Question & AnswerQ&A (POEA MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 06, S. 2001)
The Special Hiring Program for Taiwan is a facility within the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) which handles the recruitment and deployment of workers directly without the participation of Taiwan manpower agencies and Philippine licensed recruitment agencies, pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding between the Philippines and Taiwan through TECO and MECO.
The key offices involved are the POEA, the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO). The Manila Labor Center (MLC) also assists in verification and negotiation processes.
An employer must submit the following: a brief company profile, a demand letter/manpower requirements indicating qualification criteria, a copy of the company's employment contract for foreign workers indicating salary and benefits, a Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) approval letter, and the target deployment date, all duly verified by the Manila Economic and Cultural Office or Labor Center.
The employer must execute a Recruitment Agreement with the POEA pursuant to the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Special Hiring Program.
The employment contract must be consistent with the terms of agreement between MECO/POEA and CLA/EVAT. The parties may negotiate better terms and conditions, guided by the MLC/POEA. The contract should clearly specify salary, benefits, and other conditions agreed upon.
The employer has the authority to make the final selection of workers, which may be done by mail, personal interview, teleconferencing, or other means.
Selected workers must undergo a briefing and a Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) which covers terms and conditions of employment, host country profile, technical job demands, procedural requirements, and warnings against running away from employers.
Workers must undergo a medical examination prescribed by the employer and the host country, conducted by hospitals/clinics accredited by the Department of Health of Taiwan and the Philippines, POEA, and TECO.
Workers must submit a valid passport, NBI clearance, medical certificate, employment contract, copy of CLA approval letter, pictures, and visa fee to the POEA for issuance of visa by TECO.
Employers bear the traveling expenses for interviews (airfare, accommodation, shuttle services, visa to the Philippines) and advertisement costs for scarce skills. Workers bear documentation costs (passport, NBI clearance, medical exam, medicare premium, trade testing if needed, and visa if not paid by employer). Processing costs (airfare, POEA fees, OWWA membership) are subject to negotiation between employer and worker.