Are you planning to work overseas? What about an Overseas Filipino Worker who just got back in the Philippines and seeking for another job opportunity abroad? Whether you are new, old, or aspiring OFW, you will have to go through this government agency called Philippine Overseas Employment Agency or POEA.
Before heading overseas – and even planning to work abroad – here’s what you need to know about POEA:
Who is POEA?
POEA is a government agency under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). Its official mandate is to manage overseas employment programs by securing the best employment terms for Filipino migrant workers. At the same time, the agency is tasked to protect the rights of all OFWs and ensure fair and ethical recruitment practices.
Keep in mind that POEA is different from OWWA, especially in terms of purpose. POEA helps aspiring OFWs to achieve legal status through proper documentation before they leave the country while OWWA handles the concerns of OFWs who are already working overseas.
What does POEA do?
Overseas Employment Facilitation
- Accreditation of foreign employers who hire OFWs
- Conduct pre-employment orientation seminars
- Approve job order or request for Filipino workers
- Evaluate and process employment contracts
Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Protection of OFWs
- Issue recruitment licenses to private recruitment and manning agencies
- Monitor and supervise manning and recruitment agencies
- Provide repatriation assistance for displaced OFWs
- Ensure that the countries allowed for deployment protect OFW rights (which must be certified by the Department of Foreign Affairs)
- Supervise anti-illegal recruitment programs throughout the Philippines
- Provide legal assistance to illegal recruitment victims
- Disseminate information about illegal recruitment, job scams, and other employment-related concerns and matters
Uphold Philippine Migration and Overseas Employment Laws
- Hear and decide on complaints and cases, except money claims, against various entities for alleged violation of POEA rules and regulations
- Institute disciplinary actions against employers and workers who violate Philippine migration laws and regulations
Aside from these functions, POEA provides four key services for aspiring OFWs, which will be discussed in the next section.
Key Services of POEA for Aspiring OFWs
Verify Status of Recruitment Agencies
Every OFW have various reasons why they want to work abroad. The end goal is to provide a better future for the family. Sadly, illegal recruitment is still on the loose and many Filipinos are still falling for these empty promises.
This is why the POEA aims to minimize illegal recruitment practices, starting with the checking of a particular agency’s status through its website. Make sure to check the status of the recruitment agency you are eyeing for before you submit an application.
Pre-Employment Orientation Seminar
This is different from OWWA’s PDOS where all departing OFWs are required to attend.
Also known as PEOS, this seminar is part of the government’s drive against illegal recruitment, which aims to educate all Filipinos who plan to work abroad. It is a free online learning tool composed of eight modules such as pros and cons of working overseas, legal procedures and required documents in applying for a job abroad, and tips on how to avoid illegal recruitment.
Take note that PEOS is a mandatory requirements, which means you have to go through this. Don’t worry. It’s online and free.
Frontline Services
This is the part where you need to go through several processes in order to be legally documented. The frontline services are for registration and documentation among others.
If you want to file an illegal recruitment case against an agency, the frontline services can also assist you through the Docket and Enforcement Division.
Overseas Employment Certificate Processing
One of the important documents you need to secure as OFW is the Overseas Employment Certificate or OEC. It serves as proof that you are a documented OFW – and POEA is the agency responsible for processing that.
READ: Overseas Employment Certificate
For further information, you can check POEA through its website.
Hello!pinadalhan po ako ng visa ng dati kong company sa kuwait, isa po akong proffessional/skilled worker. Ano po ba mga documents kaylangan ko? May visa, original employment agreement,medical at peos na po ako.. Ano pa po kaylangan kong document bukod sa mga nabanggit ko po para magkaOEC po ako at makaalis? Marami pong salamat.
Hello Serafin! Are you a direct hire worker? If yes, please check this post as to the procedure for application of OEC – https://www.balikbayad.ph/blog/direct-hire-workers-what-you-need-to-know-in-case-someone-from-abroad-hired-you/
hello po hindi po namin alam kung nasaan at kung maayos ba ang kalagayan ng kapatid ko na nandito din sa Kuwait, nagpapatulong na ako sa agency namin dito at embassy, pero hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin nila alam kung nasaan sya, kasi ibinenta siya ng una niyang amo, at sa pangalawa naman na amo ay ipinasa daw siya sa kamag anak nito, kaya mula noong mailipat siya sa pangatlong amo, hindi niya alam ang mga pangalan nito at ang address, kasi hindi daw siya pinapayagan na lumabas dahil nagpaalam daw siya na uuwi ng pinas hanggang sa nawalan na kami ng komunikasyon, maari niyo po ba kaming tulungan? ano po ang magagawa ko para mapabilis ang paghahanap sa kanya?
Hi Ruffa! We’re sorry to hear about this situation, but the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait is the best entity na makakatulong upang mahanap ang iyong kapatid. Maaari niyo din po ito ilapit sa Department of Foreign Affairs at baka po mapabilis ang proseso. We’re praying po na sana mahanap ang inyong kapatid.
May peos cert na ko nung 2017 january pero bago hire ako papunta ksa. Di ko na kasi maopen ang peos account ko.. Ano po kaya pwede gawin para makakuha ng bago? Nageexpire ba ang peos cert? Gumagawa ako ng new account pero di tinatanggap kasi may existing account ako..
Hello! Please contact POEA directly at this number 722.11.44 / 722.11.55. We don’t want to give any advice since we are not sure about this too. Thanks.
Hi po hingi lang po ako ng payo kasi ganito po ang nangyari sa kakilala kong applicant na magaabroad sana sa UAE
May nakita cyang nagpost sa facebook taz nagapply cya tapos ang sabi ng agent n sagot daw lahat ng agency nila ang
plane ticket, tourist/visit visa pati accomodation nya habang hinahanapan cya ng trabaho dun, kaya nagapply cya. Note ang agency na to ay
agency sa UAE ndi dito sa Pilipinas.2days before ang schedule ng flight nya ay paluwas sana cya sa manila kaso ang sabi ng kausap nya n agent n dun daw muna cya
s accomodation nila sa Pasay didiretso taz nabanggit pa ng agent n
iiwan daw muna nung applicant ung cellphone nya sa agent taz ipapadala nlng mga after 3 days pag andun n cya sa UAE. Note
wala pang binibigay na copy ng plane ticket at visit visa sa applicant khit sinend lng sana sa facebook messenger kaya un nagduda
na ung applicant kaya ndi na tumuloy lumuwas paManila. Kaya ang ginawa ay nag imbestiga muna tapos ako mismo tumawag sa POEA hotline at tinanong
kung anung status ng Agency n to na nakabased sa UAE, ang sabi ng POEA ay watchlisted daw ung agency kc may kasong Violation of human rights
kaya un natakot at nagbackout n tuloy ung applicant. Ang sabi sa kanya ng agent ay kung ndi raw babayaran ng applicant ung ginastos s plane ticket at tourist visa nya
ay ipapablock list daw nya at magpopost sa group sa social media para tuluyan ng ndi makapag abroad. Anu po bang maipapayo nyo dito. May karapatan b ng magpblock ung agent n tinago ung kaso
ng agency nila para lng makakuha ng applicant nya.
Hi Mario! This is a clear case of illegal recruitment po. Maaari ninyong ilapit ito sa POEA dahil bawal po ang ginagawa ng nasabing agency at mapatawan ng karampatang parusa. Mas mabuti na po na wag na tumuloy ang inyong kaibigan dahil baka mapahamak lamang siya doon at hindi legal ang kanyang status dahil tourist visa lamang ang kanyang pinanghahawakan.
Ok po noted po ma’am Lara salamat po sa payo😊
Hello po.nawala po passport ko bago ako bumalik ng kuwait Jan.15.Nagpagawa po ulit ako ng new passport..ask ko lang po whats my next step once i have my new passport.march 15 po ang expire ng oec ko..thank you
Next step po saan? Are you going back to Kuwait po? If you have all the necessary documents, then makakaalis naman po kayo papunta Kuwait. Thanks.
Ask ko po sana na dapat po bang magbayad sa agency para sa reservation slot ng pa seminar nila kc daw dirct/ name hire po at sa 1st day embasdy interview seminar/ orientation then 2nd day po ay interview and contract signing na daw po with employer.Registerered naman po ung agency sa poea. Adk ko po kubg dapat b akong mgbayad sa reservation slot.
Hi Jojo. Direct hire means kayo mismo ang mag-process ng inyong documentation sa POEA. Did you ask ano pa ang purpose ng seminar? POEA conducts seminars regularly for free, so you need to confirm para saan ang seminar at bakit kailangan magbayad.
Hi ask ko lang po nag try po ako mag bm online alis na po ako nang aug 22 kaso wala na po sila available slot anu po kaya dapat kong gawin aug 26 na po yung available nila..ndi po kc ako nakapag bm online kc kakarelease lang po nang passport ko nung aug 15
Hi Ella. Getting an appointment is preferred po sana. Walk-ins are allowed naman po, although hindi kayo priority pagdating po doon.
Hi Lara, i was hired directly in Dubai as a coordinator in one of the telecom. My employer process my documents and working visa. Im still here in Philippines waiting for all douments to be send to me by my employer. I would like to ask since i am very confused with the process what is the documents shall my employer send to me? Is my employer need to go to POLO to attest the employment or labor contract before send it to me? Please reply it will be a big help. Thanks
Hi Carls. The employment contract must be verified by POLO. Please check this POEA Circular regarding the procedure on direct hiring. At the end, there’s also a checklist of requirements – http://www.poea.gov.ph/memorandumcirculars/2018/MC-08-2018.pdf 🙂
Hi Ms. Lara ask ko lng po. My employer wants to re-hire me I worked po as a nurse in UAE. Last year ako umuwi, d ako nkakuha oec kse prang naka indefinite leave po ako. They want to send me Ng new employment Visa ngaun since last employment Visa from them already expired. Makakakuha pa po b ako Ng oec? Thank you
Hi Apple. Yes, you can apply naman po and get an OEC. Make sure you set an appointment thru BM Online system for schedule of getting an OEC.