Foreigners who wanted to work in the Philippines may apply for a permit via local employers, according to DOLE.
On Sunday, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced that foreigners who wanted to work in the Philippines for more than 6 months may apply for a permit through their Philippine-based employers.
The DOLE made the announcement on its website, saying the work visas may be applied for at the Philippine Consulate in the country where the foreign national lived.
According to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, essential foreign workers, via their Philippines-based employers, “may now apply for AEP/COE and 9(g) work visas” at their concerned DOLE regional offices before entering the Philippines.
AEP stands for “Alien Employment Permit”, while COE stands for “Certificate of Exemption/Exclusion”.
Both AEP and COE were necessary documents that foreign workers in the Philippines must submit.
Bello said that under the new guidelines, the issuance of the work visa may be done at Philippine Consulate General at the foreign worker’s place of origin and will no longer require an entry stamp from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Furthermore, Bello said that the lead time for the issuance of the Alien Employment Permit was 5 working days upon completion of labor market test or publication in a newspaper of general circulation while 3 days after receipt of the application for COE.
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According to a report on CNN Philippines, among the documentary requirements asked of applicants were the following: a photocopy of their passport, a contract of employment, and a taxpayer identification number as well.
The employer can then apply for an appropriate work visa for the prospective employee with the Bureau of Immigration (BI) or other visa-issuing agencies after the permit was granted.
Joint Memorandum Circular No. 001 series of 2019, meanwhile, stated that foreigners who were in the Philippines under temporary visitor’s visa must secure all necessary permits and file an application for a work visa with the Bureau of Immigration.
You can visit DOLE’s website for more information about this.
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