New Procedure for direct hire/name hire of Philippine domestic helper

15 January 2008

The Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) wishes to announce the new procedure and requirements for the direct hire and name-hire of domestic helpers from the Philppines.

The new procedure took effect on 01 January 2008.

DIRECT HIRE/NAME HIRE PROGRAM

(Workers coming to Hong Kong on employment visa for the FIRST TIME are not allowed under this program)

REVISED January 2008

List of Pre-qualification Requirements

1. Letter of request to direct-hire Filipino helper addressed to Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) of Philippine Consulate General Hong Kong SAR.
2. Completely filled-up employer’s Information Sheet with recent picture (passport size). Information sheet can obtained from the Consulate guard or downloaded here.
3. Original employment contracts ID 407 (Rev 10/2003) – can be obtained at the Hong Kong Immigration Dept., signed by the domestic helper (DH) & employer;
4. Photocopy of the DH’s passport with her/his signature;
5. Photocopy of employer’s Hong Kong ID Card;
6. Photocopy of employer’s latest income tax (with annual income at least HK$200,000.00);
7. Photocopy of letter from the employer’s company stating his/her position in the company & his/her salary & allowance*. If employer is a business owner, submit original and photocopy of the business registration certificate & any document showing ownership of the business;
8. Photocopy of the employer’s proof of address (telephone bill, electric bill, etc.). Mobile phone bill is not acceptable;
9. Photocopy of any of the following DH's documents; (a) old contract; (b) previous employment visa; (c) HK ID card, or any proof that she/he had been in HK on an employment visa;
10. In the case of workers who have been asked by the HK Immigration Dept. to leave HK after their application has been denied, submit copy of the refusal letter given by the Immigration Dept.;

Note: All photocopies of documents submitted will NOT be returned. Documents stated in Nos. 4 to 7 should also be accompanied by originals in case of over-the-counter transactions, which is from Monday to Thursday, 9:00a.m.-12:00nn and 2:00p.m-4:00p.m. only. PERSONAL APPEARANCE of the employer is a must for over-the-counter (Counter 16) employment contract processing.

PROCEDURE IN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT PROCESSING FOR NAME/DIRECT HIRE

1.   Make a letter of request and state your reasons/ justifications why you would like to  direct hire a Filipino helper.

2.   Secure Employer’s Information Sheet from Counter 16 or you may  downloaded it. Fill up completely the Information Sheet and attach recent picture (passport size).

3.   Attach completely filled-up Employer’s Information sheet and letter of request to the Employment Contracts and other required and/or supporting documents.

4.   Give the above-mentioned documents to the Philippine Labor Office (POLO) staff for pre-qualification of the request.

5.   POLO pre-qualifies and endorses the qualified request to POEA office in the Philippines.

6.   POEA will evaluate and endorses the qualified request to the Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

7.   DOLE Secretary conveys action/ approval of the request to POLO & POEA.

8.   POLO will then inform the employer about the decision. If it is approved, then POLO will verify the contracts together with the following documents to be submitted personally by the employer at Counter 16:

a.  Duly notarized Employer’s Undertaking obtained from Counter 16

b.  Certificate of worker coverage under a performance bond (salary rate x 3months)

c.  Certificate of repatriation bond (5000 USD).

d.  Certificate of medical insurance.

e.  Photocopy of airline ticket or original Ticket Exchange Voucher (TEV) one-way (Philippines to Hong Kong) with open date;

9.   Once approved, POLO staff will issue a receipt in the amount of HK$297.50 as processing fee. Proceed to the cashier for payment, get the Original Receipt (O.R. - white) and return to POLO officer the pink copy of the receipt.

10. Bring the O.R. after 3 working days to Counter 13 for the release of employment contracts, endorsement letter and/or other documents. Other parties my pick up the documents provided that they have an authorization letter from the employer.

11. Proceed to the HK Immigration Department for the processing of employment visa. Make sure that you have satisfied also their requirements. Normal processing time: 4 to 6 weeks.

12.   Upon approval of the employment visa, the employer should send to the worker/helper in the Philippines the following documents:

a.   the visa sticker;

b.   the verified employment contract;

c.   plane/air ticket or Ticket Exchange Voucher (TEV); and

d.  endorsement letter to the POEA signed by the Labor Attaché of the Philippine Consulate General, HK SAR.

13.  Upon receipt, the worker/helper should proceed to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Name Hire Processing Unit, Household Worker’s Processing Center, located at the G/F, POEA Bldg., (Blas F. Ople Bldg.), corner EDSA and Ortigas Ave., Mandaluyong City with telephone nos. (+632) 722-1160 & 722-1193, or to the nearest District/Regional Office to submit the endorsement letter from the Labor Attache, original authenticated employment contract, visa sticker, plane ticket/TEV and the National Certificate for HSW (NC2 – on Competency Assessment) from TESDA and Certificate of Competency (on Language and Culture Orientation) from OWWA, together with the photocopy of his/her passport for final processing and issuance of Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC).

14.  The worker /helper should also undergo a medical examination in POEA Accredited Hospital or Clinic. The cost of said medical examination should be shouldered by the employer.

15.  If all the papers are in order, the worker/helper will be required to attend the Pre-Orientation Departure Seminar (P-DOS) conducted by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). The following fees are to be paid:

                                Employer =     US$100 (or its Peso equivalent) – POEA Processing Fee

                                US$25 (or its Peso equivalent)   – OWWA Membership

        Helper      =     Php900                                         - PhilHealth

16. An Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) will then be issued to the worker/helper and he/she could now book/confirm her flight to Hong Kong, SAR. The OEC would also exempt the worker/helper from paying the Philippine travel tax and the international airport terminal fee.

                               Please visit our website at www.philcongen-hk.com and

www.poea.gov.ph/mc/mc4_2007_directhire.pdf for more details.