Require aliens to get work visa first before coming to PH: Bello

Bello, however, said the government also considers retaining the current system, wherein short-term employment will require a Special Working Permit from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) while a long-term employment requires an Alien Employment Permit from DOLE. (PNA File Photo)

MANILA — The government plans to require foreign nationals to secure working visas before coming to the country.

According to Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III, the measure was discussed during their recent inter-agency meeting with the Department of Justice, Bureau of Immigration, Department of Finance, and Bureau of Internal Revenue.

Under this policy, foreigners who want to seek employment in the country will have to secure working visas from the Philippine embassy in their respective countries.

“When you come here, you must come here to work.

And for that purpose, you must have a working visa from your place of origin. For example, if you are a Chinese, you get from our Consular Office a working visa. If you are Japanese, you also get from our Consular Office in Japan,” Bello said in an interview Thursday.

He noted that the proposal aims to screen foreigners looking to work in the Philippines.

“We need to be certain that the work they will do here cannot be done by a Filipino. This way, we can already control the entry of foreign workers,” Bello said.

Bello, however, said the government also considers retaining the current system, wherein short-term employment will require a Special Working Permit from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) while a long-term employment requires an Alien Employment Permit from DOLE.

The Joint Memorandum containing the specific provisions, including shortlist of occupations, will be released soon.

He added that they are set to meet again on March 15.