New requirement added to 9(g) conversion

What is the change? The Philippines has added a new requirement for applicants converting from a temporary visitor 9(a) visa to a prearranged employment 9(g) visa.

What does the change mean? When the Alien Employment Permit is issued, applicants must submit to the Bureau of Immigration the original newspaper clippings of the list of approved AEP applications by the Department of Labor and Employment containing the name of the visa applicant and the petitioning company. If the list is unavailable, applicants must submit a certification of publication issued by the newspaper publisher.

• Implementation time frame: Immediate.
• Visas/permits affected: 9(g) conversions.
• Who is affected: Applicants converting to a 9(g) visa.
• Impact on processing times: The additional requirement will not necessarily prolong the processing time, since the publication of AEP applications is in newspapers of general circulation.

Background: Previously, applicants converting to 9(g) visas were only required to submit a certified copy of the approved AEP to the Bureau of Immigration.

BAL Analysis: The Department of Labor and Employment has advised that it will not be providing the publications. Thus, applicants must obtain the original newspaper clippings or certification of publication issued by the newspaper publisher. To avoid potential delay in processing, employers should be aware of this new requirement.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in the Philippines.

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