Philippines | DOLE simplifies Alien Employment Permit application process

The Philippines’ Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) issued new rules simplifying the Alien Employment Permit (AEP) application process, including reduced document requirements and shorter processing times.

Key takeaways:

Effective Nov. 11, 2026, DOLE will simplify the AEP application process with new rules, including:

• Fewer required supporting documents for AEP filings
• Simplified Labor Market Test publication requirements for employers
• AEP processing period shortened from 15 to 10 working days, with a one-time extension of up to 10 working days, for a maximum processing period of 20 working days
• Application fees collected after approval instead of upon submission

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice Group.

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