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Pathway

Philippines Pre-Arranged Employment Visa

Philippines Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

A Philippine employer can support a 9(g) visa for a specific job. You also need the required employment permission, and approval usually covers one to three years with possible extensions.

Job offer required?
Yes, with a Philippine employer supporting the application
Permission
The required visa and employment approvals must cover the job
Job changes
Check new approvals before moving to a different employer

Summary

The 9(g) employment visa lets you live in the Philippines and work for an approved Philippine employer. Your employer must apply to support your visa and arrange the required employment permission.

The visa is tied to the approved job. It can generally last one to three years, depending on the contract and approval. Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can apply to join you.

Could this pathway work for you?

Eligibility

A job and an employer willing to support the application

You need an identified position with a Philippine employer and the qualifications, experience, or professional license required for that job.

Your employer applies to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and provides its company, tax, workforce, and representative documents. It must also handle the relevant Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) requirements. Agree who will prepare the applications, pay the costs, and support renewals.

The current checklist may call for a joint request letter, application form, company registration and authority records, tax and business records, and a notarized count of Filipino and foreign employees. Use the checklist for the employer and application type rather than an old document package.

Employment permission is a separate requirement

You normally need an Alien Employment Permit (AEP). DOLE’s process includes required job advertising and a review of whether a suitable Filipino worker is available. Skills-transfer arrangements can also be required. Your employer should start this work early.

Some workers qualify for an exclusion or exemption from the AEP, but they still need the appropriate DOLE certificate before working. Ask the employer to confirm the rule for your specific role.

You must also meet immigration entry and stay requirements and provide the required passport, current-status, clearance, and registration records.

Moving to the Philippines for an approved job
  1. Confirm the job and employer support Agree on the role, contract, applications, and costs.
  2. Complete employment and visa applications The employer coordinates the DOLE and Bureau of Immigration requirements.
  3. Work within the approval Complete registration, track expiry dates, and check requirements before changing jobs.

Both immigration and employment requirements must be satisfied before the approved work begins.

What This Route Allows

With the approved visa and employment permission, you can live in the Philippines and do the approved job for the approved employer. Complete the visa-issuance steps and obtain the required Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card, the registration card for foreign residents.

A commercial 9(g) visa can initially be issued or extended for one, two, or three years. The contract helps determine the period, but approval for the full contract term is not guaranteed.

A spouse and unmarried children under 21 may apply as dependents. Their stay generally follows yours, and they need separate permission for a Philippine job.

What This Route Is Not

This visa does not allow unrelated freelance work, job searching, or an unapproved move to another employer. A pending application alone does not authorize work.

Before changing employer, role, or contract, ask BI and DOLE whether you need a new permit, an amended application, a new visa application, or a change to the old visa. BI has separate processes for commercial employment, certain non-commercial work such as missionary activities, extensions, and dependents.

The visa does not automatically lead to permanent residence or citizenship. Budget from a current payment assessment: some BI website fee tables still show 2014 amounts.

Next Steps

  1. Confirm the employer, job, contract, qualifications, and responsibility for fees and both applications.
  2. Have the employer follow the current BI and DOLE instructions, keeping job and company details consistent.
  3. Keep your stay lawful and obtain the required permissions before starting work. Prepare separate family applications where needed.
  4. Track visa, employment-permit, and registration deadlines, and obtain guidance before any job change.

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Sources