Hi guys,
Not sure if this is the right forum to ask, pero I just got a job offer from my Company HQ in Toronto (working as a Director/Manager for an insurance company). It's an internal transfer-- it's the same company kaso I'll just be working in the HQ. Currently, contract is 3 years, with a chance to extend if I want to apply for PR. Yung visa and work permit will be handled by our Global Mobility Team, so I think that's OK. My problem is the POEA/OEC/OFW requirements from our end. I'm not sure what the process is-- I've seen some differentiation between reqts for low-skilled and high-skilled workers, but I'm not sure if that's still under effect.
For anyone who's in the same situation as I am, can you kindly help out with what you guys did before being able to fly out? I'm scared that if I don't comply with OEC reqts, the immigration will hold me in the airport. It's still a couple of months away that's why I'm taking care of this now. Meron ba guys here who come from their Philippines operations (like Citibank or HSBC or any multinational company) and then got sent to another country's operations pero almost for good? How was the process?
Thanks so much.
Hi, we're on the same boat.
Even though we already have our VISA, we can't leave for Canada.
Yes, you will be held in the immigration. Earlier this month, we had a vacation in Taiwan. And since we have a "live" Canadian VISA, we were held up in the immigration counter of NAIA. They are suspicious that we are bypassing the OEC processing by exiting from Taiwan. Fortunately we got through by proving that the trip was for vacation and by presenting some email thread that my OEC processing is ongoing.
Regarding the OEC process, our company hired an agency here in the Philippines to handle it. The agency requires the POLO approved job contract and that's where we're at right now. My employer went to POLO just yesterday to have the documents reviewed and they are asking for adjustments, so my employer had to make some updates and submit them again. POLO said it would take another 2 to 4 weeks to process the updated documents.
The process will continue here in ph when the agency received the POLO approved documents. They would have them approved again by the Philippine embassy, then once approved, it would take a week or two to finish some seminars and actually releasing the OEC.
In my opinion, the exit documents required by the Philippine government takes painfully too much to process. This is given the fact that it's an internal transfer.
Oh well, nothing we can do but be patient and prepare lots of pasalubong to aleviate the troubles caused by this process to our employer.
Hope this helps