/PNA
MANILA — Foreigners intending to work in the country are required to submit additional documents before they are issued work permits, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Wednesday.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said applicants whose professions are classified as regulated by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) will not be processed without the approval of the Commission.
Foreign applicants are also required to submit validity of stay as tourists; address, existence, nature of business, and financial viability of petitioning company; and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other government licenses to operate.
Morente noted that no work permit will be issued to aliens who will be employed as construction workers, cashiers, janitors, carpenters, and other blue-collar jobs.
“This is to ensure that these work permits are issued only to aliens whose jobs could not be performed by Filipinos,” he said in a statement.
Morente said the new rules were issued to address the reported increase in the number of foreigners employed in the country to the alleged detriment of Filipino workers.
“These new rules are meant to protect the interest of local workers, as we have observed that in the past, foreigners may abuse their permits and take away jobs from our kababayans,” he added.
Morente said only authorized bureau officers at the main office and alien control officers in the bureau’s field offices may approve or disapprove applicants for special and provisional work permits.
