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DMW: the Philippine side of international recruitment
Philippine overseas employment compliance
Recruiting a Filipino professional involves more than obtaining a European work permit. The Philippines regulates the recruitment of its citizens for overseas work and the requirements before departure through the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
SkillShift helps employers navigate this Philippine framework alongside the Dutch or Belgian immigration route.
What is the Department of Migrant Workers?
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is the Philippine government department responsible for regulating and protecting Filipino migrant workers. The DMW has taken over the relevant functions of the former Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).
Its regulatory framework is designed to ensure that Filipino workers deployed abroad have documented employment, appropriate contracts and a legitimate recruitment route.
Licensed Philippine recruitment agencies and registered or accredited foreign principals or recruitment entities form part of this regulated system.
Why European employers need to know about DMW
A Dutch GVVA, Highly Skilled Migrant permit or Belgian single permit does not automatically complete the Philippine process. A Filipino employee travelling from the Philippines to start overseas employment generally needs to be properly processed as an Overseas Filipino Worker. Before departure, the employment contract, employer and worker documentation and other applicable requirements are checked.
A worker should therefore not simply leave the Philippines as a tourist with the intention of starting an overseas job.
The DMW regulates this process to protect workers and combat undocumented and illegal recruitment.
Documentation, insurance and other pre-departure requirements
Before departure, the worker must meet the applicable DMW documentation and pre-departure requirements. The exact components differ by route and category.
- Review of the employment contract, employer and recruitment documentation
- Worker documentation and, where applicable, medical fitness
- Mandatory insurance and pre-departure orientation where required
- OEC or OFW Pass and the applicable departure / exit clearance
Historically, the departure documentation has included the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), which serves as evidence that the worker has been properly documented for overseas employment and as exit clearance.
DMW is digitising this system through the OFW Pass. The OFW Pass is the digital OFW identity and a prerequisite for obtaining the applicable Exit Clearance; exit clearance is a separate function within this digital process. Because implementation and documents can differ by category and route, SkillShift checks for each candidate whether an OEC, an OFW Pass with exit clearance or other current DMW documentation is required.
Together, these components form the Philippine DMW process before departure.
One route instead of two disconnected procedures
Without coordination, an employer can successfully complete a European permit process only to discover that the Philippine DMW documentation and pre-departure requirements have not yet been arranged. SkillShift is designed to prevent this disconnect.
- The Netherlands is handled through SkillShift's Dutch entity.
- Belgium is handled through SkillShift's Belgian entity.
- Both are registered with the DMW as a Foreign Recruitment Agency for their respective markets.
SkillShift's role
- Coordination with the Philippine recruitment side
- Preparing or registering the employer relationship where required
- Coordinating job order and manpower requirements where applicable
- Aligning employment documents
- Coordinating candidate documentation
- Supporting DMW documentation and pre-departure requirements
- Preparing the candidate for lawful departure for overseas work
European permit and Philippine DMW requirements run together
European side
Netherlands / Belgium
- Vacancy eligibility
- Residence and work route
- Employer documentation
- Permit application
Philippine side
DMW
- Regulated overseas recruitment
- Employer and recruitment documentation
- Worker documentation
- Insurance, medical fitness and mandatory orientation where applicable
- Departure / exit clearance
SkillShift coordinates both tracks so they come together before departure.
Considering recruiting from the Philippines?
We first assess the vacancy, the applicable European permit route and the Philippine DMW documentation and pre-departure requirements before recruitment begins.
Discuss a vacancy