DOLE imposes tighter inquiry of Koreans’ employment permit

BAGUIO CITY - The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) ordered the creation of special desks among six of its regional offices to ensure the strict compliance of South Koreans entering the country to the labor department’s Alien Employment Permit (AEP) requirements.

Exequiel Ronie Guzman, DOLE-CAR regional director said the order has reference to the agreement between Ambassador Han Dong-Man and Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III following the issues and concerns raised by Korean businessmen in securing AEP from DOLE Regional Offices.

Guzman said DOLE is strengthening its AEP enforcement mechanism through inspections at workplace levels to check on the illegals, as well as validate the issuance of work permits to foreign workers.

DOLE checks on the illegals and further validates the issuance of AEPs to the foreign workers, to check the nature of their work, particularly if the field of expertise can be done by a Filipino.

“Baguio City is ranked number four in the country where Korean migrants are located for different purposes such as retirement, employment and residency while Cebu hosts the largest number of Korean migrants in the Philippines followed by the National Capital Region (NCR) which hosts the largest number of employed Koreans in the country and Pampanga is ranked number 3,” Guzman added.

Labor Advisory Number 2, series of 2019 or the “Korean Assistance Desk Operating Guidelines” states that to provide prompt disposition of applications in the issuance of AEP to Korean nationals seeking gainful employment in the Philippines in accordance with Article 40 of the labor Code and Department Order no. 186, series of 2017,

the following procedures to be observed in providing assistance as follows: completeness of the AEP application and correctness of all relevant supporting documents; non-acceptance of incomplete or incorrect documents and information to the foreign national or authorized representative to undertake corrective actions for processing of the applications; applicants with complete and accurate AEP documents, the processing and issuance of AEP will be made within 3 days; and in cases of AEP revocation or cancellation and such other cases affecting the employment of the Korean national, the regional Office reports the matter to the Office of the Secretary thru the Bureau of Local Employment.

An AEP is a mandatory document for foreigners, who will be working in the country for at least six months. The AEP is a document issued by the DOLE through its Regional Offices as a requirement for a foreign national intending to engage in gainful em- ployment in the Philippines with an employer-employee relationship. AEP is also issued to foreign nationals allowed by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to practice profession in the Philippines and also AEP is a required to those holders of Special Investors Resident Visa (SIRV), Special Retirees Resident Visa (SRRV), Treaty Traders Visa (9d) or Special Non-Immigrant Visa (47 a 2 who occupy any executive, advisory, supervisory, or technical position in any establishment.

The composition of the Korean Help Desk are as follows: DOLECAR Assistant Regional Director Jesus Elpidio Atal, Jr., DOLE Baguio-Benguet Field Office Head Emerito Narag and DOLE-CAR Technical Services and Support Division (TSSD) Senior Labor and Employment Officer Teddy Sy, all with office address at DOLE-CAR Building, Cabinet Hill, Baguio City.

Their Korean counterparts are Tae Hyeok Kim, Vice President of the United Korean Community Association (UKCA) in Northern Luzon-Philippines with office address at 2nd Floor Café Will Building, 11 M.H. Del Pilar St, Brgy. Burnham - Legarda, Baguio City, Sang Hoon Jang, Vice President of Korean Association in Baguio City with office address at Unit 11, Building 3, Nevada Square, Loakan Road, Baguio City and Police Superintendent Jiwon Jung of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea with office address at Korean Desk Baguio, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG-CAR), CBAO Building, DPS Compound, Utility Road, Baguio City

Other agencies that issue working permit to foreign workers include the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for geoscience and mining industry; the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) for the practice of regulated professions; the Department of Justice for nationalized or partially nationalized industries; and the Bureau of Immigration, for the prearranged employment visa or 9G.