Alien Employment Permit (AEP) Philippines: Who Needs One and How to Apply

Hiring a foreign national in the Philippines without the right paperwork is not a shortcut — it is a liability. The employer can face fines, the contract can be treated as having no legal effect, and the foreign hire can face detention and deportation proceedings from the Bureau of Immigration.

The core requirement is the Alien Employment Permit (AEP), issued by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) under Article 40 of the Labor Code. This guide explains who actually needs one, who is exempt, the current application process — which changed twice in 2026 — and a pending reform that will change it again.

Direct Answer

Quick answer: Any foreign national who will work for a Philippine-based employer, in any capacity, generally needs an AEP from DOLE before starting work, unless a specific exemption applies (such as diplomats, certain international-organization staff, or holders of a permanent resident visa). The employer files the application — exclusively online since September 3, 2026 — after proving no qualified Filipino is available for the role. As of November 2026, DOLE has also signed, but not yet implemented, an order that would cut processing time and drop several agency clearances.

Key Takeaways

The AEP requirement comes from Article 40 of the Labor Code and applies to non-resident aliens — permanent residents and a few other categories are outside its coverage entirely.
An AEP is not a work visa. It is one requirement for a 9(g) pre-arranged employment visa from the Bureau of Immigration; professionals, nationalized-industry hires, and miners may need additional agency clearances.
Since September 3, 2026, every AEP application — new, renewal, exemption, or exclusion — must be filed through DOLE’s official online portal. Email, courier, and walk-in filings are no longer accepted.
AEP processing is now centralized at the DOLE Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) in Manila, not the regional office nearest the job site.
Department Order No. 248-C, Series of 2026, signed October 27, 2026, would cut standard processing from 15 to 10 working days and drop the newspaper advertisement requirement — but it is not yet in force. It takes effect 15 days after newspaper publication, which DOLE had not scheduled as of this writing.
Employers must prove — through a labor market test — that no competent, able, and willing Filipino is available for the position before DOLE will issue the permit.
Employing a foreign national who lacks a valid AEP, or misrepresenting facts in an application, can draw a fine of up to ₱10,000 per violation and, for fraud, a ten-year bar from future AEP applications.
Some employers — those with fiscal incentives, in priority investment sectors, or operating public utilities — must also commit to training at least two Filipino understudies for every foreign national hired.

Legal Basis

Authority	Classification	Rule Supported	Effect
Labor Code, Art. 40 (as amended)	Statute	Requires an employment permit before a non-resident alien may work for a Philippine employer, conditioned on non-availability of a qualified Filipino.	Creates the AEP requirement itself; unchanged in numbering since enactment.
Labor Code, Art. 12	Statute	States the policy of regulating alien employment, including a registration/work-permit system, in conformity with national interest.	Gives DOLE discretion to weigh national interest, not just mechanical compliance.
Omnibus Rules Implementing the Labor Code, Rule XIV, Book I, Sec. 6(c)	Implementing rule	Lets the Secretary of Labor assess whether employing the specific alien will redound to the national interest.	Upheld by the Supreme Court as a valid exercise of the discretion Art. 40 and Art. 12 confer.
DOLE Department Order No. 248, Series of 2025	Administrative issuance	Current base rule on AEP issuance, replacing the 2017 rules; sets filing deadlines, the labor market test, understudy-training duty, and penalties.	Governs every AEP application unless later amended by a 248-series order below.
DOLE Department Order No. 248-B, Series of 2026	Administrative issuance	Centralizes AEP receipt, evaluation, approval, renewal, and enforcement at the Bureau of Local Employment.	Regional DOLE offices no longer process new or renewal AEP applications.
DOLE online-filing directive (effective September 3, 2026)	Administrative directive	Requires every AEP transaction — new, renewal, exemption, exclusion — to be filed through DOLE’s official online portal.	Paper, email, and walk-in applications are rejected outright.
DOLE Department Order No. 248-C, Series of 2026	Administrative issuance (signed, not yet effective)	Would cut standard processing to 10 working days, drop four agency clearances at filing, and replace the newspaper advertisement with portal/PhilJobNet postings.	Takes effect 15 days after newspaper publication of the order itself — not yet scheduled as of this writing.

Who Actually Needs an AEP?

Article 40 of the Labor Code is specific about who it covers: “Any alien seeking admission to the Philippines for employment purposes and any domestic or foreign employer who desires to engage an alien for employment in the Philippines shall obtain an employment permit from the Department of Labor.” The permit is issued only “after a determination of the non-availability of a person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing at the time of application to perform the services for which the alien is desired.”

In practice, this covers a foreign national of any nationality, in any role — executive, technical, consulting, or otherwise — who will render services to a Philippine-based employer, whether the arrangement is called employment, consultancy, or secondment, if it functions as work performed in the Philippines for that employer’s benefit. The employer, not just the foreign national, has an independent legal duty to secure the permit before the person starts work.

A critical word in Article 40 is non-resident. The Supreme Court has confirmed that the article “appl[ies] only to ‘non-resident aliens,’” and that this term carries its technical immigration-law meaning.^[1] A foreign national who already holds permanent resident status in the Philippines is outside Article 40’s coverage for that reason alone — not because of a discretionary exemption, but because the statute itself does not reach them.

Foreign nationals intending to work for less than six months have a lighter alternative: a Special Work Permit (SWP) from the Bureau of Immigration, instead of a full AEP, for short engagements such as a visiting specialist, a short consulting assignment, or an audit team’s on-site visit.

Who Is Exempt or Excluded?

DOLE issuances have long distinguished exempt foreign nationals (no AEP needed at all) from excluded ones (treated differently in the application, sometimes through a separate Certificate of Exclusion rather than a full AEP). The long-standing categories, as reflected in DOLE’s own guidance, include:

Members of diplomatic missions and staff of international organizations covered by a Philippine government immunity agreement (the ADB and IRRI are commonly cited examples).
Foreign nationals who already hold a permanent resident visa, a probationary or temporary resident visa, or recognized refugee or stateless status.
Visiting professors, lecturers, or exchange scholars under a formal academic agreement.
Anyone specifically exempted by another law.
Governing board members whose role is limited to a voting seat, with no management intervention.
A corporation’s elected President and Treasurer who are also part-owners of the company.

This area changed under D.O. 248, Series of 2025, and is worth confirming directly with the Bureau of Local Employment before relying on it. Under the 2025 rules, officers who are formally named in the Articles of Incorporation, the by-laws, or the General Information Sheet — certified by the corporate secretary — are exempted specifically from the newspaper publication step of the labor market test, which is a narrower benefit than a blanket exclusion from the AEP requirement itself. Because secondary sources describe this change inconsistently, an employer planning to rely on an officer exemption or exclusion should have BLE confirm, in writing, exactly which filing the specific officer needs before assuming none is required.

The Current Application Process (2026)

The mechanics changed twice in 2026. As of November 2026, an AEP application generally follows these steps:

Labor market test. The employer publishes the vacancy — and, under the 2025 rules, also posts it through PhilJobNet and the PESO or Job Placement Office with jurisdiction over the work site — at least 15 calendar days before filing. The publication is valid for 45 days.
Sign the contract or appointment. Under the 2025 rules, the AEP application must be filed within 15 calendar days of the contract or appointment being executed, and the contract itself takes effect only once the AEP is actually issued. (For the rules governing what can and cannot go into that contract, see our guide to employment contracts in the Philippines.)
File online with the Bureau of Local Employment. Since September 3, 2026, every new, renewal, exemption, or exclusion application must be submitted through DOLE’s official online portal. Processing is centralized at BLE in Manila rather than the DOLE regional office nearest the workplace.
Submit a complete document set. This typically includes the accomplished application form, the passport bio-page with an appropriate visa, the foreign national’s Tax Identification Number, the notarized employment contract or appointment, proof of the employer’s registration and legal status, proof of the labor market test, and any sector-specific clearance the role still requires (for example, a Professional Regulation Commission permit for a licensed profession). Incomplete applications are not accepted for processing.
Pay only after evaluation. A payment order is issued once the application clears DOLE’s technical review.
Receive the AEP card and complete the visa process. The AEP alone does not authorize work — it supports the separate 9(g) pre-arranged employment visa application with the Bureau of Immigration. For a pre-arrival hire, the AEP itself is not released until the foreign national actually enters the Philippines on the proper visa.

For cancellation, reprinting, or accreditation-only requests — which fall outside the online portal’s standard transaction types — DOLE has directed these to be sent by email instead, and has adopted a general zero-contact policy: office visits are limited to applicants with a confirmed card-release schedule or an official notice requesting further documents.

Fees, Validity, and Renewal

DOLE’s published fee schedule for the standard AEP, as most recently confirmed in its own FAQ materials, is as follows. Employers should treat these as the figures to verify at filing, since fee schedules are adjusted by administrative issuance rather than by the Labor Code itself.

Transaction	Fee
New AEP, one-year validity	₱10,000 (₱6,000 filing fee plus ₱4,000 publication fee)
Each additional year or fraction of a year beyond the first	₱5,000
Renewal	₱5,000
Card replacement (loss, amendment, or additional position)	₱3,000
Certificate of Exclusion or Certificate of Exemption	₱2,000 per issuance

An AEP is generally valid for one year, though DOLE may grant a longer period to match the actual duration of employment — in no case exceeding three years. A renewal application may be filed as early as 60 days before expiration, and earlier filing is allowed where the foreign national must travel or faces a similar scheduling conflict. The expiring AEP card must be submitted together with the renewal application.

Employers should also note two standing compliance duties that continue through the life of the permit: a quarterly report listing all employed foreign nationals, due within 30 days after each quarter ends, and a duty to report any material change — a change in position, employer, or status — within 10 calendar days of that change.

The Pending Reform: Department Order No. 248-C

On October 27, 2026, Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino signed Department Order No. 248-C, Series of 2026, which DOLE announced the following day. As of this writing, it is not yet in force. Under the order’s own terms, it takes effect 15 days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation, and DOLE had not disclosed that publication date as of late October 2026.

Once effective, D.O. 248-C would change the process in several concrete ways:

Faster processing: the standard period drops from 15 to 10 working days, with a one-time 10-day extension available, for a 20-working-day ceiling.
Fewer clearances at filing: applicants would no longer need to submit, at the time of filing, a Philippine Construction Accreditation Board license, a Professional Regulation Commission Special Temporary Permit, a Department of Justice Authority to Employ Alien, or a Department of Environment and Natural Resources authority to hire a foreign national. Compliance with each of those agencies’ own licensing laws would still be required — the change removes a filing-stage document, not the underlying legal obligation.
End of the broadsheet ad: the newspaper Labor Market Test notice would be replaced by posting on DOLE’s official portal or public repository, or through the UP Law Center.
In-house filing: an employer’s own HR staff would be able to file the application directly, without needing an outside representative.
Consular endorsement: Philippine embassies and consulates abroad would be able to endorse applications to BLE or the Department of Foreign Affairs through official notes.

Until the 15-day publication clock runs and DOLE confirms an effectivity date, employers and foreign hires should continue to follow the process described in the sections above, not the version described here. This guide will be corrected once that date is confirmed.

What the Supreme Court Has Said

Direct Supreme Court jurisprudence on AEP compliance is limited, because most disputes are resolved administratively within DOLE rather than reaching the Court. The controlling decision remains General Milling Corporation and Earl Timothy Cone v. Hon. Ruben D. Torres, G.R. No. 93666, decided April 22, 1991.^[1]

A U.S. citizen, Earl Timothy Cone, was hired by General Milling Corporation as a basketball coach and was issued an AEP. The Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines appealed the permit’s issuance to the Secretary of Labor, who revoked it on the ground that the employer had not shown the unavailability of a qualified Filipino coach and that employing Cone would not serve the national interest. GMC argued that hiring a foreign coach was purely an employer prerogative, that the Secretary had no authority under Article 40 to weigh “national interest,” and that revoking an already-issued permit impaired its contract with Cone.

The Supreme Court rejected every argument and dismissed the petition. It held that an employer’s “right to choose whom to employ is, of course, limited by the statutory requirement of an alien employment permit,” and that Article 40’s own language — the permit “may be issued” after a finding of non-availability — is “permissive language” that confers discretion, not a ministerial duty to approve. The Court also upheld Section 6(c), Rule XIV, Book I of the Omnibus Rules, which lets the Secretary weigh whether the hire “will redound to the national interest,” because Article 12 of the Labor Code already directs the Secretary to regulate alien employment “in conformity with the national interest.” Finally, the Court rejected the impairment-of-contract argument on the basic principle that laws affecting public policy, including the AEP requirement, are deemed written into every contract — a private party cannot contract around a statutory permit requirement simply by signing an employment agreement before applying.

Practical lesson: an AEP, once issued, is not immune from later cancellation if a competing applicant or stakeholder successfully appeals it, and DOLE’s discretion to weigh national interest — not just the narrow availability test — has been judicially confirmed. An employer relying on a newly issued AEP should not treat the matter as closed while an appeal period or a third-party challenge remains open.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Under D.O. 248, Series of 2025, the DOLE Regional Office (now effectively BLE, following centralization) may impose a fine of up to ₱10,000 on both the foreign national and the employer, for each prohibited act — which includes working, or allowing someone to work, without a valid AEP; continuing to work after an AEP has expired without a timely renewal; and failing to file required compliance reports on time. Where the violation involves misrepresentation or fraud in the application itself, the consequence is more severe: both the employer and the foreign national can be barred from filing any AEP application for ten years.

Separately, under the general immigration framework, a foreign national found to be working without proper authorization — including without a valid AEP and the corresponding work visa — can be the subject of deportation proceedings before the Bureau of Immigration, which has independent authority to investigate, detain, and order the removal of foreign nationals who violate the terms of their admission.^[2] That process runs on its own procedural track and due-process safeguards, separate from any DOLE administrative fine.

A Worked Example

Mei, a Taiwanese manufacturing engineer, signs a one-year contract with a Batangas electronics plant on November 10, 2026, to lead the commissioning of a new production line. HR tells her, “Kailangan mo muna ng AEP bago ka pumasok sa trabaho — hindi pa valid ang contract mo hangga’t wala kang permit.” (“You need an AEP first before you can start work — your contract is not yet valid until you have the permit.”)

The plant’s HR officer publishes the vacancy notice and posts it on PhilJobNet and with the local PESO on October 20, 2026 — more than 15 calendar days before the planned filing date. On November 6, within 15 calendar days of the contract’s execution, HR files Mei’s AEP application directly through DOLE’s online portal, since the plant’s own personnel are authorized to file. The application includes Mei’s passport and visa documents, her TIN, the notarized contract, proof of the plant’s registration, and proof of the labor market test. Because the plant enjoys fiscal incentives under its PEZA registration, it also commits in writing to training two Filipino engineers as understudies during Mei’s assignment, as D.O. 248 requires of incentive-registered employers hiring foreign nationals.

DOLE’s technical evaluation clears the application, a payment order is issued, and the plant pays the standard ₱10,000 one-year fee. Once the AEP is released and Mei secures her 9(g) visa from the Bureau of Immigration, her contract — by its own terms — takes legal effect, and she begins work on the production line.

What to Do Next

For the Foreign National

Confirm your visa category and whether you fall under a recognized exemption (permanent resident visa, diplomatic status, or similar) before assuming an AEP is required.
Ask your employer, in writing, for the status of your AEP filing and keep copies of the application, the payment order, and the issued card.
Do not begin working, or treat your employment contract as effective, until the AEP (and, where applicable, the proper work visa) has actually been issued — starting early is both a contractual and an immigration risk.
If your AEP is nearing expiry, confirm with your employer that a renewal has been filed at least 60 days beforehand.

For the Employer

Run the labor market test early: publish and post the vacancy at least 15 calendar days before you intend to file, since the filing window itself is tied to the contract date.
File the AEP application through DOLE’s online portal — not by email, courier, or walk-in, which are no longer accepted as of September 3, 2026.
Do not let the foreign hire start work, and do not treat the employment contract as effective, before the AEP is issued.
If your enterprise holds fiscal incentives, operates in a priority investment sector, or runs a public utility, confirm whether the Understudy Training Program or Skills Development Program duty applies to this hire.
Calendar the quarterly foreign-employee report (due 30 days after each quarter) and the 10-calendar-day window for reporting material changes.
Track Department Order No. 248-C’s publication and effectivity date, since several of the steps above are expected to change once it takes effect.

Contact the Right Agency

AEP applications, renewals, exemptions, and exclusions are now processed centrally by the DOLE Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) in Manila, not by the DOLE regional office nearest the job site.

Primary action: file and track AEP transactions through DOLE’s official online portal, reached through the Bureau of Local Employment’s own website.
General AEP inquiries: directed to the Bureau’s published AEP inquiry channel on its website, consistent with DOLE’s zero-contact policy for routine questions.
What to bring, if an in-person visit is required: a confirmed card-release schedule or a specific DOLE notice requesting additional documents — BLE has stated that walk-in visits outside those two situations are discouraged.
Not sure which office handles what: see our directory of Philippine government labor agencies for a full breakdown of DOLE, BLE, the Bureau of Immigration, and the other agencies that touch a foreign hire.
Date checked: November 4, 2026. Because BLE’s own online and contact channels could not be independently reached and confirmed on this date, employers and foreign nationals should verify the current portal address and inquiry contact directly on the Bureau of Local Employment’s official DOLE webpage before relying on any third-party summary, including this one.

For work that also requires a separate professional, construction, justice-department, or environmental clearance, confirm the current status of that clearance directly with the issuing agency (the Professional Regulation Commission, the Philippine Construction Accreditation Board, the Department of Justice, or the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, respectively) even where D.O. 248-C eventually removes the clearance as a filing-stage document.

Employer Compliance Checklist

Vacancy published and posted (newspaper, PhilJobNet, PESO/Job Placement Office) at least 15 calendar days before filing.
AEP application filed within 15 calendar days of contract or appointment execution, through DOLE’s online portal.
Complete document set prepared: application form, passport and visa, TIN, notarized contract, employer registration proof, labor market test proof, and any sector-specific clearance still required.
No work performed, and contract treated as not yet effective, until the AEP is actually issued.
Payment made only after DOLE’s technical evaluation clears the application.
Understudy Training Program or Skills Development Program commitment filed, if the employer holds fiscal incentives, operates in a priority investment sector, or runs a public utility.
Quarterly foreign-employee report filed within 30 days of quarter-end.
Material changes (position, employer, status) reported within 10 calendar days.
Renewal filed at least 60 days before AEP expiry.
Tracking in place for Department Order No. 248-C’s eventual publication and effectivity date.
AEP records (application, payment order, issued card, quarterly reports) kept on file and ready to produce — see our checklist of documents a DOLE labor inspection typically requests.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a foreign national who owns part of the Philippine company still need an AEP?

Possibly not in every case, but this depends on the specific role and the current scope of the officer-exemption rules under D.O. 248 (2025). An elected President or Treasurer who is also a part-owner has historically been treated differently from a rank-and-file foreign hire, but the exact current treatment — full exclusion versus exemption from publication only — should be confirmed with BLE before assuming no filing is needed at all.

Can a foreign national start working while the AEP application is still pending?

No. Under the current rules, the employment contract or appointment takes effect only once the AEP is actually issued, and working beforehand exposes both the employer and the foreign national to fines and, potentially, immigration consequences.

Is an AEP the same as a work visa?

No. The AEP is a DOLE permit confirming that no qualified Filipino was available for the role. It is a supporting requirement for a separate work visa, typically the 9(g) pre-arranged employment visa, issued by the Bureau of Immigration.

What happens if the AEP expires while renewal is still being processed?

Employers should file the renewal at least 60 days before expiry precisely to avoid this gap. The published rules do not describe automatic extension of an expired AEP during renewal processing, so working past expiry without a renewed or extended permit carries the same risk as working without one at all.

Do all foreign hires need a newspaper advertisement first?

Under the rules in force as of November 2026, yes — the labor market test requires publication in a newspaper of general circulation, together with posting on PhilJobNet and with the local PESO or Job Placement Office. Department Order No. 248-C would remove the newspaper step once it takes effect, but it is not yet in force.

Can a recruitment agency or immigration consultant file the AEP application?

Historically, applications were often filed by an authorized representative. Under D.O. 248-C, once effective, an employer’s own HR officer or personnel would also be explicitly authorized to file directly, without needing an outside representative.

What if the foreign national is already working for a foreign principal and is merely assigned to the Philippine entity temporarily?

A temporary intra-company assignment can still trigger the AEP requirement if the foreign national is rendering services to a Philippine-based employer, and some categories of intra-corporate transferees have received distinct treatment under past DOLE rules. The employer should not assume the assignment is automatically excluded without confirming the current category with BLE.

Paano kung sa online portal lang pwede mag-apply, pero may problema sa upload ng documents?

(What if applications can only be filed through the online portal, but there is a problem uploading the documents?)

Kung incomplete o may technical issue ang submission, hindi ito ituturing na naprocess ng DOLE — mag-coordinate agad sa opisyal na AEP inquiry channel ng BLE sa website nito, at huwag umasa sa email o walk-in bilang substitute dahil wala na itong tinatanggap simula September 3, 2026. (If the submission is incomplete or has a technical issue, DOLE will not treat it as processed — coordinate right away through BLE’s official AEP inquiry channel on its website, and do not rely on email or a walk-in visit as a substitute, since these are no longer accepted starting September 3, 2026.)

Ilang araw bago mag-expire dapat mag-apply ng renewal ng AEP?

(How many days before expiry should an AEP renewal application be filed?)

Puwedeng mag-file ng renewal sa loob ng 60 araw bago mag-expire ang kasalukuyang AEP, at mas maaga pa kung kinakailangang magbyahe o may katulad na schedule conflict ang foreign national. (A renewal may be filed within 60 days before the current AEP expires, and even earlier if the foreign national needs to travel or has a similar scheduling conflict.)

May multa ba kung nagtatrabaho ang isang foreign national na walang valid AEP?

(Is there a fine if a foreign national works without a valid AEP?)

Oo — both ang employer at ang foreign national ay posibleng pagmultahin ng hanggang ₱10,000 para sa bawat paglabag, at kung may fraud o maling representasyon, posible ring mabawal silang mag-apply ng AEP sa loob ng sampung taon. (Yes — both the employer and the foreign national can be fined up to ₱10,000 per violation, and if there is fraud or misrepresentation, they may also be barred from applying for an AEP for ten years.)

Conclusion

The Alien Employment Permit exists to make a simple point of law operational: a foreign national may not simply be hired in the Philippines because an employer wants to; the employer must first show that no qualified Filipino was available, and DOLE retains discretion to weigh the national interest beyond that narrow test. What has changed, repeatedly, through 2025 and 2026, is not that underlying rule but the mechanics around it — who processes the application, how it is filed, how long it takes, and which clearances must accompany it at the filing stage.

Because DOLE has signed a further reform that is not yet in force, both employers and foreign hires should treat the process described in this guide as a snapshot of November 2026 — accurate as of the sources checked below, but worth re-verifying against BLE’s current guidance before filing, particularly once Department Order No. 248-C’s publication date is confirmed.

Sources and Legal Citations

[1] General Milling Corporation and Earl Timothy Cone v. Hon. Ruben D. Torres, Hon. Bienvenido E. Laguesma, and Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines, G.R. No. 93666, April 22, 1991. Supreme Court decision via LawPhil. Confirms the Secretary of Labor’s discretion under Article 40 and Article 12 of the Labor Code and Section 6(c), Rule XIV, Book I of the Omnibus Rules, and that Article 40 applies only to non-resident aliens.
[2] Commonwealth Act No. 613 (Philippine Immigration Act of 1940), Sec. 37(a), on the grounds and procedure for deportation of foreign nationals. Official LawPhil text.
Labor Code of the Philippines, Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended, Articles 12 and 40. Official LawPhil text.
Omnibus Rules Implementing the Labor Code, Rule XIV, Book I (alien employment permits). Cited and quoted in General Milling Corp. v. Torres, G.R. No. 93666, above.
DOLE Department Order No. 186, Series of 2017 (Revised Rules for the Issuance of Employment Permits to Foreign Nationals), superseded in substance by D.O. 248, Series of 2025. Legal basis and policy declaration cited via digest of the issuance; full current text available through the DOLE Bureau of Local Employment.
DOLE Bureau of Local Employment, Frequently Asked Questions on the Issuance of Alien Employment Permit (December 2021 edition), on fees, validity, renewal timing, and the pre-2025 exemption/exclusion categories. Official PDF via DOLE Bureau of Local Employment.
DOLE Bureau of Local Employment, announcement on implementing the Alien Employment Permit Management System (AEPMS). Official DOLE Bureau of Local Employment announcement.
DOLE Bureau of Local Employment, overview of alien employment regulation and its legal basis under Article 40 of the Labor Code. Official DOLE Bureau of Local Employment page.
Department Order No. 248, Series of 2025, and its amendments (D.O. 248-A and D.O. 248-B, Series of 2026, centralizing AEP processing at the Bureau of Local Employment, and the September 3, 2026 mandatory online-filing directive), as reported in professional advisory and news coverage reviewed this run, since the full primary texts could not be independently retrieved on November 4, 2026: KPMG Global Mobility Services Flash Alert (Philippines, 2026); Erickson Immigration Group, “Philippines Moves Alien Employment Permit Applications Fully Online.”
Department Order No. 248-C, Series of 2026 (signed October 27, 2026; not yet in force as of this writing), as reported in contemporaneous news coverage reviewed this run: astig.ph, “DOLE cut foreign work permits to 10 days and scrapped the newspaper ad” (October 28, 2026); The Tribune, “DOLE simplifies issuance of Alien Employment Permits” (October 28, 2026).

Sources checked: November 4, 2026, Asia/Manila — Article 40 and Article 12 of the Labor Code of the Philippines; the Omnibus Rules Implementing the Labor Code, Rule XIV, Book I; the Supreme Court decision in General Milling Corporation v. Torres (G.R. No. 93666); DOLE Bureau of Local Employment’s published AEP FAQ and AEPMS and alien-employment-regulation webpages; and contemporaneous professional and news coverage of DOLE Department Order No. 248, Series of 2025, and its 248-A, 248-B, and 248-C amendments, where the primary DOLE issuance text itself could not be independently retrieved on this date.

This article provides general educational legal information and is not legal advice for any individual’s situation. Alien Employment Permit rules changed twice in 2026 and a further change has been signed but is not yet in force; always confirm current requirements, fees, and the applicable filing channel directly with the DOLE Bureau of Local Employment before applying. LaborCode.ph is independent and is not DOLE, the Bureau of Immigration, or any other government agency, and does not guarantee any application outcome.

— LaborCode.ph Editorial Team