What they don't tell you about the OFW life

**confused shoes** · May 24th, 2014 09:47 PM

Expat - directly hired by overseas employer, does not go through POEA , interviews done by phone calls or need be personal are ...

Originally Posted by macsd

Expat can still go to Philippine embassy in foreign country to ask/get OEC and the embassy/consulate will just issue.

Above two statements contradict each other, sir.

OEC is a POEA procedure. Philippine consulates/embassies are only authorized by the POEA to issue the certificates. You can not say you did not pass through POEA if you are issued an OEC.

If you have a copy of the OEC, please read its heading. It goes like this:
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT (POEA)

You are not an OFW if your answer to these three questions are NO.

1. Are you required to go to POEA/OWWA at the airport before leaving?
2. Are you using the OFW channel at the airport?
3. Are you not required by the immigration officer to show your OEC before letting you go?

I hope it helps.

**macsd** · May 24th, 2014 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by confused shoes

^ Expat whatever you call them but as long as they are required to have an OEC before leaving the country, they are OFWs.

Oh another thing about OEC which mean "Overseas Employment Certifcates". Actually OFW can get this from the Philippine embassy/consulate of the country they are working or they can get it at POEA office in Ortigas or at the airport. OFW are really required to get this so that goverment make sure that they pay all the goverment craps like OWWA dues, SSS , POEA fees, check contract validity etc... in return they need not pay travel tax & terminal fee.

Expat at their own initiative get OEC and is normally from Phil embassy/consulate or at the airport primarily and only because to get free travel tax & terminal fee.

So by mere purpose/objective of each one already describe the difference. Also, expat get to have a choice if they opt to get permanent residency or citizenship for their host country while OFW never.

**chua_riwap** · May 24th, 2014 09:58 PM

ofw ini-issuehan ng oec. intindi ko kasi kung pinoy expat ka padala ka ng opis nyo sa ibang bansa on a long term assignment. they are not condidered as ofws.

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**macsd** · May 24th, 2014 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by confused shoes

Above two statements contradict each other, sir.

OEC is a POEA procedure. Philippine consulates/embassies are only authorized by the POEA to issue the certificates. You can not say you did not pass through POEA if you are issued an OEC.

If you have a copy of the OEC, please read its heading. It goes like this:
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT (POEA)

You are not an OFW if your answer to these three questions are NO.

1. Are you required to go to POEA/OWWA at the airport before leaving?
2. Are you using the OFW channel at the airport?
3. Are you not required by the immigration officer to show your OEC before letting you go?

I hope it helps.

See, OFWs are familiar with all these cause they are required to. Expat don't get to read all the crap cause their not required to. it's a prerogative not a necessity to them.

1. For expats NO.
2. If an expat has OEC already, of course he goes to the OFW channel cause only there the OEC is recognize to et free terminal fee. Check-in counters
either ask for OEC or travel tax receipt. So if expat has OEC, done deal a for free travel tax .
3. Immigration officers knew which passport are for OFW and normal use (tourist/business), there's a code which i don't know. That is why when
applying for passport, they ask if for overseas employment or business/ pleasure. So if the passport is for OFW, then immigration will definitely ask
for the extra copy ng OEC. For expat, since their passport don't carry the OFW code, immigration don't look for OEC, they simply ask for immigration
card.

You have to be one to know one.

**confused shoes** · May 24th, 2014 10:13 PM

Expat at their own initiative get OEC and is normally from Phil embassy/consulate or at the airport primarily and only because to get free travel tax & terminal fee.

Don't get confused, sir.

The OEC is not an initiative but a requirement to work abroad while tax/terminal free is just an incentive. Try to leave the country without your OEC and tell the immigration officer that you are working abroad and let us see if he will let you go.

Actually, some OFWs even prefer to pay airport taxes/fees than to have an OEC. But sorry, they can not.

**confused shoes** · May 24th, 2014 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by chua_riwap

ofw ini-issuehan ng oec. intindi ko kasi kung pinoy expat ka padala ka ng opis nyo sa ibang bansa on a long term assignment. they are not condidered as ofws.

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Agree, that is another story. And you are not considered working in a foreign country.

But some host countries may require you get a working visa if you will stay there long. In such a case, the Philippine immigration office will require you get an OEC to leave. Again, an OFW procedure.

**compact** · May 24th, 2014 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by chua_riwap

ofw ini-issuehan ng oec. intindi ko kasi kung pinoy expat ka padala ka ng opis nyo sa ibang bansa on a long term assignment. they are not condidered as ofws.

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Ganito rin ang alam ko, sa definition ni macsd, hindi ako ofw hindi rin ako expat, e ano ako? Hehehe. Hybrid.

Pasok na sana ako sa definition nya ng expat kaso dumaan ako sa poea name hire dept. para sa mga directly hired at hindi na dumaan sa agency.

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**macsd** · May 24th, 2014 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by confused shoes

Don't get confused, sir.

The OEC is not an initiative but a requirement to work abroad while tax/terminal free is just an incentive. Try to leave the country without your OEC and tell the immigration officer that you are working abroad and let us see if he will let you go.

Actually, some OFWs even prefer to pay airport taxes/fees than to have an OEC. But sorry, they can not.

I am sure your the one confused , not me. For OFW your correct, OEC is a requirement. But for expat, it's a choice for them. If expat want to pay travel tax & terminal fee, they won't get an OEC but if they want to AVAIL of free travel tax & terminal fee, they opt to get OEC and mind you they are not denied that right only unless the one is already a PR or citizen of his host country by virtue of his being an expat.

Now, let me tell you my own personal experience about immigration. I'e been going back and forth for weekends here and one time i have an early morning flight going back to my country of destination. I went to this desk at the airport to get OEC, i was denied telling all the stupid reasons. Minura at nilait ko on top of my voice the guy on the desk and told him that if you think i cannot get out of this country simply because you won't give me an OEC, your facking wrong. So next i went to tourism desk to pay the 1.6K travel tax, done. Boarding pass issued , paid the terminal fee, done, next was to the immigration. As it was early morning wlang pila, diretso sa harap ng immigration officer with my boarding pass, immigration card & passport. Obviously, he saw the terminal fee coupon attach on my boarding pass. He asked me, why did i paid for travel tax and not OEC. my reply was, yung pu...Ina.. tao dun akal yata hindi ko kaya lumabas ng bansa with out OEC. Next thing he did was stamped my departure date into my passport and handed it back to me with my boarding pass. Next step was board my flight and sat on business class on my way to destination.

So why did i manage to get out without a problem aside from that stupid OEC guy? Because, i am not an OFW and you are 100% correct when you say OFW who pay travel tax & terminal without OEC will not get through immigration simply because their OFW and not expat and again there's a difference. Expat passport normally are stamped by host country working visa for X number of years. That in it self tell both ( Phil & host country) immigration officer that one can legally go in & out on both sides.

Here i can promise you, once you get to be an expat, you will understand what all i'm talking about. For now, work smart hopefully someday you will be an expat already, only then you will recall all what i said is true. For now, i fully understand where your coming from cause the likelyhood your an OFW and your dealing with your experiences. My experience is different cause i am not an OFW. It's as simple as that.

**macsd** · May 24th, 2014 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by compact

Ganito rin ang alam ko, sa definition ni macsd, hindi ako ofw hindi rin ako expat, e ano ako? Hehehe. Hybrid.

Pasok na sana ako sa definition nya ng expat kaso dumaan ako sa poea name hire dept. para sa mga directly hired at hindi na dumaan sa agency.

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If your's is first time, you need to go to the process that your employer opted to use POEA. Let me guess what's your option can be, the key will be your passport. If your passport was issued for employment then, you have to live with it for a while. Once it expires, renew and apply for tourist/business at your host country Phil embassy and get it re-stamped by host country working visa. Once you get that code off your passport, your all set. That's how i see it to be.