THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) will seek more documentation from foreigners seeking special working permits (SWP) and provisional working permits (PWP).
In a statement, BI Commissioner Jaime H. Morente said the bureau will require foreign applicants to disclose more details of their employment circumstances.
Mr. Morente also said that the BI will ensure that no work permit will be issued to foreigners to be employed as construction workers, cashiers, janitors, carpenters, and other blue-collar jobs, as well as professions regulated by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), unless approved by the PRC.
“This is to ensure that these work permits are issued only to aliens whose jobs cannot be performed by Filipinos,” Mr. Morente was quoted as saying.
Among the requirements for work permits are those supporting the applicants’ validity of stay as tourists; the address, existence, nature of business, and financial viability of the petitioning company; and copies of government licenses to operate.
Mr. Morente also said that the new rules were issued to address the reported increase of foreigners employed in the country “to the alleged detriment of Filipino workers.”
“These new rules are meant to protect the interests of local workers, as we have observed that in the past, foreigners may abuse their permits and take away jobs from our kababayans,” he said.
The BI is authorized to issue SWPs to foreigners working in the country for six months. PWPs, meanwhile, are issued to foreigners pending the application for pre-arranged employment visas. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas
