The Philippine Department of Justice stated that the government has ordered the closure of all online gambling companies by the end of the year, yet over 5,000 foreign employees have failed to complete their visa downgrading procedures before the deadline.
Justice Minister Jesus Crispin Remulla noted in an interview that foreign employees of online gambling companies who failed to complete the downgrade by the October 15 deadline will not be able to continue working. He stated, "Before the companies close, you can only handle some affairs, and no one is allowed to continue participating in the business or betting."
The visa downgrading process will allow foreign employees to revert their status from a work visa to a temporary visitor visa, thereby legally working in the Philippines for 59 days. In contrast, data from the immigration bureau shows that over 12,000 foreign workers whose employment has ended have applied to downgrade their work visas.
In July last year, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a halt to all online gambling operations, citing the industry's involvement in a series of raids that uncovered torture chambers, romance scams, and other illegal activities.
Remulla mentioned that most of these foreign workers are of Chinese nationality, and many are reluctant to return to their homeland. He pointed out, "Many are not voluntarily choosing to downgrade their visas, which puts us in a difficult situation, as it shows that many of them really do not want to leave the Philippines."
He further stated, "We are capable of handling this situation, and I believe there will be no problems. If handled improperly, it could lead to a humanitarian crisis, but I believe we have considered all possibilities at the start of this process."
According to the president's order, all online gambling companies will close on December 31. Therefore, the Department of Justice warns that all foreigners who have not undergone visa downgrading will thereafter be considered illegal residents.
