Overview

Overseas employment is a regulated activity in the Philippines, and is managed by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). Overseas, the Migrant Workers Offices are the implementing arm of the DMW.

Foreign Principals and Licensed Recruitment Agencies must first be authorized by the DMW to engage in any recruitment activities of Filipino workers.

FOREIGN PRINCIPALS

Direct Employers - refers to an individual, company or organization that exercises direct control and supervision over the Filipino worker, and is legally responsible for the employment overseas. 

Service Contractors - also Staffing Agency, Sourcing Company, Consultancy or related terms. Refers to any sole proprietor or compay duly licensed/registed in Singapore to recruit foreign workers for its projects or for the projects of its clients, and remains as the employer of the deployed workers. 

Foreign Placement Agencies - any single proprietor, partnership, corporation or any such entity duly licensed/registered in Singapore to engage in the recruitment of foreign workers for placement with their clients.

All Principals must be Accredited with DMW to hire Filipino workers.

LANDBASED RECRUITMENT AGENCY (LRA)

These are entities duly authorized by the Philippine Government through DMW to engage in any recruitment activity which includes the canvassing, recruiting, hiring, advertising, placement and deployment activity for a foreign principal for the purpose of overseas employment.

The purpose of this policy is to defer any cases of human trafficking, and facilitate the collection of any and all claims arising out of the implementation of the employment contract involving Overseas Filipino Workers. The Principal and the LRA share a joint and several liability for all claims and charges in relation to the employment of the Filipino worker.

MWO Singapore discourages Principals from transacting with unauthorized individuals or companies.  Engaging third-parties for the recruitment process may cause the disqualification and cancellation of the accreditation of the foreign principal/employer. 

To verify the status of an LRA, you may visit DMW's LRA verification tool.