On 25 January 2025, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) published Department Order (DO) No. 248 which outlines the new guidelines on the application and issuance of an Alien Employment Permit (AEP) to a foreign national working in the Philippines. DO 248 series of 2025 takes effect after 15 days from the date of its publication or on 9 February 2025.
The DO provides emphasis on the prioritization of the employment of Filipino nationals in the local market. Important changes:
| Topic | What changed |
| Labor Market Test (LMT) | Requiring three (3) designated channels to post job advertisements for vacancies open for both Filipino and foreign nationals. |
| Skill Transfer | Implementation of the Skills Development Program or Understudy Training Programs (UTP) |
| Penalties | Any employer and foreign national who will be found to have committed any of the prohibited acts of the DO 248 may be barred from applying for an AEP from five (5) up to ten (10) years. |
| Reporting and other requirements | Employer and foreign national employee are required to report any material information on the foreign national’s employment within 10 calendar days from the occurrence of such changes. |
| Application fee | Reduced from Php10,000.00 to Php6,000.00. |
| Exemptions | Foreign nationals qualified for an AEP exemption shall secure a Certificate of Exemption. |
| Additional position | Allowing an application for additional position by the foreign national under the same employer or related companies. |
Vialto Partners is closely collaborating with the DOLE for further clarifications and updates regarding the DO.
Contact your Vialto Partners contact, or one of us in the information below if you have any queries about this update, or would like to discuss any other business immigration and mobility issues.
For immigration-related inquiries, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or alternatively:
Larissa Dalistan Levosada
Director
Kimberly Cantor
Senior Manager
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