NL
ENRegular MWO route
8–12
weeks
Indicative timing from a new vacancy to OEC through standard MWO verification and subsequent DMW processing.
DMW & Philippine deployment
DMW as part of your international placement
SkillShift helps employers bring Filipino professionals to the Netherlands and Belgium. We connect recruitment and selection with the European permit route, Philippine DMW deployment, preparation and relocation.
From months to weeks
A Philippine deployment process does not have to take a full quarter
SkillShift combines recruitment and placement within a certified Philippine recruitment route. Through this recruitment infrastructure, we have access to a special route derived from Presidential Award recognition. This means certain standard MWO verification steps may be skipped for suitable cases.
Through SkillShift
around 4
weeks
Sometimes achievable from new vacancy to OEC for a suitable and complete case.
Under the regular route, employer and vacancy documents are first processed through the responsible Migrant Workers Office before subsequent DMW processing.
Under the certified SkillShift route, certain standard MWO steps may be omitted while employer accreditation and departure processing are coordinated within the Philippine recruitment infrastructure.
Indicative timelines for a suitable and complete case. Timing depends on factors including the employer, candidate documentation and required Dutch or Belgian permits. Around four weeks is not guaranteed.
The Philippine part of the route
What is DMW and why is it part of the placement?
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) regulates areas including recruitment and deployment of Filipino workers leaving for jobs abroad. For employers, DMW is therefore one part of a wider international placement.
A Dutch highly skilled migrant permit or GVVA and a Belgian single permit cover admission in Europe. The Philippine route concerns overseas employment, documentation, preparation and departure. Approval in one track does not replace the other.
One integrated process
Recruitment, permits and deployment belong together
SkillShift does not treat DMW as an isolated administrative service. We start with your staffing need or existing candidate and bring the required parts together into one workable placement process.
- 1.Role and feasibility
- 2.Recruitment and selection
- 3.Work and residence route
- 4.DMW deployment through the SkillShift route
- 5.Preparation and relocation
- 6.Start and onboarding
Alternative starting point
Already found your Filipino candidate?
Your candidate does not need to have been found by SkillShift. If you have selected someone through LinkedIn, a referral, your own network, a direct application or another agency, we review the existing case and join for what is still needed.
A new recruitment assignment is unnecessary. The remaining work may include the European permit, DMW and departure processing through the SkillShift route, employment documents, preparation and relocation.
Discuss your candidateNetherlands
Highly skilled migrants, GVVA and Philippine deployment
A highly skilled migrant permit or GVVA covers Dutch admission. A Filipino employee also has a Philippine deployment route. SkillShift aligns both parts within the international placement, together with recruitment, documentation and relocation.
Filipino professionals to the Netherlands →Belgium
Single permits and Philippine deployment
A Belgian single permit and the Philippine deployment process each serve a different purpose. SkillShift connects these tracks with employment documents, practical preparation and relocation of the professional.
Filipino professionals to Belgium →MWO, OEC, POEA and direct hire in brief
MWO
A Migrant Workers Office may verify contracts and employer documents in regular recruitment and direct-hire routes. Under the SkillShift route, employers may be exempt from the usual MWO document verification in suitable cases.
OEC / exit clearance
Departure documentation for registered overseas employment. It is not a Dutch or Belgian work permit; its form and applicability depend on the candidate and route.
POEA / DMW
POEA is the former name still found in searches and older documents. Its relevant functions were absorbed into the current Department of Migrant Workers.
Direct hire
Hiring directly without a licensed Philippine recruitment organisation. Restrictions and possible exemptions apply. Finding a candidate yourself is not automatically an exemption.
Questions about DMW and deployment
What is DMW?
DMW is the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers. It regulates areas including the recruitment and deployment of Filipino workers taking jobs abroad. In a SkillShift engagement, this is the Philippine part of the international placement.
Is DMW the same as a Dutch or Belgian work permit?
No. A highly skilled migrant permit, GVVA or single permit covers admission in the Netherlands or Belgium. DMW and deployment concern Philippine overseas-employment and departure requirements. Both parts need to align.
How does SkillShift organise Philippine deployment?
SkillShift aligns recruitment, employment documents, the European permit route, Philippine deployment and practical preparation. SkillShift has access to a regulated, DMW-licensed recruitment infrastructure in the Philippines and remains the employer’s central point of contact.
How is SkillShift’s Philippine recruitment route organised?
The SkillShift route connects international recruitment, employer accreditation and deployment within a regulated Philippine recruitment infrastructure. SkillShift organises the process for the employer and assesses in advance which steps apply to the case.
Why can SkillShift skip certain MWO steps?
The special recognition status within SkillShift’s Philippine recruitment infrastructure means certain standard MWO verification steps may be omitted for suitable cases. DMW remains the competent Philippine authority; applicability, approval and timing remain case-specific.
Does the SkillShift route need to go through an MWO?
Regular routes may require MWO document verification. Under the SkillShift route, employers may be exempt from the usual document verification in suitable cases, while employer accreditation and departure processing are coordinated within the Philippine recruitment infrastructure. Applicability is checked for each case before work starts.
We already found a Filipino candidate. Can SkillShift join the process?
Yes. Your candidate does not need to have been found by SkillShift. We can review the existing case and join for the parts still needed, including permits, DMW deployment, documentation and relocation.
Does SkillShift need to recruit the candidate again?
No. A new search and selection assignment is unnecessary when you already have a suitable candidate. We do assess which parts of the Philippine recruitment route are still needed to process the case correctly.
The IND approved the permit, but the employee cannot depart. What now?
Check the Philippine deployment status before relying on a departure date. Dutch approval does not complete Philippine processing. SkillShift reviews what is in place and identifies the outstanding parts.
Does this also apply to a Belgian single permit?
Yes. The single permit covers Belgian work and residence permission, while Philippine deployment remains a separate part. SkillShift can align both tracks within the placement process.
What is direct hire?
Under Philippine rules, direct hire means hiring for overseas employment without a licensed recruitment organisation. Restrictions and exemptions apply. Finding a candidate yourself does not automatically establish a direct-hire exemption.
How long does Philippine deployment to OEC take?
For a new vacancy, a regular Philippine route through an MWO can readily take around 8–12 weeks from vacancy to OEC. Through the recruitment route available to SkillShift, certain standard MWO steps may be skipped. As a result, a suitable and complete case can sometimes reach OEC in around four weeks. Exact timing varies by case and depends on factors including documentation, the candidate, the employer and required Dutch or Belgian permits.
Sources and review date
Content last reviewed: .
Procedures may change. SkillShift assesses the applicable route and requirements for each case. The stated timelines are indicative and based on the usual process steps and practical experience with the route available to SkillShift.
Filipino professionals to Europe
Discuss your staffing need or existing candidate
SkillShift can organise the full process or join from your current starting point.