Immigration update: Philippines | Foreign workers must secure working visa before entry to the Philippines
Foreign workers must secure working visa before entry to the Philippines
The Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III advised that foreign nationals looking to work in the Philippines will be required to procure the necessary working visa from the Philippine consulate or the Philippine Labour Office (POLO) before travelling to the country.
A joint memorandum will be issued to this effect once the inter-agency committee composed of the Departments of Labour, Trade and Industry, Finance, Justice, the Bureau of Immigration and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation convenes on March 15.
The joint memorandum is also expected to list priority jobs for Alien Employment Permit and Special Work Permit ( AEP/SWP) applicants.
Background
Most foreign workers come to the Philippines without necessarily declaring the purpose of travel as work and only once in country apply for the work permit. Under the new memorandum this will no longer be allowed.
This is in light of the PH government crackdown on illegal foreign workers in the country.
Implementation
Santa Fe is closely monitoring developments and will provide an update on the implementation as soon as available.
Santa Fe Analysis
The process once in the Philippines will remain the same.
However, visa application will start from home country for all foreigners travelling to the Philippines for work purposes.
This will mainly impact non- restricted nationals, where they were previously allowed to travel to the Philippines visa free and apply for their work permit in the Philippines, they now need to start the process in their home country.
For restricted nationals, they will need to declare in their application for entry visa that they are going to the Philippines for work purposes.
There will be stricter screening for Special Work Permit and Alien Employment Permit applicants where government needs to ascertain that the jobs the foreigner will perform cannot be performed by Filipinos.
Santa Fe will closely monitor the developments and with its extensive global footprint, will be able to provide guidance on the process once this is in place.
Should you have any questions, please contact the following:
Blanche Tan
Immigration Manager – Philippines
Santa Fe Relocation
Philippines
D: +63 2 553 2338
E: Blanche.Tan@santaferelo.com
Paolo Longo
Regional Immigration Director – Middle East & Africa
Santa Fe Relocation
Johannesburg, South Africa
D: +27 (0) 10 595 2337
M: +27 (0) 83 677 7949
E: Paolo.Longo@santaferelo.com
Soumeya Messadi
Head of Immigration – Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa
Santa Fe Relocation
Singapore
D: +65 6398 3520
M: +65 9169 6061
E: Soumeya.Messadi@santaferelo.com
To read more immigration updates, click here
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Santa Fe Relocation is a global mobility company specialising in managing and delivering high-quality relocation services worldwide. Our core competence is providing services that help corporations and their employees relocate and settle in a new country, assisting them with immigration, home and school searches, language and cultural training, property rentals, and domestic and international household goods shipments. We provide these services to a consistently high standard, locally and globally. A key strength is our ability to manage these services through our own operations around the world. Santa Fe Relocation Services is wholly owned by the Santa Fe Group, which is listed on NASDAQ in Copenhagen, Denmark. For more information, visit us at www.santaferelo.com
