Bureau of Immigration to Implement Stricter Foreign Work Permits
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) will impose additional requirements and stricter procedures on foreign workers seeking special work permits (SWP) and provisional work permits (PWP).
The Bureau of Immigration head office in Intramuros, Manila/IMAGE Wikicommons
In the February 6 statement, the bureau said that no work permits will be issued to aliens seeking blue-collar jobs including construction workers, cashiers, janitors, and carpenters. Professions regulated by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), on the other hand, will require the commission’s approval.
As for requirements, applicants need to submit validity of stay as tourists, address, existence, nature of the business, and the financial stability of petitioning company. The company’s license to operate from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) must also be presented.
Only authorized BI officers and alien control officers may approve or reject the working applications for both SWP and PWP.
Also read: BI Installs E-Gate System in PH Airports To Make Passenger Processing Faster
No definite implementation date was set, but BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said that the new rules will ensure that work permits issued are for jobs that cannot be performed by Filipinos.
The intent to tighten the policy was a response to the public’s concern with regards to the increasing number of foreign employees in the country.
The agency has been relentless with its campaign against illegal aliens. They have reportedly caught and deported 611 illegal aliens in 2017. BI Acting Intelligence Chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. reported that the majority of the arrests made were overstaying aliens, illegal foreign vendors, and aliens illegally employed in blue-collar jobs.
Also read: The Bureau of Immigration has now opened its satellite office at SM Aura
Sources: Bureau of Immigration, Inquirer, Philippine Star
Image grabbed from WikiCommons
