QuestionsQuestions (POEA MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 20)
The minimum age requirement for female overseas household workers is twenty-one (21) years old.
Yes. The 21-year requirement applies except in countries where the local age requirement for household workers is higher; and without prejudice to certain pre-identified countries where 18 years old is allowed.
Hongkong, Canada, United States of America, Japan, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and Sweden.
It takes effect immediately upon adoption on December 3, 1998.
POEA Governing Board Resolution No. 5 (Series of 1998).
The State affirms equality and recognizes that migrant women workers are particularly vulnerable; thus, it must apply gender-sensitive criteria in policies affecting migrant workers.
The possession of skills and deployment of overseas Filipino workers only to countries where the rights of Filipino migrant workers are protected.
Deployment is allowed only with a duly approved employment contract in countries where the rights of Filipino migrant household workers are protected.
The receiving country: (1) has existing labor and social laws protecting migrant household workers’ rights; (2) is a signatory to multilateral conventions/declarations/resolutions relating to protection of migrant household workers; (3) has concluded a bilateral agreement or arrangement with the Philippine government protecting the rights of overseas Filipino household workers; or (4) is taking positive, concrete measures to protect such rights.
It ties deployment eligibility to the host country’s legal framework (laws, international commitments, or bilateral agreements) or demonstrable concrete protective measures.
Recruitment should continue through licensed agencies and through direct hiring and name hiring, subject to POEA guidelines on accreditation and contract processing.
POEA should adopt pre-qualification requirements for foreign placement agencies and employers hiring household workers.
It directs POEA to strengthen the existing Household Workers Center to carry out the resolution’s intents and objectives.
Yes. The circular specifically covers female overseas household workers, as stated in the title and the minimum age provision.
POEA will apply the higher local legal minimum age requirement of that receiving country, consistent with the ‘except in countries where the age requirement… is higher’ clause.
POEA applies 21 as the general rule, but in the pre-identified countries listed (where the employable age of 18 has been allowed), 18 is permitted as the minimum age.