE to Provide Jobs for Pinoy DHs in Hong Kong

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will open up more jobs to allow Filipinos working abroad to go home and practice their profession. Based on the records of Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), 160,000 Filipino domestic workers left the country to work abroad in 2013. The most popular destination for domestic workers are Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Singapore and United Arab Emirates (UAE). In an interview on radio DZMM, DOLE director Nicon Fameronag said the move is part of the government's goal to prevent professionals like teachers and others from leaving the country to work as domestic helpers. "Kukuha sila ng exam at ang tangi lamang kondisyon ng DepEd is that kung tatlo o hanggang limang taon silang...

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Posted in: Immigration News , philippine travel news , travel news

Countries With Visa-Free Access for Philippine Passport Holders

To Filipinos traveling overseas, getting a visa can be a time-consuming, if not resource-draining exercise. Consulates and embassies often require plenty of documentation to justify them granting visas: financial statements and proof of employment are among them. And that’s if the destination country has its consular presence in the Philippines. Given such challenges faced by a legitimate tourist, another alternative is to visit countries that don’t require Philippine passport holders to apply for visas. Asia ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Brunei Darussalam – 14 days Cambodia – 21 days Indonesia – 30 days Laos – 30 days Malaysia – 30 days Myanmar – 14 days Singapore – 30 days Thailand – 30 days Vietnam – 21...

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Posted in: philippine travel , Travel Tips

British Embassy Makes It Easier For Filipinos To Apply For A Visa

After having approved over 90 percent of visa applications from the Philippines, the British Embassy announced on Monday a number of "enhancements" to its visa processing procedures in the country. The British embassy said that these included an improved application center in Manila and a new one in Cebu City. In a news release, the embassy said the improvements, meant "to cater [to] the growing demand" for UK visa services, also included a new international visa enquiry center, an optional priority visa service that returns visa decisions within three to five working days, and a Prime Time service for those who couldn't attend appointments within the usual office hours. More than 49,000 tourist and business visit visas were issued...

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Posted in: British Embassy , Immigration News , travel news , UK Embassy , UK Immigration

More Foreign Nurses May Qualify for H-1B Visas

More foreign nurses may be able to come and work in the US sooner than usual, following the release of a recent memo by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) describing how they can be sponsored for the H-1B temporary work visa. The H-1B visa is available to foreign workers who fill specialty occupation jobs in the US, such as physical therapists, accountants, engineers, graphic designers, finance or IT professionals, or teachers. The term “specialty occupation” is generally described as jobs that require highly specialized knowledge or at least a bachelor’s degree for an entry-level position. The critical factor for H-1B sponsorship is the job requirement and not whether the foreign worker has a bachelor’s degree. The...

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Posted in: Immigration News , travel news , us immigration , US Visa