Nurses have been alerted. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Filipinos seeking nursing jobs have been warned by their country’s embassy in Rome that a recruitment agency in Malta was taking fees but making false promises of employment in the medical sector.

The embassy posted a statement on its website yesterday reminding jobseekers that only placement agencies accredited by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration were authorised to find jobs for Filipinos for posts in Malta.

Such jobs are mostly in the service sector, such as room attendants, cleaners and personal carers. The embassy pointed out there was no placement agency in Malta authorised to find jobs for Filipino nurses coming from Libya, Italy and other countries for employment in the medical sector in Malta or the UK.

It said Filipino nurses could not work in the medical sector in Malta or the UK without the necessary accreditation from the respective governments. Yet, there was an agency targeting Filipinos and taking their money in exchange for a false promise they would be given nursing jobs, according to the embassy.

Several calls were made to the embassy but no further information could be obtained on which agency was targeting Filipinos.

The Council for Nurses and Midwives, which falls under the Health Ministry, regulates the nursing and midwifery professions in Malta.

One of its main functions is to regulate the registration of nurses and it is also responsible for the upholding of professional and educational standards for both professions.

“The Health Department does not have any intention of employing nurses – Filipino or otherwise – without CNM registration,” the ministry said. Asked if the ministry was aware what agency the Filipino embassy was referring to, no reply was forthcoming.

Filipinos represent the third highest number of foreign workers in Malta and women from the Philippines top the list of non-EU workers. Figures from the Employment Ministry last year showed 946 Filipinos legally employed. Women held 750 active licences while men held 196.

Citizens of the Philippines were widely employed as care workers and domestic housekeepers.