The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) revealed that Overseas Employment Certificates (OEC) for rehires, in all its forms, will now be issued free of charge.
According to the DMW’s post on their official Facebook page, this change is set to take effect starting from July 29, 2023.
The move comes as the DMW implements Memorandum 110, which was issued on July 25, 2023.
The memorandum cites the implementation of Department Circular 02, which effectively renamed the OEC to the OFW Pass and lifted all associated fees for issuance.
Moreover, the DMW informed the public that it is currently conducting pilot test runs for both the OFW Pass and the agency’s mobile app. As of now, interested users can already download the mobile app. However, the DMW stressed that the app is not yet fully operational and is still undergoing technical improvements.
Read: DMW Mobile App, OFW Pass now being tested in UAE, 9 other countries
The pilot test run is not limited to the Philippines but extends to several other countries, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), United Arab Emirates (UAE), Singapore (SG), Hong Kong (HK), Malaysia (MY), Qatar, Oman, Taiwan, Japan, and the United Kingdom (UK).
The DMW, however, advises participants in the pilot test run to exercise patience, as the high number of users accessing the digital platforms may lead to delays in server response time. To ensure a smooth and successful test phase, the agency is encouraging Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to provide their feedback and suggestions during this period.
OFWs can submit their feedback and suggestions through various channels, including email at [email protected], the agency’s official Facebook page and FB Messenger at https://www.facebook.com/dmw.gov.ph, WhatsApp, Viber, as well as through phone calls and SMS at +63 908-326-8344, +63 927-147-8186, and +63 920-517-1059.
