OEC Overseas Employment Certificate (Balik-Manggagawa) Requirements for OFWs

oec overseas employment certificate for balik manggagawa ofw

Processing an Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), also known as the Balik-Manggagawa (BM) Certificate, is something that all overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) need to be familiar with. It is, after all, an important document that Filipinos who wish to leave the country to work—whether as a domestic worker, a medical worker, or a construction worker—need to exit the country.

The Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) is a certificate required by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), now renamed as the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), to verify that a person has registered as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) and is allowed to work overseas. It also serves as a clearance presented at immigration to demonstrate that the person is legally leaving the country. In this guide, we took a closer look at the process of acquiring an OEC, including its process, requirements, and exemption, among others.

Table of Contents

What is an OEC?

OEC stands for the Overseas Employment Certificate. It is also known as the Balik-Manggagawa Certificate. The OEC is an important document meant to prove that the bearer is a legal overseas worker. It is also an identification document that doubles as an exit clearance document proving to the immigration office that an aspiring OFW has been certified legal and free to leave the country and work overseas. It is issued by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and must be kept around at all times.

Though the DMW (formerly POEA) mandates that all OFWs secure an OEC, there are certain exemptions offered to certain divisions of Balik-Manggagawa (BM) workers. Exemptions from paying some fees, including the terminal fee and travel tax at the airport are also some of the benefits that having an OEC entails, allowing the OFWs to lower the total costs associated with finding jobs abroad.

Validity of OEC

All issued OECs are only valid for a single-exit within 60 days. Having said that, a worker may not be allowed to complete their check-in at the airport or even exit the country if they don’t bring it with them at all times and use it within the 60-day mark. Note that an OEC may also be issued at the Labor Assistance Counter (LAC) at the NAIA, Cebu-Mactan, or Davao International Airport, but this OEC is only valid for one day.

Getting an OEC