THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Tuesday extended the validity of alien employment permits (AEPs) issued to foreign workers in the Philippines, due to the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, in Advisory No. 16-2020, said the department acknowledges the difficulty of processing the renewal of AEPs amid the lockdown imposed by the government.
“AEPs due for renewal during the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine and General Community Quarantine can be filed within 45 working days after the lifting of the same, without penalty,” said Bello.
The extension of the validity of existing AEPs comes on the heels of the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases to allow the partial resumption of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) operations.
Bello added the agency is temporarily relaxing the publication requirements for new AEP applications, which should be within two days of receipt of the application by the concerned DOLE Regional Office.
“The publication and posting of new AEP applications may be undertaken primarily in the official DOLE website of the concerned Regional Office (RO) and/or Public Employment Service Office (PESO), and is temporarily allowed in regions, where newspapers of general circulation are not yet allowed to operate,” he said.
“However, upon resumption of operations, publication in newspaper of general circulation shall be conducted in full compliance with requirement of the labor market test,” added Bello.
The AEP is a document issued by DOLE to a non-resident alien or foreign national seeking admission to the Philippines for employment purposes.
AEPs can only be issued once the non-availability of Filipinos, who is competent, able, and willing to perform the duties for which the alien is desired, is ascertained
The AEP, which is valid for one year, is applied by both foreigners, who intend to engage in employment in the Philippines, and by his/her employer, who desires to engage an alien for employment in the Philippines.
The publication requirement gives the public 30 days from the time of publication to object to the new foreign employee.
