QuestionsQuestions (POEA MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 14, S. 1986)
Only the employer/sponsor may give sponsorship release. The Philippine Embassy and employment agencies, not being the sponsor, have no authority to effect release; they can only represent, persuade, and appeal.
Because the worker’s visa is tied to the employer’s sponsorship. Since the Embassy/agencies are not the visa sponsor, they cannot directly release or cancel the sponsorship.
Workers are contracted for a specific period and are expected to work within the agreed term as stated in the work contract.
No. The guidelines state that asking for release before the contract expires for reasons not specified in the contract (including those examples) are not acceptable for release purposes.
The employer may demand, among others, refund of expenses incurred such as the one-way ticket Manila–Kuwait estimated at about USD 500.
The guidelines indicate agents do not pay those expenses three months after deployment. Also, passports are released to the worker upon the worker’s payment of the employer’s expenses.
The worker must present the release papers to the Kuwait Ministry of Interior, Passport and Nationality Office to obtain an exit permit; without the exit permit, the worker cannot leave Kuwait.
No. The guidelines state that exit permits are not issued immediately.
If the worker is a runaway, an investigation on the case is conducted.
Airline tickets with definite booking must be presented when applying for the exit permit.
No. The guidelines emphasize that the mere holding of an airline ticket does not, by itself, permit the worker to leave; the worker must also have both employer release papers and a Ministry of Interior exit permit.
The Embassy invariably assists, but the procedure takes time.
Employers generally resent being invited to the embassy or having contacts made with their employees.
Assistance is subject to the worker’s whereabouts being known to the post.
Some housemaids deliberately conceal their whereabouts or use assumed names.
The Embassy requires the worker to submit a sworn statement of intention for the record.
A worker may wish to remain for personal reasons; in such cases, the Embassy requires a sworn statement of the worker’s intention for the record.