This may be one of the most complicated How-Tos I am going to have to write but I know there are others out there who are going through this and here’s hoping we can all work together to make this as simple as possible. Let me warn you that it will take a lot of time and a lot of patience so am going to try to make it as painless as possible by listing out as much of the steps as I can.
If you are short on time, you can hire an agency to do this for you for SGD $240. There are a few options that I will list in an update. If you have any recommendations, please let me know in the comments below.
I am determined to get through this process and triumph to hopefully help our hard-working employees travel home and get their well-deserved rest.
WHY DO WE NEED TO UNDERGO THIS PROCESS?
So the main reason we all have to go through these steps is for our employees to receive their OEC. This is the Overseas Employment Certificate which basically allows the employees to leave the country they are working in and return to their employers.
Official wording below:
Under the rules and regulations of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), all overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are required to have an Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) when departing for, or returning to their work overseas. The OEC, also known as exit clearance/pass, is a document certifying the regularity of recruitment and documentation of an OFW and serving as proof of his/her registration with the POEA. The OEC is presented to the immigration officer at the airport of exit in the Philippines. A worker exiting from the Philippines without OEC may be prevented by the immigration officer from leaving the country.
An OFW who holds an OEC enjoys the following privileges: (a) travel tax exemption; (b) airport terminal fee exemption; and (c) reduced travel tax for spouse or dependents.
So yes, it is important and I know that these organizations work hard to make sure that abuse and trafficking do not happen. I just wish the process was much simpler. I feel good that there are a lot of employers who are willing to either pay for an agency to do this or work through the process. I just don’t know how those who may not have the same kind of support are working this out.
Do note that the process may be different for renewing contracts. The steps below are for first-time contract employees.
So the gist of the matter is that you need to:
Get the Employment Contract verified with POLO (Philippine Overseas Labor Organization)
Apply for OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) membership
Register for BM Online and get OEC appointment
Get the Golden Ticket aka OEC
And here we go. May the patience be with you.
STEP 1: VERIFYING CONTRACT & OWWA MEMBERSHIP
IMPORTANT: Know when your employee is going to travel home and work on this process at least 3 months in advance.
Book an appointment for the POLO contract verification at https://polosingapore.dole.gov.ph/appointment-for-domestic-workers/
It takes a while to get the appointment so I recommend setting an hour (or more) aside and religiously reloading the page until slots open up.
Other tricks are to try early in the morning or late at night.
Just think of it as trying to get tickets to a K-Pop concert. Persistence is key!
When you get the appointment make sure you screenshot the confirmation just in case. My employee’s email confirmation letter got lost in her junk mail so make sure you check there as well.
Book an appointment for OWWA Membership at https://polosingapore.dole.gov.ph/owwa-membership/
This is easier to get so we were able to book a slot on the same day as her contract verification
The OWWA Membership is typically tied to your employees contract and will need to be renewed every 2 years, usually at the time she starts a new or renews a contract.
ON THE DAY OF THE APPOINTMENT
Requirements for Contract Verification
Print out of Appointment Letter
Original signed Standard Employment Contract for Domestic Worker. Please check the link provided to download the form
Original Signed Undertaking of Employer. Please check the link provided to download the form.
1 Photocopy of Valid Work Permit or IPA;
1 Photocopy of data page of passport valid for at least six months from the date of departure from the Philippines;
1 Photocopy of any valid identification of employer;
Original Letter of Guarantee for the Seven Thousand Singapore Dollars (SGD 7,000.00) Philippine Embassy Bond from any reputable insurance company in Singapore with two years of validity (Note: This is different from the MOM Bond)
You can get this here https://www.income.com.sg/insure/domestic-helper-insurance.html#!/app/domestichelp
Cash payment of SG$17.00.
Requirements for OWWA Membership
Membership Form (click here to download the form)
Valid employment contract
Valid work pass (Work Permit, S-Pass, Employment Pass)
Copy of bio page of passport
Any other proof of employment as may be required to validate the OFW’s continued presence and employment abroad such as Re-entry permit or Letter of Consent from MOM
I’ll need to work out what this might be. I am guessing maybe a return trip ticket might be ok? I’ll also probably write out a letter saying that I am guaranteeing her employment.
COST SUMMARY
Letter of Guarantee (paid to NTUC) $67
POLO Verification Fee $17
OWWA Membership $36
Grab to/ from Embassy $30
STEP 2: REGISTER FOR BM ONLINE & GET OEC
Log in or Register for BM Online https://www.onlineservices.dmw.gov.ph/OnlineServices
Note that you have to fill in all the requirements it asks for including the bits about having beneficiaries.
Book OEC appointment under the “Balik Manggawa” tab
The “next available appointment” button doesn’t work so well so make sure you keep clicking on each date to find an available slot.
Requirements for OEC
For domestic workers with existing record with POEA who are vacationing to the Philippines for the first time and returning to the same employer:
Appointment Sheet; and
Employment contract verified by the POLO.
Upon advice of the OEC processor, print OEC by logging into the BM Online account under “My Transactions” OEC Tab.
Some acronyms and processes you’ll need to know:
OEC: Overseas Employment Certificate
POEA: Philippine Overseas Employment Administration
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration was an agency of the Government of the Philippines responsible for opening the benefits of the overseas employment program of the Philippines.
POLO: Philippine Overseas Labor Office
The Philippine Overseas Labor Office – Singapore (POLO-SG) serves as the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) overseas operating arm in the implementation of Philippine labor policies and programs for the protection of the rights and promotion of the welfare and interests of overseas Filipino workers in Singapore.
POLO-SG is headed by a Labor Attaché appointed by the Secretary of Labor and Employment. It is composed of organic personnel and local staff from the DOLE and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). It exercises oversight function over the representatives of Social Security System (SSS) and Pag-IBIG in Singapore.
OWWA: Overseas Worker Welfare Administration
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) is a national government agency vested with the special function of developing and implementing welfare programs and services that respond to the needs of member-OFWs and their families.
Among its core programs and services are repatriation program; social benefits program such as death and disability assistance; and reintegration program, which comprises skills training, entrepreneurship development training, business loan and livelihood assistance program.
Important Links
https://polosingapore.dole.gov.ph/services-2/issuance-of-oec/
Onlineservices.dmw.gov.ph
https://polosingapore.dole.gov.ph/domestic-workers/
Have I missed out on a step? Do you have any tips on how to make it easier? Do you have your own stories to share? Let me know in the comments below.