Guidelines for Overseas Employment Certificate

The guidelines are issued to ensure maximum compliance with the Overseas Employment Certificate requirements.
The circular operates further to POEA Memorandum Circular Nos. 76 and 77 implementing the OEC.

The OEC number shall be reflected in the corresponding plane ticket of every departing contract worker/seafarer.
It is the responsibility of the placement agency or entity concerned to ensure the accuracy of the OEC number indicated in the ticket during purchases in Manila for the worker/seafarer.

Every departing contract worker/seafarer must submit the second copy of the OEC to the Labor Assistance Center (LAC) at the airport.
The third copy (the worker’s copy) must be retained by the contract worker/seafarer for presentation to the Commission on Immigration and Deportation (CID) at the departure area.
For balik-manggagawa (vacationing workers), the second copy of the OEC shall be dropped in a designated drop box in the departure area.
For balik-manggagawa (vacationing workers), the third copy shall be retained for presentation to the CID at the airport.

Any discrepancy between the OEC number actually issued by POEA in favor of a worker/seafarer and the OEC number indicated in the corresponding plane ticket, constitutes a defect or deficiency in the travel document of the worker/seafarer concerned.
Any falsity involving the OEC constitutes a defect or deficiency in the worker/seafarer’s travel document.
The defect or deficiency serves as a basis for the proper authorities to hold the worker/seafarer’s departure.
The rule is without prejudice to any action or proceedings that POEA may take against the persons or entities that appear responsible for the discrepancy or falsity.