The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) upgrades its system of issuing Overseas Employment Certificates (OECs) to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who go home for vacation and spend the holidays with families and friends.
For the convenience of OFWs, through the Balik-Manggagawa (BM) Online Appointment System, vacationing or returning Filipino workers need not to queue up and wait for long in POEA processing centers to submit their requirements and be issued with an Overseas Employment Certificate, or OEC (commonly known as exit clearance). Instead, they can schedule the time and date, and choose their preferred OEC processing center.
Setting a BM appointment can be done in the POEA 's Balik-Manggagawa Online Appointment page.
Requirements Needed
- passport (that is valid at least 6 months from the date of departure)
- valid work visa or work permit (or any equivalent of this document)
- proof of employment (that will show that you are returning to the same employer) such as Employment Contract, Certificate of Employment, Company ID or Pay slip
- Filled-out OFW information Sheet
Process of Application
The process come in three phases: the online filling out of the forms, the issuance/processing of the OEC and the payment of fees.
First Phase: Scheduling
- Set your preferred processing office and schedule. Fill out the OFW Information Sheet provided in the BM Online Appointment website. Make sure to not leave all the required fields blank or you may not be able to proceed with the completion of the form.
- Once you have completed the OFW Information Sheet, click Submit and a portable document format (.pdf) of your form will appear. Save it and print at least two (2) copies of the document.
Second Phase: OEC processing
- You must come on the appointed date/time and in the processing office you have set to claim your Overseas Employment Certificate. Bring all the required documents (passport, work permit, proof of employment and two furnished copies of the OFW Information Sheet).
- At the processing center/office, present your complete requirements to the designated OEC window/counter for Balik-Manggagawa. The clerk will encode and verify your documents and may ask you to proceed to the payments counter to pay for necessary fees.
Third Phase: Payment of Fees
Take note of the following as these may be the fees you need to pay right before the issuance of your Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC):
- POEA Processing Fee-P100 per e-Receipt/OEC
- OWWA Membership Contribution-$25 USD (in peso equivalent) per contract coverage
- PHILHEALTH Contribution-P1,200 one year coverage
- PAG-IBIG Contribution-P100 minimum amount per month
Once all the payments and documents are processed, wait for the release of your E-receipt/Overseas Employment Certificate.
Other reminders:
· Any form of fraud or misrepresentation on the information submitted will be dealt with penalties and sanctions according to the policy governing this online facility and with other applicable laws.
· In case you decide to change schedule or amend any information already indicated in your submitted form, please go back to this PAGE and click "CANCEL APPOINTMENT" then, start the process all over again.
· You can only cancel your appointment and print information sheet twice.
· The POEA also issues to OFWs a multiple travel exit clearance (MTEC), co-terminus with the validity of their employment contracts, but which shall not exceed two (2) years. The worker has the option to secure a maximum of 2 travel exit clearance during the validity of her or his existing contract depending on the provisions of the contract allowing frequent vacations.
