Free · PDF and Word · no sign-up
Employment documents in the Philippines: everything you need from job application to final pay.
Build your employment file, fill in your application letter, biodata or PDS in minutes, check what each clearance costs, compute your 13th month, separation and final pay, and spot a fake job offer before it costs you. Every rule comes with its legal basis.
I'm a school, TESDA centre or PESO →- No sign-up, no cost
- Links only to .gov.ph and official sources
- No ads
- Your data stays in your browser
- An official source for every figure
Quick answer
To start work in the Philippines you need a PSA birth certificate, a valid ID, NBI, police and barangay clearances, a medical certificate, and your TIN, SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG numbers. First-time jobseekers get the government documents free once under RA 11261. When you leave, your COE is due within 3 days of request and your final pay within 30 days.
Key takeaways
- ✓ Never pay to apply; check overseas recruiters on the DMW list.
- ✓ First-time jobseekers: get the barangay certification first, then the free clearances.
- ✓ Probation is at most 6 months (Art. 296); resignation needs 30 days' notice (Art. 300).
- ✓ 13th month = basic salary earned ÷ 12, due by December 24 (PD 851).
- ✓ Unpaid? Demand letter, then a free SEnA request at DOLE (hotline 1349).
1 · Start here
Which situation are you in?
Pick the situation closest to yours; each one opens the documents and steps that apply.
2 · Your tools
Prepare your documents
Two kinds of documents: the ones you fill in here, and the ones only a government office can issue — for those we show how to get them, what they cost and how long they take.
Fill it here
Official process
3 · Before the papers
Get the job
The documents that get you to the interview.
Coming next: interview questions by position, and the notice to explain (NTE).
🔒 Privacy: the letter and form generators on these pages run entirely in your browser — what you type is not sent to sulat.ph. Some other sulat.ph tools (the AI demand-letter drafter at /generate) do send your text to our server to draft it; those pages say so before you start.
4 · My employment file
My employment file: the 18-document checklist
The 18 documents Philippine employers most often ask for. Tick each one as you get it — the list is saved in this browser only. Share what is missing with family by Viber, WhatsApp or Messenger, or print it.
0 of 18 documents ready
🔒 Saved only in this browser, on this device. No account, nothing sent to sulat.ph.
5 · Your route
Your route, step by step
Each step is one line and one link.
First job
1. To apply
2. What proves who you are
3. What HR needs for enrolment and payroll
Changing jobs
1. To apply
Related calculators and guides
6 · Already employed
Already inside: your pay, leave and benefits
Your pay and leave once you are on the payroll.
Legal basis: PD 851 (13th month pay); Labor Code Arts. 86 (night shift differential), 87 (overtime), 94 (holiday pay), 95 (service incentive leave), 298–299 (separation pay); RA 11210 (105-day maternity leave), RA 8187 (paternity leave), RA 11861 (solo parent leave); DOLE Labor Advisory No. 06, s. 2020 (final pay).
7 · The process
The hiring process in the Philippines, from application to first payslip
Eight steps from application to regular status. Every step has the same four blocks so you know what to bring, what HR does, what to watch for, and how long it takes.
- 1
Application
- What you need
- Application letter, biodata or PDS, 2×2 photo, copies of diploma/TOR.
- What the employer does
- Screens applications against the job requirements; shortlists for interview.
- ⚠ Watch out
- Never pay to apply. An employer or agency charging an "application" or "processing" fee is a red flag.
- How long
- 1–3 weeks after the posting closes
- 2
Interview and tests
- What you need
- Valid ID, a copy of your résumé, and your references' contact numbers.
- What the employer does
- Interviews, written or skills tests; may contact references.
- ⚠ Watch out
- Questions about pregnancy plans or age that have nothing to do with the job: you may decline to answer (RA 10911 on age).
- How long
- 1 day to 2 weeks
- 3
Job offer and pre-employment requirements
- What you need
- Signed job offer; the employer's list of requirements.
- What the employer does
- Issues a written offer with position, salary, start date and the requirements list.
- ⚠ Watch out
- Get the salary and status in writing. Keep originals — give photocopies and show originals for checking.
- How long
- 1–7 days
- 4
Medical and clearances
- What you need
- NBI, police and barangay clearance; pre-employment medical.
- What the employer does
- Names the clinic and which tests; checks clearances.
- ⚠ Watch out
- First-time jobseekers: these are free once under RA 11261. Get the barangay certification first.
- How long
- Same day to 1 week
- 5
Government numbers and enrolment
- What you need
- TIN, SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG numbers (or your PSA birth certificate so HR can register you).
- What the employer does
- Registers you with BIR (Form 1902) and reports you to SSS (R-1A), PhilHealth (ER2) and Pag-IBIG.
- ⚠ Watch out
- Have only one TIN and one SSS number for life. Check after a month that contributions are posted.
- How long
- First week
- 6
Contract and probation
- What you need
- Read the employment contract before signing; keep a copy.
- What the employer does
- Explains the standards for regularisation at the start of probation.
- ⚠ Watch out
- Probation may not exceed 6 months (Art. 296). If the standards were not made known when you were hired, you are considered regular.
- How long
- Up to 6 months
- 7
First payday and payslip
- What you need
- Your bank or e-wallet payroll account details.
- What the employer does
- Pays on the payroll schedule (commonly the 15th and 30th) and keeps payroll records showing your rate, days worked, deductions and net pay.
- ⚠ Watch out
- Check every deduction: SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG and withholding tax are statutory; anything else needs a legal basis or your written consent.
- How long
- Every 15 days on a semi-monthly payroll
- 8
Regularisation
- What you need
- Performance evaluation; your regularisation notice.
- What the employer does
- Evaluates you against the standards given at hiring; issues notice of regular status.
- ⚠ Watch out
- Working past six months of probation without a valid extension agreement generally makes you regular by operation of law.
- How long
- At or before 6 months
Legal basis: Labor Code Art. 296 (probationary employment, six months); Omnibus Rules Implementing the Labor Code, Book III, Rule X, Sec. 6 (payroll records); RA 11261 (First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act); RA 10911 (Anti-Age Discrimination in Employment Act).
8 · The documents
Pre-employment documents: who issues them, how long, how much
Every document on the list, filtered by type, with who issues it, how long it takes and what it costs.
| Document | Who issues it | How long | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSA birth certificate | Philippine Statistics Authority | Same day walk-in; days by delivery | ₱155 walk-in; about ₱330 PSA Serbilis delivery verify; ₱365 PSAHelpline verify |
| NBI clearance | National Bureau of Investigation | Same day (longer if "hit") | ₱130 + ₱25 e-payment fee |
| Police clearance | Philippine National Police (NPCS) | Same day | ₱150 + convenience fee |
| Barangay clearance | Your barangay | Same day | Varies by LGU |
| TIN | BIR, via your employer (Form 1902) | Same day to a few days | Free |
| SSS / PhilHealth / Pag-IBIG numbers | SSS · PhilHealth · Pag-IBIG Fund | Same day online | Free |
| Certificate of Employment | Your previous employer | Within 3 days of request | Free |
| BIR Form 2316 | Your previous employer | On separation / end of year | Free |
Fees as published by each agency in October 2026; pay what the official checkout shows. First-time jobseekers: free once under RA 11261.
Legal basis: RA 11261 (First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act) — no fees for police, NBI and barangay clearances, PSA birth and marriage certificates, medical certificate from a public hospital, TOR from state universities and colleges, and TIN, once, with a barangay certification valid for one year.
How to get each official document
TIN (BIR Form 1902)
BIR (through your employer) · Usually same day to a few days · Free
Employees do not register themselves: your employer files BIR Form 1902 with the BIR on your behalf. Give HR your PSA birth certificate and a valid ID. If you already have a TIN from a previous job, give that number — having two TINs is not allowed.
SSS number (Form E-1 / My.SSS)
SSS · Online, same day · Free
Register online through the SSS website to get your SS number, or file Form E-1 at an SSS branch with your birth certificate or valid ID. Your employer then reports you with Form R-1A. Your number is for life — never get a second one.
PhilHealth number (PMRF)
PhilHealth · Same day at a PhilHealth office or online · Free
Fill in the PhilHealth Member Registration Form (PMRF) with a valid ID. Your employer reports you to PhilHealth (ER2) and deducts your share of the premium from your salary.
Pag-IBIG MID number (MDF)
Pag-IBIG Fund · Online, same day · Free
Register online on the Pag-IBIG Fund website for a Membership ID (MID) number, or fill in the Member's Data Form (MDF) at a branch. Your employer remits your contributions under that number.
NBI clearance
NBI · Same day if no "hit"; longer if there is · ₱130 + ₱25 e-payment fee (₱155)
Register and book an appointment on the NBI clearance website, pay online or at an accredited outlet, then appear for photo and biometrics. A "hit" (same name as someone with a record) means a return visit after verification. First-time jobseekers get it free once under RA 11261 with a barangay certification.
Police clearance (NPCS)
PNP · Same day · ₱150 + convenience fee
Register on the National Police Clearance System website, pay, then appear at the police station you chose for photo and fingerprints. Free once for first-time jobseekers under RA 11261.
Barangay clearance
Your barangay hall · Same day · Set by LGU ordinance — varies
Go to your barangay hall with a valid ID and proof of residence; some barangays ask for a cedula (Community Tax Certificate). Free once for first-time jobseekers under RA 11261 — ask for the first-time jobseeker certification at the same visit.
Pre-employment medical
Clinic or hospital accredited by the employer · 1–3 days for results · Often paid by the employer; ask
Use the clinic your employer names, and ask before paying whether the company covers it. A medical certificate from a public hospital is free once for first-time jobseekers under RA 11261 (laboratory fees excluded). An employer may not require a pregnancy test as a condition of hiring a woman.
The law
The rules at a glance
The three rules people ask about most, in two paragraphs each. The full explainers are on the linked pages.
Article 300: resigning
An employee may end employment without a just cause by serving written notice at least one month in advance. Without notice, you risk being held liable for damages. You may leave immediately for a just cause: serious insult, inhuman and unbearable treatment, a crime against you or your immediate family by the employer or its representative, or analogous causes.
Write your resignation letter →Labor Advisory 06-20: final pay and COE
Final pay is released within 30 days from separation, unless a company policy or agreement is more favourable. A Certificate of Employment is issued within 3 days from the employee's request. Final pay covers unpaid salary, unused SIL, the pro-rated 13th month, separation pay if due, and tax refunds.
Compute your final pay →Notice to explain (NTE)
Before dismissing an employee for a just cause under Art. 297, the employer must give a first written notice stating the charge and a reasonable chance to explain, then a second notice of its decision — the "twin-notice" rule. If you receive an NTE, answer it in writing, on time, and keep a copy. A full NTE sample and reply generator is coming next.
If you were dismissed: DOLE and SEnA →Legal basis: Labor Code Art. 297 (just causes) and Art. 300 (termination by employee), as renumbered by DOLE Department Advisory No. 01, s. 2015; DOLE Labor Advisory No. 06, s. 2020.
9 · Protect yourself
Your rights and the signs of a fake job offer
Five things an employer or recruiter cannot do, the signs of a fake job offer, and where to report.
1. An employer cannot: charge you a fee to apply or be placed
A local employer has no business charging applicants for an interview, a test, or "processing". For overseas jobs, only DMW-licensed agencies may recruit, and only within the fees the law allows.
Legal citation
Labor Code (recruitment and placement); RA 11641 (Department of Migrant Workers). Check a licence at dmw.gov.ph.
2. An employer cannot: keep your original documents
Submit photocopies and show originals for checking. Do not leave your passport, PSA certificate, diploma or ID with a recruiter.
Legal citation
Good practice for every applicant; withholding a worker's passport or documents is a hallmark of illegal recruitment and trafficking.
3. An employer cannot: require a pregnancy test or refuse you for being married or pregnant
Discriminating against a woman because of marriage or pregnancy is prohibited, and so is a pregnancy test as a condition of hiring verify.
Legal citation
Labor Code provisions on women workers (prohibition of discrimination) and RA 9710 (Magna Carta of Women) verify.
4. An employer cannot: put an age limit in a job ad or ask your birth date to screen you out
Printing or publishing a job notice that states an age preference or limit, requiring applicants to declare their age or birth date, or declining an application because of age are unlawful, unless age is a genuine occupational requirement.
Legal citation
RA 10911, the Anti-Age Discrimination in Employment Act (2016).
5. An employer cannot: collect personal data beyond what the job needs
An employer may process your personal data only for a declared, specified and legitimate purpose, and only what is proportional to it. Religion, family details or health data unrelated to the job can be left blank or refused.
Legal citation
RA 10173, the Data Privacy Act of 2012, Sec. 11 (general data privacy principles). Complaints: National Privacy Commission.
Red flags of a fake job offer
- You are asked to pay a "training fee", "medical fee" or "processing fee" before you are hired.
- The recruiter talks to you only on Telegram, WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, with no office address or landline.
- The offer is far above the going rate for little work ("₱5,000 a day, typing at home").
- An overseas job from an agency you cannot find on the DMW list of licensed agencies, or a job order not on DMW's approved list.
- You are told to bring your original passport, PSA certificate or ATM card and leave it with them.
What to do and where to report
10 · Job search
Where to look for work
Official channels only — we do not list jobs.
11 · For universities, colleges, TESDA centres and PESOs
Free resources for your students and graduates
- ✓ Free for students and graduates, no account
- ✓ No ads, no data collected from the forms
- ✓ Every rule cited to the Labor Code, DOLE or the agency
- ✓ Printable checklist for career orientation
- ✓ Tagalog versions of the most-used letters
- ✓ Updated when DOLE, CSC or the agencies change a rule
Sulat.ph is not DOLE, CSC, PSA, NBI or PNP. Official forms and fees come from those agencies.
+ Code to embed on your site
<a href="https://sulat.ph/employment" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Employment documents in the Philippines — free checklist, letters and calculators (sulat.ph) </a>
12 · In figures
Employment in the Philippines, in official figures
How many Filipinos have work, and how many work for a wage, from the Philippine Statistics Authority's Labor Force Survey.
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 5.7% |
| 2018 | 5.3% |
| 2019 | 5.1% |
| 2020 | 10.3% |
| 2021 | 7.8% |
| 2022 | 5.4% |
| 2023 | 4.4% * |
| 2024 | 3.8% |
| 2025 | 4.2% * |
* 2023: published as 4.3% and 4.4%; 2025: preliminary.
94.7%
Employment rate
August 2026 (preliminary)
5.3%
Unemployment rate (2.77 million)
August 2026 (preliminary)
11.9%
Underemployment rate
August 2026 (preliminary)
64.2%
Wage and salary workers, share of the employed
August 2026 (preliminary)
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, Labor Force Survey. August 2026 release of October 7, 2026.
Method note
Annual unemployment rates are PSA annual averages: 2017–2020 average the quarterly LFS rounds; from 2021 the LFS is monthly, so the series has a method break between 2020 and 2021. 2023 has been published as both 4.3% and 4.4% in PSA tables verify; 2025 is preliminary. The 2020 spike is the COVID-19 lockdown year. The vertical axis starts at 3%, not zero, so that year-to-year changes are visible — read the differences as percentage points, not as proportions. Figures were taken from PSA releases as reported on October 22, 2026; the psa.gov.ph pages could not be fetched directly this session verify.
When a job ends badly: our labor justice tracker follows what DOLE's Single Entry Approach recovered for workers — ₱2.9 billion for 58,212 workers in 2024.
13 · Questions
Frequently asked questions about employment documents
+What documents do I need for my first job in the Philippines?
Most employers ask for a PSA birth certificate, a valid government ID, NBI, police and barangay clearances, a pre-employment medical, 2×2 photos, your diploma and transcript, and your TIN, SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG numbers. If this is your first job, get a first-time jobseeker certification from your barangay: under RA 11261 the government documents — including NBI, police and barangay clearances and the PSA birth certificate — are free once. Your employer registers your TIN using BIR Form 1902.
+How many days does my employer have to give my final pay?
Thirty days from the date of separation, under DOLE Labor Advisory No. 06, Series of 2020, unless your company policy or a collective agreement gives you something faster. Final pay covers unpaid salary, the cash value of unused service incentive leave, the pro-rated 13th month, separation or retirement pay if due, and any tax refund. If it is late, send a polite demand letter, then file a Request for Assistance under SEnA at DOLE — it is free and you do not need a lawyer.
+How soon must HR release my Certificate of Employment?
Within three days from your request, under the same Labor Advisory No. 06-20. You can ask while still employed or after you leave, and the certificate states your position and dates of employment; a salary line is added if you ask for a COE with compensation. Put your request in writing and keep the receiving copy or email. If HR refuses or ignores it, the DOLE hotline 1349 and the Single Entry Approach are the next steps.
+Do I need to give 30 days' notice when I resign?
Yes. Article 300 of the Labor Code requires written notice at least one month in advance. You may leave without notice only for a just cause listed in Article 300(b): serious insult by the employer, inhuman and unbearable treatment, a crime against you or your immediate family by the employer or its representative, or analogous causes. Resigning without notice and without a just cause can expose you to a claim for damages, so ask for any shorter period in writing.
+How is 13th month pay computed?
Add up the basic salary you actually earned in the calendar year and divide by 12, as Presidential Decree No. 851 provides. Overtime, night differential, holiday premiums and allowances are not part of basic salary. Every rank-and-file employee who worked at least one month in the year is entitled, pro-rated if you resigned or started mid-year. It is due on or before December 24, and together with other benefits it is tax-free up to ₱90,000 a year.
+When am I entitled to separation pay?
When your job ends for an authorised cause. For installation of labor-saving devices or redundancy, at least one month's pay or one month per year of service, whichever is higher (Art. 298). For retrenchment or closure not due to serious losses, and for disease (Art. 299), one month's pay or half a month per year, whichever is higher. A fraction of six months counts as a year. Resignation, dismissal for a just cause and closure due to serious losses carry no separation pay by law.
+Can an employer ask my age, religion or civil status on a biodata?
An employer may collect only what is necessary and proportional to a declared, legitimate purpose under the Data Privacy Act (RA 10173). The Anti-Age Discrimination in Employment Act (RA 10911) makes it unlawful to require applicants to declare their age or birth date, or to turn them down because of age, unless age is a genuine requirement of the job. You may leave religion and similar fields blank when they have nothing to do with the work.
+How do I file a complaint with DOLE?
Start with a Request for Assistance under the Single Entry Approach (SEnA). Under DOLE Department Order No. 249, Series of 2025, you file at the DOLE office nearest you or online, a desk officer schedules a conciliation conference with your employer, and the parties have 30 days to settle. It is free and you do not need a lawyer. If there is no settlement, you are referred to the office that can decide the case — usually the NLRC or the DOLE regional office.
+How long is probationary employment?
No more than six months from the date you started, under Article 296 of the Labor Code, unless it is covered by an apprenticeship agreement or a longer period is justified and agreed. The employer must tell you the standards for becoming regular when you are hired; if it did not, you are considered a regular employee. Allowed to keep working past the probationary period, you generally become regular by operation of law.
+How do I spot a fake job offer?
Be suspicious of any recruiter who asks for a fee before hiring, talks only through Telegram or Messenger, offers pay far above the going rate for easy work, or wants to keep your original passport or ID. For work abroad, check that the agency is on the Department of Migrant Workers' list of licensed agencies and that the job order is approved. Report scams to the CICC hotline 1326 or the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, and illegal recruitment to DOLE or DMW.
Official sources
- DOLE — Department of Labor and Employment — Labor advisories, department orders, hotline 1349.
- DOLE ARMS — Request for Assistance online — Online filing of SEnA requests for assistance (launched January 2025).
- NCMB — SEnA under DO 249, s. 2025 — The revised Single Entry Approach rules signed February 7, 2025.
- Labor Code of the Philippines (PD 442) — Original text; cited here by the 2015 renumbering (Dept. Advisory No. 01, s. 2015).
- PD 851 — 13th month pay — The 13th month pay law.
- RA 11261 — First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act — Free government documents, once, for first-time jobseekers.
- RA 10911 — Anti-Age Discrimination in Employment Act — Age limits in job ads and age screening.
- RA 10173 — Data Privacy Act of 2012 — What an employer may collect, and why.
- PhilJobNet — DOLE's free job-matching portal.
- DMW — licensed recruitment agencies — Check an overseas recruiter before you pay or apply.
- PSA — Labor Force Survey — Employment, unemployment and underemployment rates.
- Civil Service Commission — The current Personal Data Sheet (CS Form No. 212).
By Deepak Middha, Chartered Accountant
18 years in hedge funds; editor of sulat.ph. Rules, fees and figures verified against official sources on 2026-10-22. Sulat.ph is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
Related tools
Sulat.ph is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. AI-generated drafts should be reviewed by a qualified Philippine lawyer before formal use.