How to Apply OEC Certificate in Seoul, South Korea

An OEC (Overseas Employment Certificate) is an essential document that OFWs need to secure, whether first time working abroad or vacationing in the Philippines and returning to their job site to fulfill or renew their employment contract. If you’re an OFW in South Korea, you should apply for OEC at the POLO Seoul office since you need this document before leaving the airport for employment reasons. And to make the process easier for you, we’ve created an in-depth guide on how to apply for OEC in Korea, so keep reading.

Also Read: Schedule OWWA Appointment Membership Seoul, Korea

Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) issues the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) to ensure that Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) acquired legal employment abroad and went through the documentation procedure. This document is also available at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) across the globe, a requirement for new and returning workers. Furthermore, OEC is an exit clearance that OFWs need to present to immigration officers before they’re allowed to leave the Philippine airport to work abroad. So if you’re an OFW in South Korea, you need to apply for your OEC if vacationing in the Philippines.

how to get an oec in korea

Requirements

As stated on the website of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, OFWs on leave or vacation and will return to their job site need to secure their OEC and submit the following requirements to apply for OEC in POLO Korea:

For workers with existing POEA records vacationing for the first time and returning to the same employer and job site to fulfill or extend their employment contract

  • POPS-BaM Appointment form
  • BM Information Sheet
  • Valid Passport with at least 6-month validity (copy of photo page)
  • Valid Visa or Work Permit
  • Valid Alien Registration card (photocopy of front and back page)
  • Employment Contract verified by POLO Korea
  • Proof of existing employment such as Certificate of Employment, latest payslip, or valid Business Identification card

For workers with existing POEA records returning to the same employer but in a different job site

  • POPS-BaM Appointment form
  • BM Information Sheet
  • Valid Passport with at least 6-month validity (copy of photo page)
  • Valid Visa or Work Permit
  • Employment Contract verified by POLO Korea
  • Proof of existing employment such as Certificate of Employment, latest payslip, or valid Business Identification card
  • Letter from the employer confirming the worker’s transfer of job site

For workers without existing POEA records and those who have changed employers on-site

  • POPS-BaM Appointment form
  • POPS-BaM Appointment form
  • BM Information Sheet
  • Valid Passport with at least 6-month validity (copy of photo page)
  • Valid Visa or Work Permit
  • Employment Contract verified by POLO Korea
  • Proof of existing employment such as Certificate of Employment, latest payslip, or valid Business Identification card
  • Sworn Statement explaining how the worker obtained employment

Additional Documents

In addition, OFWs should keep an active OWWA membership to apply for OEC and pay other necessary contribution fees. Nonetheless, workers who don’t have an Employment Contract verified by POLO Korea and non-EFPS workers need to request Contract Verification and secure the original and photocopy of the following documents:

  • Employment Contract
  • Valid Visa or Work Permit
  • Employer Business Registration (Apostilled) and Profile

Processing Fees

Pay the following fees to get OEC at POLO Korea:

  • OEC processing fee of P100.00 converted to Korean WON
  • OWWA membership fee of US25.00 converted to Korean WON

If requesting Contract Verification, processing and authentication fees also apply, so ask POLO for the associated payments with OEC issuance.

Qualifications

Apart from certifying that OFWs have legal work abroad, OEC also ensures access to protection, assistance, and benefits from the government, such as terminal fees and travel tax exemption and lower travel tax when traveling with their spouse and dependents. Therefore, POEA and POLO will only issue OEC to qualified workers, including:

  • OFWs who acquired work from an overseas Employer or Sponsor via direct hiring
  • OFWs hired via a recruitment agency
  • OFWs hired via POEA’s Government Placement Branch (GBP)
  • OFWs with existing POEA database records and returning to the same job site after vacationing with an employment contract or working visa
  • OFWs with existing POEA database record returning to the same employer but in a different job site
  • OFWs without POEA database records or changes employers on-site

How to Book an OEC Appointment in POLO Korea

According to the Facebook post of POLO Korea, OFWs who have changed employers, job sites, or visas need to book an OEC appointment through POPS-BaM to update their employment records. So the said workers should book an appointment before heading to the POLO Korea office to get their OEC. Also, all OFWs need to create an e-Registration account on POPS-BaM to get an OEC exemption or when booking an appointment by following the steps below:

How to Register on POPS-BaM (For New Users)

  1. Visit the POEA Online Services Portal/POPS-BaM website.
  2. On the e-Registration section, click Let’s Go and Register.
  3. Check the I Accept the Terms of Use.
  4. Fill out the required fields and click Register.
  5. Check your registered email on POPS-BaM and copy the provided Temporary Password.
  6. Input the Temporary Password and change it to your chosen password.
  7. Once you’ve logged in, click My Profile on the right of the dashboard.
  8. Fill out the required details.
  9. Double-check your account details and click Update Profile.
  10. Fill out the Identification Details.
  11. Input your Beneficiary details.
  12. Upload a Profile Picture and a copy of your Passport to finish the account setup.

How to book an OEC Appointment in POPS-BaM

After registering a POPS-BaM account, ensure that your information is correct and provide the required data before booking an OEC appointment. OFWs with old BM accounts should also transfer their records to their newly registered POPS-BaM account. To do so, go to the DMW Helpdesk section on POPS-BaM and click Transfer Old BM records. Then, follow the steps below to book an OEC appointment with POLO Korea:

  1. Visit the POEA Online Services Portal/POPS-BaM website.
  2. On the e-Registration section, click Let’s Go and log in.
  3. On the dashboard, click Balik Manggagawa under My Links and click Next.
  4. If your profile is incomplete, provide the required data to proceed.
  5. Input your flight date and click Next.
  6. If you’re not a Balik Manggagawa or not returning to the same employer and job site, answer NO to the questions to proceed with the booking.
  7. Update the details on your contract and click Submit.
  8. Choose a Processing Site and click Next.
  9. Take a screenshot or print your confirmed POPS-BaM appointment form.

How to Apply for OEC in POLO Korea

For workers who have changed employers or job sites, comply with the stated documents above and apply for OEC at the POLO Korea office in Seoul. On the other hand, OFWs without POLO verified Employment Contract, existing records on POEA, and who arrived in Korea only holding a tourist or visit visa and obtained a work visa cannot secure their OEC at POLO Korea. Instead, the said workers need to request Contract Verification before applying for OEC at POEA offices in the Philippines. To apply for OEC in POLO Korea, follow the steps below:

  1. Visit the POLO Korea office in Seoul on the date of your appointment.
  2. Head to the POLO reception desk to secure a BM Information Sheet and fill it out.
  3. Submit your requirements to the POLO officer for verification.
  4. Pay the applicable fees.
  5. Wait for the issuance of your OEC and other documents.

If residing far from Seoul, you can apply for OEC via Consular Outreach Mission held by the Embassy and POLO across South Korea. So it is ideal visiting their Facebook page for the latest schedule of the Consular Outreach Mission.

How to Get OEC Online in Korea

For OFWs who are Balik Mangggawa or returning to the same employer and job site, you can conveniently get OEC online via POPS-BaM. The OEC exemption is also accessible to returning workers hired by GBP. To do so, follow the steps below:

  1. Visit the POEA Online Services Portal/POPS-BaM website.
  2. On the e-Registration section, click Let’s Go and log in.
  3. If your account details are incomplete, provide the missing data to continue.
  4. Input your Flight Date and click Next.
  5. Answer Yes to the questions to confirm you’re a Balik Mangggagawa or a worker returning to the same employer and job site.
  6. Print your OEC online and ensure to only request your OEC within 60 days of your return flight date.

Video: PAANO KUMUHA NG OEC BALIK MANGGAGAWA ONLINE PROCESSING GAMIT ANG BAGONG LINK OR FLAT FORM NG POEA

For more details on OEC, please watch the video below:

As discussed in the video, OFWs should only register one account on POPS-BaM to avoid issues when applying for OEC. Instead of creating another account, OFWs should recover their account by submitting a ticket on the DMW Helpdesk section or clicking the Account Recovery button on the login section to get a Temporary Password on your email.

Moreover, the details provided on POPS-BaM must be accurate to avoid problems with contract processing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please check out these common questions and answers about the process of getting an OEC in South Korea:

1. How can I get an OEC exemption in Korea?

You can only get an OEC exemption on POPS-BaM if returning to the same employer and job site in Korea.

2. How can I book an OEC appointment online?

You should register an account on POPS-BaM to book an OEC appointment online.

3. Can I get OEC in Korea without an appointment?

No, you should book an appointment to apply for OEC in POLO Korea.

4. Can I get OEC at the airport?

Yes, you can get OEC at the Philippine airport, especially if you’re on emergency leave or have a confirmed flight date.

5. How long is OEC valid?

OEC is only valid for 60 days.

6. How much is the OEC fee in Korea?

The OEC fee in Korea is P100 converted to KRW based on the monthly foreign exchange rate.

7. Can I get OEC without OWWA membership?

No, you need to keep your OWWA membership active to get OEC.

Summary

Overall, applying for OEC in Korea is convenient for OFWs since they can visit the POLO office in Seoul based on their available schedule. Also, OFWs can get their OEC online through the OEC exemption and no longer have to pay processing fees.

Thus, if you’re an OFW in South Korea vacationing in the Philippines, it is encouraged to apply for your OEC within 60 days of your return flight date.

Contact Details

POLO-OWWA South Korea
Operating Hours: 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, Sunday to Thursday
Address: 80 Hoenamu-ro, Itaewon 29(i)-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Telephone Numbers: (02) 3785-3634/ (02) 3785-3635
POLO Hotline: 010-4573-6290
OWWA Mobile Line: 010-9054-0694
Email: labor@philembassy-seoul.com, owwaseoul@polo-owwa
Website: http://www.philembassy-seoul.com/index.asp
Facebook Pages: https://facebook.com/poloowwakorea, https://facebook.com/PHinKorea/

Google Map Location

Please check out the map guide of the Philippine embassy in Korea for the POLO office to renew your OWWA account:

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