GUIDELINES ON THE REGISTRATION OF/ISSUANCE OF OEC TO RETURNING DOMESTIC WORKERS (HOUSEHOLD SERVICE WORKERS)

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.

COVERAGE

POEA Memorandum Circular No. 2, Series of 2019 provides the guidelines on the registration of, and issuance of OEC to returning workers. Please click here for copy of the Circular.

Domestic workers who hold a Work Permit in Singapore and taking a home leave in the Philippines are covered by the guidelines.

BM ONLINE APPOINTMENT

All returning domestic workers covered by the guidelines are required to set an appointment thru the BM Online Processing System at https://www.onlineservices.dmw.gov.ph/OnlineServices at their preferred date and time with POLO Asia: Singapore for verification/authentication of their employment contracts and/or issuance of OEC.

STEPS AND REQUIREMENTS TO REGISTER WITH POEA AND APPLY FOR OEC FOR THOSE VACATIONING TO THE PHILIPPINES (HOME LEAVE) AND RETURNING TO SINGAPORE

The following are the different steps and requirements to register with POEA and apply for OEC for domestic workers belonging to the categories below:

  1. Domestic workers with existing record with POEA who are vacationing for the first time in the Philippines and returning to the same employer in Singapore;
  2. Domestic workers with existing record with POEA who changed employers in Singapore; and
  3. Domestic workers with no existing record with POEA.

For domestic workers with existing record with POEA who are vacationing to the Philippines for the first time and returning to the same employer (Para sa mga domestic workers na nag-proseso ng dokumento sa POEA bago umalis ng Pilipinas, magbabakasyon sa Pilipinas sa unang pag-kakataon at babalik sa kasalukuyang employer sa Singapore pagkatapos ng bakasyon.)

  1. Register or log into the BM Online Processing System (https://onlineservices.dmw.gov.ph/OnlineServices).
  2. Input all the details under “My Profile” including Identification and Beneficiary. Set an appointment through the Balik Manggagawa Tab and select location; Singapore and Print out the Appointment Sheet.
  3. Come to Philippine Embassy (Singapore) on the date and time of appointment and bring the following documents:
  4. Appointment Sheet; and
  5. Employment contract verified by the POLO. If no verified contract yet, please bring the following documents for verification of employment contract: (i) original signed Standard Employment Contract for Domestic Worker. Please click here to download the Standard Employment Contract; (ii) Original Signed Undertaking of Employer. Please click here to download the Undertaking of Employer; (iii) Photocopy of Valid Work Permit or IPA; (iv) Photocopy of data page of passport valid for at least six months from the date of departure from the Philippines; (v) Photocopy of any valid identification of employer; and (vi)  Cash payment of SG$17.00. 
  6. Upon advice of the OEC processor, print OEC by logging into the BM Online account under “My Transactions” OEC Tab.

For workers with existing record with POEA who changed employer on-site (Para sa mga domestic workers na nag-proseso ng dokumento sa POEA bago umalis ng Pilipinas subalit nag-palit ng employer habang nasa Singapore.)

  1. Register or log into the BM Online Processing System (https://onlineservices.dmw.gov.ph/OnlineServices).
  2. Input all the details under “My Profile” including Identification and Beneficiary. Set an appointment through the Balik Manggagawa Tab and select location; Singapore and Print out the Appointment Sheet.
  3. Come to Philippine Embassy (Singapore) on the date and time of appointment and bring the following documents:
  4. Appointment Sheet; and
  5. Employment contract verified by the POLO. If no verified contract yet, please bring the following documents for verification of employment contract: (i) original signed Standard Employment Contract for Domestic Worker. Please click here to download the Standard Employment Contract; (ii) Original Signed Undertaking of Employer. Please click here to download the Undertaking of Employer; (iii) Photocopy of Valid Work Permit or IPA; (iv) Photocopy of data page of passport valid for at least six months from the date of departure from the Philippines; (v) Photocopy of any valid identification of employer; (vi) Sworn Statement of the worker providing explanation on how she was hired by the current employer; and (vii) Cash payment of SG$17.00. 
  6. Upon advice of the OEC processor, print OEC by logging into the BM Online account under “My Transactions” OEC Tab.

For workers with no existing record with POEA (Para sa mga domestic workers na hindi nag-proseso ng dokumento sa POEA bago umalis ng bansa.)

Domestic workers with no existing record with POEA should have their employment contract verified by the POLO. They will apply for OEC at the POEA in the Philippines as stated in the POEA Memorandum Circular No. 2, Series of 2019. Please see the following steps:

  1. Register or log into the BM Online Processing System (https://onlineservices.dmw.gov.ph/OnlineServices).
  2. Input all the details under “My Profile” including Identification and Beneficiary. Set an appointment through the Balik Manggagawa Tab and select location; Singapore and Print out the Appointment Sheet.

Please note that your BM Online Appointment is considered only for the purpose of contract verification and not for OEC issuance. The OEC should be applied at the POEA in the Philippines.

  1. Come to the Philippine Embassy (Singapore) on the date and time of appointment, present the Appointment Sheet and submit the following documents for verification: (i) original signed Standard Employment Contract for Domestic Worker. Please click here to download the Standard Employment Contract; (ii) Original Signed Undertaking of Employer. Please click here to download the Undertaking of Employer; (iii) Photocopy of Valid Work Permit or IPA; (iv) Photocopy of data page of passport valid for at least six months from the date of departure from the Philippines; (v) Photocopy of any valid identification of employer; and (vi) Cash payment of SG$17.00. 
  2. Proceed to the nearest POEA office upon return/vacation in the Philippines and present the following documents for issuance of OEC: (i) Verified employment contract; and (ii) Sworn Statement of the worker providing explanation on how she was hired by the current employer.

REQUIREMENT OF HAVING A VALID OWWA MEMBERSHIP WHEN APPLYING FOR OEC

It is required to have a valid OWWA membership at the time of issuance of OEC. If the membership is expired, the worker shall be required to renew his/her OWWA membership. The following are the requirements for OWWA membership enrolment or renewal at the POLO:

  1. OFW Information Sheet. (This is the same Appointment Sheet printed out from https://onlineservices.dmw.gov.ph/OnlineServices. You may also click here to download the OFW Information Sheet;
  2. Photocopy of valid passport (original to be presented);
  3. Photocopy of valid Work Permit or IPA (original to be presented;
  4. Photocopy of employment contract or any proof of employment such as certificate of employment, pay slip or of company ID (original to be presented);
  5. Photocopy of any valid ID of the employer; and
  6. Cash payment of SG$36.0