Cruise Lines Recruit Heavily From Philippines, CDC Data Suggests

(Bloomberg) -- Cruise lines appear to recruit nearly half of their crew members from the Philippines and Indonesia, according to new data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the CDC has been closely monitoring and approving crew-member disembarkations in U.S. waters. Crew members bound for the Philippines and Indonesia accounted for about 46% since April 15.

Cruise lines are typically incorporated outside the U.S., where they aren’t subject to minimum-wage requirements and other restrictions. Only 282 of the 7,610 employees tracked by the CDC were Americans.

The CDC data reflect a small sample of overall crew members on cruise ships, but may serve as a proxy for the broader industry.

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