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  1. Overview: Philippines
  2. Global HR Compliance
  3. Global PEO and Payroll
  4. Work Permit for Hiring Expats via PEO
  5. Expand without a company set up
  6. Contractor vs. Employee: Which Is Better?
  7. Global Payroll Calculator
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Work Permit for Hiring Expats via PEO in the Philippines

As your company looks to expand its operations into the Philippines, you may find obtaining visas and work permits for your expatriate employees a significant challenge. To get work permits in the Philippines, your employees must be locally licensed and hired compliantly. This can present a problem for companies new to the Philippines market and want to test the waters before incorporation. It can also slow down the hiring process, preventing you from promptly getting your key staff in place.

Work Permits For Expats: Foreign Employment Solution in the Philippines

Are you looking for qualified talent in your industry but don’t want to go through the hassle of setting up your legal entity in the Philippines? Look no further! 

Acumen International’s global PEO and EOR services can help you by providing faster access to qualified talent in your industry. Our Global Employer of Record services can help you get a presence in the Philippines quickly and easily without worrying about labor and tax regulations compliance.

  1. You have hired an employee but are unhappy with your current employment service provider. 
  2. You’ve decided to hire an independent contractor instead of a full-time employee, but you’re unsure if you comply with local laws and regulations.
  3. You are currently looking to improve the quality of your employment services.
  4. You can no longer afford to maintain a fully legal operation via your entity in the target country.
  5. You have a temporary project or one that doesn’t require you to open a legal entity in the target country.
  6. You need to hire a foreign workforce for your new project.
  7. If you are looking to expand your business, you will need a mix of both local and foreign employees. Those familiar with the local market can help reduce the learning curve.
  8. You are looking for a partner that will allow you to expand your business by hiring locally experienced employees. This will give you the ability to tap into a wealth of knowledge and experience that can help you grow your business.

Acumen Global PEO Help Secure Business Visa and Work Permit in the Philippines

Acumen’s Work Permits for Expats Foreign Employment solution is a hassle-free way to obtain business visas and work permits for your employees. We will take care of the paperwork and legwork involved in getting the permits, so you can focus on what’s important – running your business. With Acumen, hiring your expatriate workforce in the Philippines is quick and easy.

Our solution is designed to manage all aspects of immigration and ensure that all local employment laws and regulations are strictly adhered to, so you can focus on growing your business. We help you legally onboard and compensate your ex-pats in the Philippines with minimal headaches.

Immigration Process Guidance in the Philippines

Let Acumen guide you through the documentation process and prepare all mandatory documents required for visas, work permits, and residence permits. Our one-stop-shop global PEO solution lets us become a single provider that sponsors ex-pat workers’ work permits and arranges employment on our client’s behalf. Which in turn, reduces the risk of visa rejection dramatically.

Acumen’s Expats Post-Immigration Employment Through a PEO solution can serve you in two ways:

  • As an interim solution before establishing your own company in the Philippines
  • As a long-term solution, allow your foreign employees to live and work in the Philippines in full compliance with local employment laws. Our solution is perfect for companies that want to operate in the Philippines without incorporating there.

Acumen’s PEO solution for ex-pats post-immigration employment offers a viable alternative to directly hiring via your foreign entity. Thanks to our many years of experience, Acumen has helped numerous companies like yours to take their first steps as they venture into foreign markets.

Take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to tap into the Philippines economy and increase your revenue without legal complications.

Click here to learn more about Acumen’s Expatriate post-immigration employment via a PEO solution!

Navigate the Complete Cycle for Securing a Work Permit in the Philippines

Work Permits in the Philippines: Requirements and Timelines

Under Philippine labor laws, any business wishing to hire a foreign national must present a valid document stating that local workers cannot fill the position. Employer companies can apply to the Philippine Bureau of Immigration and declare that they need certain services that only an ex-pat can provide. Still, approval is at the discretion of the Bureau.

Expat quotas are limited and must be validated at the time of application. Immigration and labor laws in the Philippines are designed to protect the country’s citizens. Without professional support, proving that your position cannot be filled with local talent can be challenging.

Acumen International has extensive experience helping our clients obtain visas and work permits in the Philippines. Our global experts stay abreast of changing laws and regulations and know how to navigate the conditions, timelines, and in-country requirements for ex-pats imposed by the Philippines government.

As your #1 global partner, Acumen’s local expertise in hiring and payrolling ex-pats in the Philippines can help you obtain the permissions you need to relocate your ex-pat workforce there.

! Please Note: Acumen International is not an immigration service. We do not work with individuals who want to work overseas but serve businesses that need to send their ex-pats abroad. We do not provide any immigration support in the Philippines apart from our ex-pat post-immigration employment and payroll through a PEO solution.

Obtaining a Visa in the Philippines

The procedure for obtaining a visa in the Philippines can vary depending on the profession of the foreign citizen, nationality, and other factors. COVID travel restrictions and lockdowns have forced many companies to pay close attention to how changing restrictions impact the difficulty of getting a visa.

! Note: Temporary COVID travel restrictions are in place in the Philippines that limit the entry of certain foreign nationals, effective 22 March 2021. Those restrictions may impact the plans of ex-pat workers traveling to the Philippines.

You can rely on Acumen’s team of global experts to keep you abreast of the latest in-country developments in the Philippines.

Contact us today to discuss your specific details. Certain restrictions may be in place based on the employee’s position, salary, country of origin, and other factors.

Who is Eligible for Work Permits in the Philippines?

Foreign nationals who plan to work in the Philippines must secure a work visa from the Philippines’ Bureau of Immigration and an Alien Employment Permit (AEP) from the Department of Labor and Employment. An AEP is required to secure a visa in the Philippines.

There are several types of employment visas and work permits for ex-pat foreign employment in the Philippines:

9(G) Pre-arranged Employment Visa

The 9(G) is the most common work visa issued by the Bureau of Immigration. It allows hiring ex-pats to fill positions requiring skills, qualifications, and experience that are difficult to find in the Philippines. To obtain a 9(G) visa, workers must have an AEP and have work permit sponsorship from a Philippines-based company.

A 9(G) visa can initially be valid for one, two, or three years and may be extended for three years. The duration of validity is dictated by the employee’s AEP.

9(D) Treaty Trader’s Visa

The 9D visa is valid for up to two years. It is reserved for foreign nationals whose country has a bilateral trade agreement with the Philippines, which currently includes the United States, Japan, and Germany. To qualify, foreign workers and/or their employers must be engaged in substantial trade with the Philippines, with a minimum investment of USD 120,000 in trade with the Philippines. Workers must be of the same nationality as the employer and hold supervisor or executive status. They must intend to leave the country once their work contract expires or is terminated.

Provisional Work Permits

Before obtaining a visa, foreign workers may be eligible for a provisional work permit (PWP), provided that they have an AEP and their visa application is pending approval. A PWP is only valid for up to 6 months.

Special Work Permits

Special work permits (SWP) are issued to ex-pats for 6 months for work contracts of 6 months or less.

Work Permit Timelines and Documentation

The multiple types of work permits in the Philippines include various steps, procedures, and timeframe for obtaining them, depending on the needed type. Learn the details below:

Documents for a Work Permit in the Philippines

Work Permit type Terms and conditions Documents Required Validity
Alien Employment Permit (AEP) This document is needed to apply for a long-term work visa that is valid for up to three years. Some applicants are exempt from obtaining AEP (diplomatic and foreign government officials, representatives and owners of the POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Administration) accredited companies, temporary foreign residents) Completed application form Copy of employee’s passport with a valid visa Copy of employment contract and related documents Copy of current AEP (if expired or expiring soon) Copy of mayor’s permit or business permit The Alien Employment Permit is valid for one (1) year
9(G) Pre-arranged Employment Visa Needs to be filed by companies to sponsor foreign nationals in the Philippines.The most common visa type for highly-skilled workers that cannot be found locally Notarized certification of a number of foreign and Filipino employees Completed application form Copy of the employment contract and Articles of Incorporation Certified copy of AEP Proof of publication of the applicant’s AEP Bureau of Immigrationn clearance certificate Alien certificate of registration Passport Valid for one, two, or three (1, 2 or 3) years but not longer than the AEP length
9(D) Treaty Trader’s Visa Issued for the citizens of the Philippines’ trade agreement partners (US, Japan, Germany) Proof of at least $120,000 USD investment in trade between Philippines and partner state Proof of intent to leave the country after contract expiration Proof of nationality sam as employer Proof of job position as supervisor or executive Valid for up to two (2) years
Provisional Work Permit (PWP) Allows applicants to work while waiting for work visa approval Employment contract Notarized copy of passport with a valid visa Alien Employment Permit (AEP) Letter from petitioning company ITR (Income Tax Return) of the company Valid for up to six (6) months with AEP
Special Work Permit (SWP) For short-term contracts up to six (6) months Letter request from petitioning company Notarized copy of applicant’s passport with a valid visa An Affidavit of Support of the petitioning company An authenticated true copy of employment contract specifying exact fiscal compensation to be earned Valid with 9(A) tourist visa for three (3) months, with possible three (3) month extension

You can leverage Acumen’s one-stop-shop global PEO solution for work permit sponsorship of your selected ex-pat employees in the Philippines and subsequent post-immigration compliant employment and payrolling them on your company’s behalf. By having a single provider sponsoring a work permit or visa on your behalf and employing your ex-pats in the Philippines, you reduce the risk of visa rejection.

17 Burdens a Global PEO Can Relieve for Your In-House HR Department

  1. Global expansion complexity 
  2. Global payroll administration
  3. Employee benefits administration
  4. Drafting compliant employment contracts to adhere to local labor and tax regulations in 190 countries
  5. Lengthy onboarding 
  6. Complex and risky offboarding
  7. Background checks
  8. Workforce compensation administration
  9. Compliance assistance
  10. Guidance on best practices of voluntary benefits provisioning
  11. Immigration and relocation support for your ex-pat workforce, such as visa sponsorship and securing work permits
  12. Lack of institutional knowledge.
  13. IP right protection
  14. Lack of local and international legal support
  15. Convert local contractors into full-time employees
  16. Business Transitions: acquisitions, mergers, close-downs
  17. Need to deal with multiple global employment service providers.

Contact our team today to discuss your specific details.

Acumen’s Global PEO Solution for Expats Post-Immigration Employment in the Philippines

Thanks to our many years of experience, Acumen International has developed excellent solutions to meet your specific needs for business expansion in the Philippines. Let our global team of experts handle all your long-term international hiring needs to protect you from the potential liabilities of hiring expatriate staff in the Philippines. Let Acumen take care of your HR management and administrative tasks so that you can focus on your daily business operations and development goals.

Acumen helps companies like yours take the first steps toward international growth quickly and risk-free. We provide practical solutions to burdensome immigration procedures in 190 countries, which can be tailored to meet your specific needs for the global mobility of ex-pat employees. Acumen’s expertise in global immigration support lets us offer your company a comprehensive solution to ensure that your international employees obtain their required work permits in the Philippines. We compliantly employ your ex-pat workforce on your behalf, post-immigration, via our Global PEO solution.

Leverage the extensive experience of Acumen’s global team to expedite the immigration process for your expatriate personnel and have them employed on your behalf through our Global PEO in the Philippines. Partner with Acumen to maximize your chances of permit and visa approval in the Philippines so you can expand your business risk-free.

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