POLO

SERVICES OFFERED BY THE PHILIPPINE OVERSEAS LABOR OFFICE (POLO)

The Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) acts as the operating arm of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for the administration and enforcement of its policies and programs applicable to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Likewise, it is designated to oversee and assist OFWs abroad.

OVERSEAS EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATE (OEC)

An OFW is required to show proof that the worker is properly documented to work overseas.

Copies of OEC shall be submitted to respective airlines used by the OFW, Labor Assistance Center and Terminal Counter at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to avail of the exemption for the payment of travel tax and terminal fee.

Requirements

1. Application Form (OFW Information Sheet)
2. Original Passport
3. Permesso D' Soggiorno or Carta D' Soggiorno
4. Valid OWWA Membership
5. Personal Appearance

Procedure

A. With valid OWWA membership

1. Secure an OFW Information Sheet from POLO counter
2. Fill-up Information Sheet
3. Submit accomplished Information Sheet to POLO Administrative Staff with other requirements
4. Pay processing fee of €2.00

B. Without valid OWWA membership

Proceed to Overseas Workers Welfare Administration's (OWWA) office at the 1st Floor (same floor) of the Consulate to apply/renew membership.

EMPLOYMENT DOCUMENTS

Employment documents are required to establish the existence of the employing person and ascertain his/her capability to hire workers at the applicable rates and at desirable conditions that are in conformity with the minimum standards prescribed by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and/or with the labor laws and legislation of the host country.

NULLA OSTA (or DIRECT HIRES)

The Italian Government requires the employer to put the name of the foreign worker to be hired on the application for "Nulla Osta" or No objection to Hire. Upon approval, the Nulla Osta is issued by the Italian government with name and other details of the worker(s) to be hired written on it. Before these documents are sent to the Italian Embassy in Manila for issuance of visa, these documents will have to be verified by POLO and authenticated by the Philippine Consulate.

Requirements for verification for direct hires

1. Two (2) Photocopies of the Nulla Osta
2. Two (2) Photocopies of the Employment Contract
3. Two (2) Photocopies of the employer's Carta D' Identita
4. Two (2) Photocopies of Undertaking by the Employer
5. (2) Photocopies of the worker's passport
6. In case the employer/worker can not personally submit the documents for authentication, "Delega" or authorization from the employer is necessary. The "delega" must be the nearest kin or relative of the worker directly hired.
7. Two (2) Photocopies of the "delega" and "delega's" carta d' identita
8. Verification fee is €13.00 and Authentication fee is €25.00

Procedure

1. Submit requirements to POLO (1st floor)
2. The Administrative Staff evaluates/process the documents submitted.
3. If documents are complete and in order, the worker will have to pay the verification fee. If the documents are not in order, the same are returned to the worker.
4. The Labor Attache interviews the employer or worker. In the absence of both, the representative of the employer (mostly related to the worker being hired) is the one interviewed.
5. After the interview, the Labor Attache checks, verifies and signs the documents presented; if not the same are returned.
6. The employer, worker or authorized representative shall submit to the processor a file copy of the documents verified by the Labor Attache.
7. The original documents processed shall be presented to the Cashier (ground floor) to pay for the authentication fee. The Cashier stamps release date/time of the authenticated document on the receipt.
8. The document goes to the Consular Office for authentication and signature. After authentication, the employer/worker/authorized representative claims the authenticated documents at POLO (1st floor).

SEAMAN/SEAFARERS

Requirements

1. Employment Contract;
2. Certificate of vessel registry;
3. Crew list;
4. Itinerary of the Vessel;
5. Passport of the Ship's Captain/or authorized representative of the vessel
6. Seafarer's Registration Certificate
7. Passport of the Seafarer
8. Sample Employment Contract from POEA for Seafarers
9. Processing fee of €13.00

MANNING AGREEMENT

Requirements

1. Manning Agreement
2. Special Power of Attorney (SPA)
3. Vessel Particulars
4. Crew complement with Salary/Renumeration;
5. Job Order
6. Offer of Employment/Master Employment Contract
7. Valid Business Registration/License
8. Authorization or Delega of the authorized representative if the contracting parties cannot personally submit or process the documents.

Procedure

1. The employer/authorized representative submits all the requirements to POLO
2. The Administrative Staff checks if the documents are complete and in order. If the documents are complete, the employer/representative pays €13.00 for verification fee, €30.00 for Manning Agreement and €10.00 each for SPA, Job Order and Offer of Employment.
3. The Labor Attache, checks, verifies and signs the document if complete and in order, if not documents are returned.
4. The Administrative Staff gets a copy of the document, the employer or representative brings the original copy of the verified documents to the Philippine Consulate Cashier to pay for the authentication. The Cashier stamps the date/time of release of document.
5. After payment, the verified documents are brought to the Consular Office for authentication and signature.
6. POLO releases verified/authenticated documents to employer or representative.