Philippine overseas employment law: OFW money claims, recruitment agencies and illegal recruitment, contracts and deployment, seafarers, OWWA and contributions, and assistance for workers in distress abroad.
The old rule capping an illegally dismissed OFW back pay at three months per year was struck down twice by the Supreme Court. Here is the current law, how to compute the full unexpired-portion award, and how to claim it.
DMW’s new 2026 Rules of Procedure let OFWs file complaints electronically and join hearings by videoconference without returning to the Philippines. Here is what changed, what DMW can and cannot decide, and how to file a case from abroad.
Understand how RA 11641 created the Department of Migrant Workers, which agencies it consolidated, and where OFWs should bring recruitment, welfare and employment claims.
What is the DMW/POEA Standard Employment Contract, and which mandatory terms should every OFW check before signing? This guide covers required contract provisions, verification, contract substitution as illegal recruitment, joint and solidary liability, and key Supreme Court rulings.
A complete guide to the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) in the Philippines: who must secure one, who qualifies for the balik-manggagawa exemption, the shift to the digital OFW Travel Pass, fees, documents, and what happens if you travel without valid clearance.