OFWPreDepartureChecklist

ByBeaBongat|MoneyMax.phMon,Oct19,2015

OverseasFilipinoworkers(OFWs)
areastrongpillaroftheeconomy.
Thisisevidencedbythe2.3million
OFWsandthePhp1.26trillion
($26.92billion)sentlastyearin
remittances.Higherpayisthemain
reasonFilipinosdreamofbecoming
OFWs.Intheirhomecountry,
domestichelpersarepaidaroundPhp
5,000monthly,butinothercountries
suchasHongKong,theycanearnup
toPhp30,000permonth(HKD5,000).Forprofessionalwork,youcanearnmorethantwiceorthricewhatyouremaking
inthePhilippinesifyouworkasanOFW.However,itsimportantnottosuccumbtolifestyleinflationandothercommon
moneytrapsOFWsareguiltyof.
Ifyourethinkingaboutworkingabroadoryoualreadyhaveanofferandneedtotakecareofpredeparturenecessities,
hereisahandyOFWpredeparturechecklistcompletewiththethingsyouneedtoknowandhowmuchtoprepare:
Visa
Thisshouldbeshoulderedbyyouremployer,andtheapplicationprocesswillbedoneinyourcountryofemployment.
Expectyouremployertosendyoutheapplicationformsanddocumentationrequirementswhichyouwillemailormail
backtoyouremployer.Onceyouhaveavisa,therealworkbegins.
PlacementFees
Thisisthefeerecruitmentagencieswillchargeyou,andthisisallowedbylaw.Placementfeesarecollectedbecausehiring
andsendingemployeestoworkabroadposeriskswhichtheagenciesareaccountablefor.
TheplacementfeesforPOEAlicensedagenciesmaybeequivalenttoonemonthssalary.Liana,adomestichelper
workinginHongKongpaidroughlyPhp90,000inplacementfees.ForthoseboundfortheUS,Canada,theUK,Ireland,
andtheNetherlands,therearenoplacementfeesforthosehiredasdomesticworkers,caregivers,andseafarers.
Also,protectyourmoneybydealingwithlicensedrecruitmentagenciesonly.Beawareofscammerswhowillposeas
recruitersandwillaskyoutopayfees.Foracompletelistoflicensed,delisted,andsuspendedrecruitmentagencies,you
cancheckthePOEAwebsite.
MedicalExam
Youwillneedamedicalcertificatedeclaringthatyouarefittoworkinorderforyoutoleavethecountryforwork.Your
joboffermaybecancellediftheresultofyourmedicalexamdeclaresyouunfittowork.Thisensuresthatyouwillbeable
tohandleyourworkresponsibilitiesabroadandprotectsyouremployerfromhiringcandidateswhowontbeabletomeet
thedemandsofthejob.

Takenotethatthemedicalexamcostsvarydependingonyourcountryofemployment.ForthoseboundforGulf
CooperationCouncil(GCC)states,suchasBahrain,Kuwait,SaudiArabia,andtheUAE,youwillneedtotakeadditional
tests.FeesrangefromPhp2,5005,000.Ifyouneedtoretakeanytests(e.g.bloodtest,urinesample,xrayetc.),you
willneedtopayadditionalfees.
InsuranceCoverage
Itismandatedbylawthatrecruitmentagenciesgetinsurancecoverageforworkerstheyaresettodeploy.Theinsurance
policycoversthedurationoftheemploymentperiod.Thiswillbeshoulderedbytheagency,sotheycannotchargeany
premiumstotheworker.
MandatoryPagIBIG&PhilHeathMemberships
IfyoualreadyhavePagIBIGandPhilHealthmemberships,youllneedtoapplyagainsinceyoullbeclassifiedasanOFW
thistime.BeingamemberofPagIBIGandPhilHealthwillgrantyouopportunitiesandbenefitsthatwillhelpyouprovide
foryourfamily.ThisincludesavailingofmultipurposeloansandthePhilHealthbenefits.Thefeesvarydependingonthe
durationofyourcontract,butfora1yearterm,preparenolessthanPhp2,000tobesure.
POEAseminars
ThePhilippineOverseasEmploymentAdministration(POEA)requiresOFWstoattendapredepartureseminar(PDOS).
Theseminarisfreeandwilllastfortwohours.ThePDOSinformsdepartingOFWsofwhattoexpectwhentheyreach
thecountryofemployment,thedosanddonts,andthenecessarygovernmentagenciesandhotlinestocontactforcertain
issues(e.g.abuse,expectationvs.realityofcontract,loans,etc.).OnceyouattendthePDOS,youwillbeissuedanoverseas
employmentcertificate(OEC).
OverseasEmploymentCertificate(OEC)
TheOECcertifiesthatyouareemployedinaforeigncountryandcostsPhp120foracopy.Youwillgivethistothe
immigrationofficerwhenyougettothePhilippineairport.HavinganOECexemptsyoufrompayingairportfeessuchas
traveltax(Php1,620)andtheairportterminalfee(Php750).Keepinmindthateverytimeyoucomebacktothe
Philippinesforavisit,youwillalsoneedtopresentanOEC.ApplyingforOECscanbedoneinyourcountryof
employment.
AllSettoWork
NowthatyouknowthestepbystepprocessfordepartingOFWs,youllknowwhattoexpectandthemoneyyouneedto
prepare.Keepinmindthatbeforeyoustepfootabroadandstartearninginaforeigncurrency,therearestillnumerous
stepsyouhavetoundergoandfeestopayasoutlinedabove.Butonceyouvepassedthosehurdles,youreallsettobegin
yourlifeasanOFWandprovideyourfamilywithabetterfuture.
Note:thisarticlehasbeenupdatedtoincludePhilHealthbenefits(10/19/2015).
ThepostOFWPreDepartureChecklistappearedfirstonMoneyMax.ph.