Employers seeking permits for foreign workers will face fewer filing requirements and a shorter standard processing period under a new labor department order.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) issued Department Order No. 248-C, series of 2026, to shorten the processing period for Alien Employment Permit (AEP) applications from 15 to 10 working days, remove several documentary requirements, and end applicant-funded broadsheet publication.

Under the order, issued by Labor Secretary Francis N. Tolentino on Oct. 27, processing may be extended once by another 10 working days, subject to a maximum of 20 working days.

For the filing and evaluation of AEP applications, applicants will no longer need to submit the following documents—or proof that they have applied for them: a Philippine Construction Accreditation Board license, a Professional Regulation Commission Special Temporary Permit, a Department of Justice Authority to Employ Alien, or a Department of Environment and Natural Resources Authority to Hire Foreign National.

“This does not relieve the applicant of compliance with the laws of those agencies,” Section 1 states.

In place of applicant-funded broadsheet publication, labor Market Test notices will instead be published on DOLE’s official portal or public repository, or filed with the Office of the National Administrative Register at the University of the Philippines Law Center.

The order also changes the payment process by requiring payment slips to be issued only after an application is approved following technical evaluation.

“No fee shall be collected upon submission,” Section 5 states.

For employer representation, the measure dispenses with agent accreditation and the appointment of authorized representatives under Department Order No. 221-A, series of 2022, which governed their handling of AEP applications.

Employers must instead process applications through their own human resource officers, personnel, or owners, with the option of legal counsel, and remain directly accountable for the documents submitted, according to the new order.

The measure amends Department Order No. 248-B, issued in June 2026, which centralized AEP processing and related functions under DOLE’s Central Office through the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE).

For embassy-endorsed applications, the new order allows the embassy or consulate of an applicant’s home country to submit an official note directly to BLE or through the Department of Foreign Affairs. The note must come from the mission’s head or an authorized officer and attest to the applicant’s identity and lack of a derogatory record.

The order also allows the labor secretary to grant AEPs in meritorious cases, including those involving special economic or international agreements, and revoke permits on national security grounds, among others.

Moreover, lawfully employed foreign nationals may also be afforded medical care benefits in government hospitals on terms no less favorable than those for Filipino workers, according to the order.

The order takes effect 15 days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

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