Foreigners hired to work in Philippines but still abroad may be given visas —BI

The Philippines has allowed companies that wish to engage the services of foreigners who are still abroad to apply for work visas on their behalf.

In a statement on Thursday, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said it came up with the procedure after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) authorized the issuance of working visas to foreigners who intend to come to the country for long-term employment with a Philippine-based employer.

The visa may also be issued to foreign workers whose expertise will be tapped for foreign-funded government projects.

“With the promulgation of this new policy, would-be expatriates bound for the Philippines will be able to apply for their working visas, which they would present when they enter the country,” Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said.

Employers of these foreign workers must still apply for an alien employment permit (AEP) on their behalf with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), he added.

“Those who fail to secure their AEP will not qualify for the issuance of a 9(g) visa and the petition for visa issuance by their employers will be denied by the bureau outright,” he said.

Upon approval by the BI, the order granting the visa will be forwarded to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), which will then transmit the same to the foreign service post (FSP) abroad where the applicant is situated.

The FSP will then issue the 9(g) visa to the applicant who must travel to the Philippines within 90 days, and upon arriving here, he or she shall proceed to the BI main office in Manila to have his or her visa implemented and registered with the bureau.—AOL, GMA News