9(g) Work Visa

Overview

If a Philippine company wants to hire you, the 9(g) Pre-Arranged Employment Visa is how you make that legal. It's the standard work visa for foreigners employed by Philippine-registered companies — whether that's a local conglomerate, an ROHQ (Regional Operating Headquarters), a BPO, or a startup in BGC.

Two things make the 9(g) different from most other Philippine visas. First, you cannot apply for it yourself. The company files for you. Second, before the Bureau of Immigration (BI) will even look at your application, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has to issue an Alien Employment Permit (AEP) certifying that your position genuinely cannot be filled by a qualified Filipino. Those two steps run sequentially, and both take time.

The Bureau of Immigration's official 9G page has the current requirements list, though I'd recommend cross-referencing with an immigration lawyer since the BI's published guidance and their actual processing requirements sometimes diverge.

Who This Visa Is For

The 9(g) is for foreigners with an actual job offer from a Philippine company. That's the whole story. If you're coming to work for a local employer — not a foreign company paying you offshore — this is your visa.

A few specific groups who end up on the 9(g):

• ROHQ/RHQ employees — multinationals operating regional offices in the Philippines bring in senior foreign staff this way
• BPO executives and specialized staff — companies like Accenture, Concentrix, and local operations hiring foreign specialists
• C-suite at Philippine companies — foreign nationals taking CEO, CFO, or director-level roles
• Technical specialists — engineers, architects, medical professionals hired for skills that are genuinely rare in the local market

One clarification worth making: if you're working remotely for a foreign company while living in the Philippines, the 9(g) does not apply to you. That scenario is covered by the Digital Nomad Visa / Special Work Permit. The 9(g) is specifically for employment with a Philippine-registered entity that's paying you through Philippine payroll.

Requirements

The document list is long, and most of it falls on the employer, not you:

From you:

• Valid passport (minimum 6 months validity at time of application)
• Medical certificate from a BI-accredited clinic
• NBI clearance (National Bureau of Investigation — apply at nbi.gov.ph)
• Police clearance from your home country, apostilled or authenticated
• 4 passport-size photos (white background, recent)
• Accomplished BI application form

From your employer:

• Employment contract specifying your role, salary, and contract duration
• Company SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registration documents
• Company business permits and BIR registration
• Proof of company is in good standing (audited financial statements, ITR)
• Corporate authorization for whoever signs the application on behalf of the company

The Alien Employment Permit (AEP) from DOLE: This is separate from the BI application. Your employer applies for this first. DOLE publishes the job opening for 15 days to verify no qualified Filipino applicants are available, then issues the AEP if satisfied. It takes 2–3 weeks from complete submission.

Step-by-Step Application Process

Step 1: Employer Applies for the AEP at DOLE

This is the first step and it's entirely on your employer. The company files an AEP application with the Department of Labor and Employment, including your employment contract, the company's registration documents, and your credentials showing why you're qualified. DOLE posts the position publicly for 15 days. If no qualified Filipino applies, DOLE issues the AEP. The permit is valid for the duration of your contract, up to 3 years.

DOLE AEP fee: approximately PHP 9,000.

Step 2: Gather Your Personal Documents

While your employer is handling the AEP, you can be collecting your personal requirements. The NBI clearance takes 1–2 weeks; schedule it early. If you're not yet in the Philippines, you'll need a police clearance from your home country — this must be apostilled (or embassy-authenticated for non-Hague countries) and should be dated within six months of your BI submission.

Book your medical exam at a BI-accredited clinic. Costs run PHP 2,500–5,000 depending on the clinic. The exam covers chest X-ray, basic bloodwork, and physical examination.

Step 3: File the 9G Application at BI

Once the AEP is in hand, your employer's authorized representative (or a retained immigration lawyer) files the 9(g) application at the Bureau of Immigration main office in Intramuros, Manila. Bring all originals and at least two photocopies of every document.

BI filing fees: PHP 8,620–15,000+ depending on the visa duration and whether you use the Express Lane.

Step 4: Wait for BI Processing

This is the slow part. BI processes 9(g) applications in 1–2 months on average. The BI may issue a Request for Additional Documents (RFAD) during this period — your employer's HR or lawyer should be tracking the application status and responding promptly.

Step 5: Pick Up Your Visa and ACR I-Card

Once approved, you receive the 9(g) visa stamp in your passport and the ACR I-Card (Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card). The ACR I-Card serves as your Philippine ID and is needed for many administrative tasks — opening bank accounts, signing leases, and checking into hotels long-term.

Step 6: Annual Report to BI

Every January, you must file an Annual Report at the Bureau of Immigration and pay approximately PHP 310. This is required for all foreign nationals residing in the Philippines.

Costs Breakdown

The 9(g) is not cheap when you add everything up:

Most Philippine employers of foreign nationals absorb the BI and DOLE fees as part of the hiring package. If your offer letter is silent on this, ask — it's standard practice for companies that regularly hire foreign staff.

Processing Time

• AEP (DOLE): 2–3 weeks from complete submission, including the 15-day posting period
• 9G visa (BI): 1–2 months after AEP is received and 9G application is filed
• Total: 2–3 months from start to visa approval

Plan around this timeline when negotiating your start date. Companies that have processed 9(g) applications before usually factor this into their onboarding. If your employer is doing this for the first time, give yourself a buffer — unexpected RFADs from the BI can add 2–3 weeks.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Letting the tourist visa expire before the 9(g) is approved. If you're already in the Philippines on a tourist visa while waiting for your 9(g), you must keep extending your tourist visa at the BI. Overstaying is a serious problem — it can delay or derail your 9(g) approval and results in fines. Extensions cost PHP 3,200–4,500 every 60 days.

Employment contract duration mismatch. Your 9(g) visa validity matches your employment contract. If your contract says 1 year, your visa is for 1 year. Companies sometimes issue short-term contracts for probationary periods — this means you'll need to renew the visa sooner. Negotiate the contract term before signing.

Submitting expired clearances. NBI and police clearances are valid for six months from issuance. Time your document collection so nothing expires before the BI receives your application.

Starting work before the visa is approved. Technically, you should not commence work for your Philippine employer until the 9(g) is issued. In practice, many companies have foreign hires start on a tourist visa while the application processes — but this is a gray area that creates exposure. Talk to an immigration lawyer about how your company handles this.

Job change without updating the visa. The 9(g) is tied to a specific employer. If you change jobs, the old visa becomes invalid and you must apply for a new 9(g) under the new employer. Failing to do this puts you out of status.

Renewal & Maintenance

When your employment contract is up for renewal, so is your visa. Your employer files the renewal application at the BI before the current visa expires. The renewal requires an updated AEP from DOLE and a new employment contract.

2024 update — promotions no longer require visa downgrade: Under Board Resolution 2024-001, foreign workers promoted within the same company no longer need to cancel their 9(g) and restart the process. Previously, a promotion technically constituted a change in employment terms that required a visa amendment or new application. This change saves significant time and money for foreign employees who get promoted in-country.

If you lose your job, your 9(g) becomes invalid. You have a short window to either find a new employer willing to sponsor a new 9(g) or to downgrade your status — typically to a tourist visa — before you're in overstay territory. Don't wait. Go to the BI as soon as you know your employment is ending.

Comparison to Alternatives

9(g) vs. Digital Nomad Visa: If you work remotely for a foreign company, the Digital Nomad Visa is cleaner. The 9(g) is only for Philippine employers.

9(g) vs. Special Work Permit (SWP): The SWP is a short-term 3-month permit for specific temporary work assignments. If you're coming for a project that lasts less than 3 months, an SWP is faster to obtain. For ongoing employment, the 9(g) is the right instrument.

9(g) vs. 13(a) with work rights: If you're married to a Filipino citizen and hold a 13(a) visa, you have the right to work without a separate work permit. That's a significant advantage. If marriage is in your future, the 13(a) path is worth understanding.

9(g) vs. SIRV: The Special Investor's Resident Visa grants residency through investment, not employment. Completely different eligibility and use case.