The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration or POEA is one of the Philippine agencies that aims to safeguard the rights and welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers. It is responsible for administering decent overseas employment and implementing programs for Filipino workers.
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) was established to promote and monitor Filipino workers’ employment abroad in 1982 under Executive Order No. 797. The POEA gives assurance to all Filipino workers who want to work abroad that all recruitment agencies and overseas employment are legal and safe.
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has been joined forces and now under the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) office as of January 2023.
Vision
Excellence in governance for world-class Filipino migrant workers.
Mission
Philippine Overseas Employment Administration connects to the world and in partnership with all stakeholders, facilitates the generation and preservation of decent jobs for Filipino migrant workers, promotes their protection, and advocates their smooth reintegration into Philippine society.
Quality Statement
We pursue excellence in governance to satisfy our customers.
We achieve this by:
- Providing effective and efficient services.
- Operating within the requirement and standards governing overseas employment.
- Empowering our human resources.
- Assuring continual improvement using ISO 90001:2015.
Program Thrusts
Industry Regulation
- Continuing Agency Education and Agency Performance Evaluation/Ranking and Classification System
- Pre-application orientation seminar
- Labor market fora
- Seminar on best recruitment practices
- Implementation of comprehensive case management program
- Conciliation
- Adjudication
- Monitoring of appeals
- Enforcement of decisions
Employment Facilitation
- Facilitation of 1 million OFW deployment
- Dispatch of technical marketing missions
- Intensify marketing intelligence work
- Pursue bilateral/multi-lateral agreements
- Encourage visits of foreign gov’t and employers
- Strengthen linkages with education and training sector
- Enhance coordination with host governments
- Enforce policy on skills competencies
Workers Protection
- Global OFW mapping and profiling
- Fast-track information on OFWs worldwide, their work sites, skills, and gender.
- Intensification of AIR campaign
- PREVENTIVE
- Pre-employment orientation seminars
- Illegal recruitment free-LGUs
- Multi-media information and education program
- REMEDIAL
- Legal assistance to IR victims
- Surveillance/Entrapment operations
- Arrests
- Prosecution
- Closure of establishments
- Implementation of incentive program for victims and witnesses of illegal recruitment
- Payment of docket fees and other court or legal fees
- Employment without placement fees
- Provision of on-site remedies to OFWs to file complaints against employer or agency
- OFWs may file complaints for violations of POEA rules against principal, employer, and/or Philippine recruitment agency at the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs)
- PREVENTIVE
Core Functions
Industry Regulation
- Issues license to engage in overseas recruitment and manning to private recruitment agencies and ship manning companies
- Hears and arbitrates complaints and cases filed against recruitment and manning agencies, foreign principals and employers, and overseas workers for reported violation of POEA rules and regulations, except for money claims
- Implements a system of incentives and penalty for private sector participants
- Sets minimum labor standards
- Monitors overseas job advertisements on print, broadcast, and television
- Supervises the government’s program on anti-illegal recruitment
- Imposes disciplinary actions on erring employers and workers and seafarers
Employment Facilitation
- Accredits/registers foreign principals and employers hiring Filipino workers
- Approves manpower requests of foreign principals and employers
- Evaluates and processes employment contracts
- Assists departing workers at the ports of exit
- Develops and monitors markets and conducts market research
- Conducts marketing missions
- Enters into memorandum of understanding on the hiring of Filipino workers with labor–receiving countries
- Facilitates the deployment of workers hired through government-to-government arrangement
- Provides a system of worker’s registry
Worker’s Protection
- Intensifies public education and information campaign
- Conducts pre-employment orientation and anti-illegal recruitment seminars nationwide
- Conducts Pre-Deployment Orientation Seminars (PDOS) to workers hired through the government-to-government arrangement and name hires
- Provides technical assistance in the drafting of bilateral and multilateral agreements
- Provides legal assistance to victims of illegal recruitment
- OFW global mapping and profiling
- Implements gender-sensitive programs
- Networks with non-government organizations, workers’ organizations, etc.
- Provides repatriation assistance
- Provides a system of worker’s registry
General Administration and Support Services
- Human Resources Development
- Property and Supplies Management
- Financial Management
- Information and Communication Technology
- Plans and Policy Development
- Quality Management System
Programs and Services
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) created various programs and services to ensure Filipino workers’ safe workplace and protection from illegal recruiters. Here is the list of programs and services they offer.
Assist WELL Program
With the help of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) created the Welfare, Employment, Livelihood, and Legal, also known as WELL. This program aims to help Filipino workers to get back on their feet, get a job, attain justice, and livelihood.
Welfare Assistance
The Welfare Assistance consists of the following:
- Airport assistance
- Emergency medical assistance
- Stress debriefing
- Temporary shelter/accommodation
- Transport assistance to residence
Employment Assistance
- Job placement/referral for local employment
- Job placement/referral for overseas employment
- Competency assessment and certification for repatriated workers who wish to confirm whether they possess the competencies required in a preferred workplace. Skills training will be provided for those who desire to meet the standards.
Livelihood assistance
- Assisting with business loans
- Livelihood skills training
- Mentoring and support for business on a one-on-one basis
- Training for aspiring entrepreneurs
Legal Assistance
- Advice from a lawyer
- Assistance with the preparation and filing of complaints including illegal recruiting, recruitment violations, and disciplinary action.
- Conciliation proceedings will provide a forum for returned workers and their recruiters to discuss the potential of a mutually beneficial agreement.
- Counseling in criminal cases involving illicit recruitment during the preliminary inquiry and hearings.
Employment Facilitation
- Evaluating and processing of employment contracts
- Foreign employer accreditation
- Pre-employment orientation for OFWs
- Worker deployment
- Worker’s registry system
General Administration and Support services
- Financial management
- Human Resources Development
- Information and Communication Technology
- Plans and Policy Development
- Property and Supplies Management
- Quality Management System
Industry Regulation
- Incentivizing private sector participants
- Issuing licenses to overseas recruitment and manning agencies
- Penalizing non-complaint parties
- Setting minimum labor standards
Worker’s Protection
- Deploying only to countries and companies compliant with the Amended Migrant Workers Act.
- OFW global mapping and profiling.
- Providing legal assistance (such as filing, prosecuting, and penalizing) to any victims of illegal recruitment.
- Providing repatriation assistance.
POEA Online Services
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) website is now part of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) website. Here’s the list of services you can avail on their Service Portal.
- Adjudication Cases Monitor. In this program, Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) can keep track of their cases and their progress using the case number.
- Balik Manggagawa Online Processing. OFWs can process their Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) using this program.
- Online Pre-Employment Orientation Seminar (PEOS). OFW aspirants can now attend this mandatory seminar. This seminar tackles everything an applicant should know before working overseas.
- POEA E-Registration (Online Service Portal). To all OFW aspirants, you must register first to Manpower Registry (e-Registration) and upload accurate information, documents, and photos.
- POEA Online Appointment. Setting an appointment is now a must and more convenient way of processing any documents in POEA. Make sure to book an appointment before going to POEA to save time.
- Registration for Seafarers. All seafarers must register to POEA to be part of the qualified seafarers for overseas maritime work.
- SRA/LOA Online Application System. The Special Recruitment Authority (SRA) and Letter of Acknowledgement (LOA) allow the recruitment and other agencies to apply and submit online application requirements.
- Verification of Status of Recruitment Agencies. This research tool allows Filipino workers who want to work overseas to get information on the agency’s legitimacy.
- Verification of Agency’s Job Orders. This research tool allows Filipino workers to check the information about the job order and its legitimacy.
Video: All About the POEA | Philippine Overseas Employment Administration OFW Services
To know more about the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), watch this free webinar by Hoy Tara! To give you more information and guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is POEA?
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is a Philippine government agency that oversees and regulates recruitment agencies and job orders. The POEA ensures that the job orders and recruitment agencies are legal and safe for all Filipino workers.
What are the benefits of POEA?
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) processes documents for work, provides seminars that will allow the applicant to think carefully before deciding to leave the country, and prevents illegal recruiters to recruit Filipino workers.
What is the difference between POEA and OWWA?
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) processed job orders and applicants’ documents before leaving the country. While the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), is another government agency that helps Overseas Filipino Workers.
How long does the POEA take to process the application?
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) takes seven (7) working days to process the application after completing Phase 1.
Summary
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is one of the government agencies that has a crucial job. It ensures that Filipino workers won’t fall to illegal recruiters and that overseas employments are legal and safe. It also ensures that all Filipino workers who want to work abroad are ready mentally, physically, and emotionally ready. It also checks the OFW aspirants’ documents before leaving the country.
The Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are our modern heroes because of the sacrifices and time they give just to earn money. It is only fair that the government ensures their safety and protects them from harm.