Question & AnswerQ&A (POEA GOVERNING BOARD Resolution NO. 05)
A provisional license is a temporary license issued to new recruitment agencies valid for one year, during which the agency must deploy at least 100 workers to its new principal to qualify for an upgrade to a full license.
A provisional license can be upgraded to a full license if the agency complies by deploying at least 100 workers to its new principal within the one-year validity period.
Non-complying agencies will be notified of the expiration of their provisional license and may not continue operations unless an extension is granted under specific circumstances.
Extension of the provisional license for six months may be granted if there is a ban on deployment due to an epidemic, outbreak of war or hostilities, threat to national security, or delays in processing work permits by host countries, subject to proof and verification.
The agency must present proof that it has 100 qualified workers with processed documents who were not deployed due to the ban or whose documents are ready or submitted but could not be processed due to the deployment ban.
The Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) or the Philippine Embassy confirms delays in processing work permits or entry permits in the host country.
The Administrator of the POEA has the authority to decide on other extension requests citing extraordinary circumstances, subject to verification and submission of an undertaking to comply with market requirements.
Key situations include health epidemics, outbreak of war or hostilities, imminent threat to the host country's national security, or other similar public notice or verified situations by the Philippine government.
The provisional license may be extended for a maximum period of six months without any further extensions.