Philippines · Work Visa
Work permit categories, eligibility, sponsorship, application steps, and processing times.
AI-drafted, editorially reviewed. Confirm specifics with the official authority.
Working in the Philippines takes two separate authorisations from two separate agencies, and holding one is not holding the other. The Department of Labor and Employment issues an Alien Employment Permit, which certifies that no willing and competent Filipino is available for the role; the Bureau of Immigration then issues the pre-arranged employment visa that actually lets you stay and work. Short assignments may instead use a special work permit, and a tourist entry never authorises work.
- An Alien Employment Permit from DOLE and the employment visa from Immigration are two different things.
- The permit rests on a labour-market test: no willing and competent local candidate for the role.
- A tourist entry never authorises work, however short the assignment.
Official authorities
- Bureau of Immigration
Employment and special work visas.
- Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)
Alien Employment Permit.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.