Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA)

As an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) you should constantly visit the website of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). At the very least just to check on the OFW advisories, new Announcements and Stop Illegal recruitment section of the website.

This practice will not only insure that you are up to date with the latest regulations it would also protect yourself and your family member who also has plans of working outside of the Philippines.

The Philippine Overseas and Employment Administration is Government agency that promotes and monitors overseas employment of the country's labor expatriates. Its website is updated regularly, it is here that you will also see the scams that are rampant from illegal recruiters worldwide.

As a blog dedicated to help Filipinos Immigrate to Canada, I am aiming to direct your attention to the section of the POEA website that discusses the current agreements between the Philippine government and that of Canada with regards to Canadian overseas employment opportunities.

Is the reason why you want to visit the POEA website, because you are looking for a Job? Or is it because you want to check the authenticity of a certain Job offer?

If the job vacancy published was seen by you in an advertisement on a local paper or sent to you online job applications or was posted by a recruitment agency (either a foreign placement agency or a local employment agency); verify, first, to make sure the agent you are dealing with is authorized or licensed by POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Administration) and has the proper job order and the person transacting business with you is legitimately connected with the licensed agency. You should apply only at the registered office of the recruitment agency.

You can easily verify if a particualar Recruitment agency has the proper license to conduct recruitment activities by going to the online services of the POEA. There you can see if the agency really has the job offer that it is advertising.

If you saw one in particular and wants to verify the Job offer you may click this link. ----->POEA Online services.

If the recruitment is conducted outside the registered office address, verify if it has a provincial recruitment authority issued byPOEA or has been allowed to conduct recruitment activity outside their office. You must ask for a copy of employment contract and study the terms and conditions. Never pay the any fees unless you have been hired and signed the employment contract. Always ask for a receipt corresponding to any payment

Agencies shall charge from their principals a service fee to cover services rendered in the recruitment, documentation and placement of workers.

Documentation costs to be paid by the worker shall include, but not limited to, the following: a. Passport

b. NBI/Police/Barangay Clearance
c. Authentication
d. Birth Certificate
e. Medicare
f. Trade Test, if necessary
g. Inoculation, when required by host country
h. Medical Examination fees

By the laws of the Philippines as well as that of Canada, it is mostly the employer who has to pay most of the cost related to hiring the Filipino worker.

You should read -----> POEA Guidelines for Filipino Workers bound for Canada.

Note: The employee will not be charged any placement fees!

Here is a link to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Website.

Link.