OFW Expenses and the Application Process

What are the expenses that OFWs expect to incur during the application process? Let TrueProfile.io help you figure it out. It’s a truism that in order to beget money, you will need to invest money and effort first. So it is with the process of going abroad. Let’s do a step-by-step guide so you don’t invest in something that you won’t need immediately, like paying for an NBI clearance when your agency doesn’t require it yet. <h2 class="p1">Certificates, documents and diplomas</h2> <div class="wp-block-image wp-image-3325 size-large"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="685" height="1024" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2016/07/Diploma-685x1024-1.jpg" alt="OFW Expenses Application Process" class="wp-image-9344" srcset="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2016/07/Diploma-685x1024-1.jpg 685w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2016/07/Diploma-685x1024-1-201x300.jpg 201w" sizes="(max-width: 685px) 100vw, 685px" /><figcaption>Primary Source Verification is needed for documents</figcaption></figure></div> A Birth Certificate authenticated by the PSA (formerly NSO) is the first thing you will need to procure. Just go to <a href="http://nsohelpline.ph/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nsohelpline.ph</a> to order it and it will be delivered at your doorstep for just PhP 350.00. The same fee will apply for a marriage certificate but a CENOMAR (Certificate of No Marriage) will cost PhP 450.00. If you factor in the time, effort, and money saved, it’s a sweet deal. If you want to go to NSO yourself, it will cost PhP 140.00. Next is your High School Diploma and your Collegiate Transcript of Records. It depends on your school how much they cost and how long it takes. I recommend calling your school first, getting the particulars, and get a name and contact number. It will save you time and effort in the end by spending those phone minutes. Third document to get is your Certificate of Employment for the past two years, at least. This should be free, but as always, let the phone do the talking first. Once you have your PSA Birth Certificate, you can now apply for your <a href="https://www.passport.gov.ph/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">passport</a>. Regular processing costs PhP 950.00 while express is PhP 1,200.00. There’s also an extra fee if you opted to have the passport delivered to your address. Calculate if having it delivered will save you the money. After you have these documents handy, you can now scour the metro for agencies offering jobs abroad. I’ll tackle these on a later post. Agencies may offer their own training with a corresponding fee. This would depend on the job and the destination country. Most would require an NBI clearance (PhP 115.00), Baranggay clearance (depends on the Baranggay), and a Police clearance (PhP 100.00) once you have been accepted. After that, you will now be expected to pay the Philhealth Insurance Premium at PhP 2,400 per year; the PAGIBIG Membership Contribution at PhP 100 per month and the various Medical Exam Fees (dependent on Country of destination and employer). <h2 class="p1">OFW Expenses</h2> If you <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/resources/do-you-want-to-work-abroad">applying for work abroad</a>, it is wise to know beforehand the fees as well as which ones you will have to pay and which ones are to be paid by your employer. <div class="wp-block-image wp-image-3322 size-full"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="879" height="565" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2016/08/fees1.jpg" alt="OFW Expenses and the Application Process: fees for OFWs getting abroad from the Philiphines" class="wp-image-3322" srcset="https://admin-blog.trueprofile.io/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/fees1.jpg 879w, https://admin-blog.trueprofile.io/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/fees1-300x193.jpg 300w, https://admin-blog.trueprofile.io/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/fees1-768x494.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 879px) 100vw, 879px" /><figcaption>Fees and who has to pay them</figcaption></figure></div> You are not yet clear until after the medical results are in. Once the employment contract has been presented to you, that’s when you can breathe a sigh of relief. Study the contract first, though, and take your time going through each of the provisions. Be mindful that this will be your employment conditions for the next year or two. <div class="wp-block-image wp-image-3323 size-large"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="765" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2016/07/Signing_Contract-1024x765-1.jpg" alt="OFW Expenses Application Process" class="wp-image-9343" srcset="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2016/07/Signing_Contract-1024x765-1.jpg 1024w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2016/07/Signing_Contract-1024x765-1-300x224.jpg 300w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2016/07/Signing_Contract-1024x765-1-768x574.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Congratulations!</figcaption></figure></div> Only when the contract has been signed should the placement fee be paid. Remember that it should not be more than your one month’s salary. Ask for an Official Receipt. The receipt should clearly show the amount you paid for and what it is for. The employer should be the one to take care of paying for your visa, your mandatory insurance, the POEA processing fee, the OWWA membership contribution, your roundtrip airfare, and your Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar or PDOS. Make sure to take note of your agencies’ liaison officer’s contact information. Befriend them on Facebook if possible and make sure your loved ones know their contact information as well. Be safe! <h4>If you have not already signed up to TrueProfile.io, sign up now!</h4> <div class="is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons"> <div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-text-color has-background" href="https://sso.trueprofile.io/register" style="border-radius:50px;background-color:#00497a;color:#f5f5f5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sign up</a></div> </div> Pictures attribution <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CC by 2.0 </a>flickr.com/nathan_u/ flickr.com/gadgetdude/ screenshot from POEA PEOS module 4 flickr.com/danmoyle/