How to Get OEC: POLO-Kuwait Online Appointment

To all Overseas Filipino Workers in Kuwait, please be informed that when you go home to the Philippines for a vacation, you are required to secure an Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) which is also known as the Balik Manggagawa certificate before you go back to Kuwait. We are sharing this detailed guide on how you can secure an OEC or request an OEC exemption from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Kuwait.

Also Read: How to Renew OWWA Membership in Kuwait

When travelling on holiday vacation or taking an emergency leave in the Philippines, Overseas Filipino Workers with valid work visas must obtain an Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) or OEC exemption (as applicable), so they can go back to the country where they are working. All Filipino workers abroad also need space to relax and be with their families in the Philippines, even for a short time. This is the reason why they are permitted to home and go back abroad after their leaves.

In this article, we dig deeper into how an OFW working in Kuwait can obtain their OEC. We will answer how to acquire this document and what are things needed. Overseas Filipino Workers or OFWs based in Kuwait who want to get Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) for Balik-Manggagawa will be guided through this comprehensive guide.

What is OEC (Balik Manggagawa) Certificate?

To be able to work abroad, this certificate is included as one of the requirements. Overseas Employment Certificate or also known as OEC, is essential as other documents like passports. Under the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) regulation, this mandates every Filipino worker abroad to have this employment certificate for them to be secured and have their record as a legal worker abroad.

OEC is given to OFWs having their vacation or will have their vacations in a short time in the Philippines and return to their jobs abroad. OEC is important to OFWs to accomplish because it is the document that must be presented to the airport immigration officer to have their flight in other countries successfully. OFWs having their OEC is exempted in travel tax and airport terminal fees, as they are recorded on POEA’s database as a Legal OFW under the rules of the POEA for Balik-Manggagawa (BM).

OEC is only valid for 60 days. So OFWs must have their departure prior to the expiration date of their OEC.

Requirements

After defining what OEC is, let’s look at the requirements you need to provide in acquiring OEC at POLO Kuwait.

In response to the POEA Governing Board Resolution No. 4, Series of 2018 addressing Section 22 of the Revised POEA Rules and Regulations Governing the Recruitment and Employment of Land-based OFWs of 2016, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration has published specific guidelines on the processing of exit clearance for returning workers.

Workers with a POEA record who are vacationing for the first time and returning to the same company and workplace to continue or extend an existing employment contract must provide the following papers to their appointment:

• A Passport that is valid for at least six (6) months from the date of travel
• A Visa and/or Work Permit that is valid and acceptable
• Employment Contracts verified/authenticated by the POLO/Philippine Embassy/Consulate (for domestic workers, overseas performing artists, masseurs/masseuses, cleaners, construction workers, and workers who have not returned to their employers within six (6) months of their arrival in the Philippines)
• As well as any documentation of existing employment indicating the worker is returning to the same firm, such as a recent certificate of employment, a valid business ID, or a recent pay stub

Workers with an existing POEA record who are returning to the same company but in another country must show the following:

• A Passport that is valid for at least six (6) months from the date of travel
• Employment Contract verified/authenticated by the POLO/Philippine Embassy/Consulate.
• Documentation of existing employment indicating the worker is returning to the same firm, such as a recent certificate of employment, a valid business ID, or a recent pay stub.
• A Letter from the firm saying that the worker is transferring to another workplace

Workers who have no record on the Administration or who change employers on-site must have the following papers on hand:

• A Passport that is valid for at least six (6) months from the date of travel
• Employment Contract verified/authenticated by the POLO/Philippine Embassy/Consulate.
• Documentation of existing employment indicating the worker is returning to the same firm, such as a recent certificate of employment, a valid business ID, or a recent pay stub.
• A Sworn Letter from the employee explaining how he or she was employed by the present employer

Note: Returning employees who have already registered with the POEA Online Processing System for Balik-Manggagawa (POPS-BaM) and are returning to the same company and worksite can apply for OEC exemption using the same website.

Qualifications

 Based on the requirements above, the following are qualified to get an OEC in Polo-Kuwait:

• Workers with a POEA record who are vacationing for the first time and returning to the same company and workplace to continue or extend an existing employment contract
• Workers with an existing POEA record who are returning to the same company but in another country
• Workers who have no record on the Administration or who change employers on-site

Cost of OEC in Kuwait

In obtaining an OEC, there are fees, and you must find out how much it costs so that it doesn’t become a hindrance when you are already inside POLO Kuwait.

The fee for getting your OEC from Polo-Kuwait is 0.750 KD.

You need also need to pay the OWWA membership fee of 8 KD if it is expired.

How to Schedule OEC Appointment in Kuwait

The first step in getting an OEC is making an appointment online, just as in other Philippine consulates and POLO offices worldwide. The BM Online Processing System has been replaced by the new POEA Online Processing System for Balik-Manggagawa (POPS-BaM), launched effectively last June 30, 2021, as part of the Administration’s will to expedite the issuance of OECs to OFWs. You may simplify your online application by following these steps.

Registration for New User

1. Go to your browser and type https://onlineservices.dmw.gov.ph/OnlineServices/POEAOnline.aspx in the URL
2. Click on Let’sLet’s Go
3. Click on “Register” for new users ( just log in if you already have an account )
4. Then click “I accept the terms of use.”
5. Fill out the required information and then click register. (a message will display indicating that your registration was “Successful”)
6. Log in to the email address you provided when you registered (there is a message containing your “temporary password” “)
7. Return to the link provided in Step 1 and login using the registered email address, then click “next.”
8. Use the temporary password sent to your email, then click “log in.”
9. Set the password you want
10. Update your profile by clicking “My Profile,” after completing your profile, click “Update Profile” on the upper right side of the page
11. Add your Identification and Beneficiary
12. Attach profile picture and passport

If you already have an account, you can just log in with your email and password and set an appointment online. Follow these procedures:

1. Log in to your POPS-BaM account (onlineservices.dmw.gov.ph/OnlineServices/POEAOnline.aspx)
2. Click “Balik-Manggagawa,” located at your top right-hand side.
3. Input your next flight date, then click “next.”
4. You will be asked if you are returning BM to the same employer (if yes, you can print your OEC, if no, proceed to step 5)
5. Accomplish your contact details with true and correct information to the best of your knowledge.
6. After clicking “Submit,” you can select POLO Middle East, then Kuwait.
7. Then choose an available Appointment Schedule.
8. You now have an Appointment with POLO. You can print or cancel your appointment.

How to Pay OEC OEC at POLO Kuwait – Philippine Embassy Office?

After successful registration and appointment, you can apply OEC at these steps:

1. Go to the POLO Kuwait at their temporary address at Building 133, Street 304, Block 3, Sabah Al-Salem Area, Kuwait. Then present your documents to the guard.
2. Go to the Reception officer, give all the listed requirements. The officer will ask and give you forms to be filled out.
3. Get a queue number and wait for your turn to be called.
4. Pay the necessary fee and wait for the approval of your OEC.

Note: Please bring extra copies of your documents because photocopy in POLO is expensive.

How to get OEC Exemption (Balik Manggagawa) in Kuwait?

OEC exemption is for Balik Manggagawa (BM) workers returning to the same employer and workplace and with an existing record in the database of POEA. Exempted also are those BM workers that Government Placement Branch (GPB) hired.

The OEC Exemption is implementing that the BM worker must use the current online processing system before his/her flight.

The worker must be registered in the system with his/her credentials and employment details to evaluate if he/she is exempted from acquiring an OEC.

His/her personal information shall be in the POEA database and transferred electronically to the Bureau of Immigration to serve as proof of the Immigration Officer in evaluating the exemption of the BM worker during his/her flight. This will clear the worker and avoid the processing fee.

The BM worker is exempted from paying the Travel Tax and Airport Terminal Fee after presenting the following documents to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA):

• Work Visa/Work Permit
• Valid Employment Contract
• Valid Company ID/Valid recent payslip or other testifying documents of employment

A Balik-Manggagawa worker who is not exempted from acquiring OEC will be directed to the website to register and set an appointment to the desired POEA office.

Those directed to their departure without registration or inappropriately registered will be referred to Labor Assistance Counter (LAC) for clearance and evaluation of documents.

Video: Applying for an OEC in Polo Kuwait

Here’s a video about mobile contract verification in Kuwait. Please be advised on the steps for Contract Verification for Balik Manggagawa workers:

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some common questions and answers about the process of getting the overseas employment certificate if you are an OFW based in Kuwait:

1. Can the old verified contract be used in pursuing OEC?

No. Based on the requirements, you need to provide an existing or a new verified contract to be evaluated.

2. What if I obtain my OEC in Kuwait and I’m 60 days over the Philippines, returning to Kuwait for my job? Do I need to get a new one?

You don’t have to get a new one if you are a qualified BM returning to the same employer. One thing to do is to print out your OEC using POPS-BaM.

3. What are the fees for POLO-Kuwait Contract Verification?

Payment for contract verification is 3.25 KD. You may pay other fees while you’re at the POLO-Kuwait office such as:
OWWA membership contribution – 8 KD
Pag-IBIG Membership – 20 KD
SSS Contributions – voluntary amount

4. How would I know whether I’m already exempt from acquiring OEC?

Before the scheduled date of return to the employer, the BM worker must check in to his or her POPS-BaM account. The system would assess whether or not the worker is already exempt from obtaining OEC.

5. What is the BM Exemption Number issued by the POPS-BaM?

The BM Exemption number is your reference number generated by the system and transmitted through the link with the Immigration Officer, proving that you are exempted from obtaining OEC.

Summary

It is gratifying to say that such government programs for OFWs benefit them and their dependents. Employers abroad provide leaves and allow OFWs to go back home. So, it’s the responsibility of the OFW to check whether his/her documents are complete by the time he/she is ready to go back abroad.

The steps above show how easy the processes and procedures are to get an OEC. You can have an OEC if you are qualified OFW based on the qualifications indicated above. Hopefully, this blog will help you to gain more information to obtain OEC in POLO Kuwait.

Contact Information

POLO Kuwait
Temporary Address: Building 133, Street 304, Block 3, Sabah Al-Salem Area, Kuwait
Office Hours: 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Sundays to Thursdays
Telephone Numbers: +965 9403 9063
Email Address: polokuwait2017@gmail.com
Facebook: facebook.com/POLO.OWWA.KUWAIT

Google Map Location

If you need directions, you can refer to this map to go to the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait: