Essential foreign workers who seek to work in the Philippines for more than six months can now apply for their work permit through their Philippine-based employers.
Labor Sec. Silvestre Bello III on Sunday said essential foreign workers, through their Philippine-based employers, may now apply for Alien Employment Permit (AEP) or a Certificate of Exemption or Exclusion (COE), as well as work visas, at their concerned DOLE regional offices before entering the country.
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The move is seen to help in the economic recovery of the country which continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic.
“Under the new guidelines, issuance of the work visa may be done at [the] Philippine Consulate General at the foreign national’s place of origin and will no longer require an entry stamp from the Department of Foreign Affairs,” Bello said in a statement.
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All documentary submissions for the AEP and COE, however, shall still be based on earlier released guidelines—namely Joint Memorandum Circular No. 001, series of 2019 and Section 3 of Department Order No. 221, series of 2021—except for the copy of the valid visa which shall be submitted within 30 working days upon arrival and completion of the 14-day quarantine protocol.
Once the AEP and COA has been granted, the Philippine-based employer may proceed with the application of an appropriate work visa with the Bureau of Immigration or other visa-issuing agencies, according to the advisory. (NM)
