How to Verify Employment Documents/Contract in Malaysia

When working abroad, Filipinos need to gather all the required documents for employment, and then have them verified by the Philippine Embassy’s Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in their host country. This is especially helpful for Filipinos in Malaysia, as many of them work in the domestic work industry, and on a contractual basis.

READ NEXT: How to Renew OWWA Membership in Malaysia

This is important for Filipinos who want to work and are already working in the country. These documents will ensure that their stay in the country is legal and necessary, and to avoid encountering issues with the Malaysian authorities, which, by the way, are very strict when dealing with immigration issues. To know more about how you can benefit from this service, keep on reading below.

Guide to Verifying Employment Documents/Contract in POLO Malaysia

Verification is a process carried out by the Labor Attaché of the Philippines to ensure that the welfare and employment rights of Filipino workers are protected.

The Labor Attaché of the Philippines is also responsible for ensuring that the employment contracts of Filipino workers are in line with the prevailing employment laws and standards in the country.

For these reasons, you now have an idea how this process can benefit not only the foreign company or employer but also the migrant worker, as part of the benefits of this process is that their rights and welfare are guaranteed by the Philippine foreign post in the country – in this case, the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

What is Employment Document/Contract Verification?

Before an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) is granted an OEC, he/she must have the employment contract of his/her actual employer. This ensures that the provisions of the contract meet the requirements of the POEA and the host government.

This ensures that the worker in question is legally being employed by their foreign employer, and no breach in contract conditions is taking place before, during, and after they work in the country for the period stated in their contract. Getting one’s employment contract verified before it expires is necessary to renewing the document to extend one’s stay for work purposes in the country.

So, whether you’re a first-time worker or returning to your employer, getting your contract verified by the POLO is necessary. Doing so will qualify you for the issuance of an OEC, which is a document that you need to return to work in Malaysia and avail of certain OFW benefits when you come back to the Philippines, such as travel tax  exemption and receipt of payment for your contributions made through various organizations such as PAG-IBIG, OWWA, and POEA.

As you can see, in order to get an OEC, you need your employment documents (contract) to be verified first. The good news is that contract verification is only necessary the first time you work abroad. To get started on this process, let’s look at some of the requirements and the process this entails.

Requirements

As mentioned, all overseas Filipino workers based in Malaysia, whether skilled/professional or household service workers need their contracts to be verified by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) to guarantee their legal stay in the country and to enjoy the full benefits offered by the Philippine Embassy and all of its partner agencies.

Here are the documentary requirements categorized according to:

1. DIRECT HIRE PROFESSIONAL/SKILLED WORKER
   • Duly accomplished POEA Standard employment contract for Domestic Worker (Download the form here)

* This document, to be approved, must be notarized by any Malaysian Notary Public

• Worker’s Insurance
• Affidavit of Undertaking (for domestic worker registered on site & renewal without agency – download the form here)

* This document must also be notarized by any Malaysian Notary Public

• Passport size photo of the worker;
• Photocopy of employer’s IC;
• Photocopy of worker’s valid passport;
• Photocopy of worker’s valid working visa; and
• Previously verified employment contract (where applicable)

1. DOMESTIC WORKERS (2ND & subsequent RENEWAL):

• Affidavit of Undertaking (for domestic worker registered on site & renewal without agency – download form here)

* This document, to be approved, must be notarized by any Malaysian Notary Public

• Duly accomplished POEA Standard employment contract for Domestic Worker (download the form here)

* This document must also be notarized by any Malaysian Notary Public

• Passport size photo of the applicant; and
• Photocopy of employer’s IC;
• Photocopy of worker’s valid passport;
• Photocopy of worker’s valid working visa;
• Previously verified employment contract; and
• Worker insurance;

Notes:

• For new and change employers and whose period of employment with the present employer is less than five (5) years, the contract verification process must be carried out through an approved Malaysian agency.
• Both the direct employer and domestic worker (DW) must appear at the Embassy to renew their employment contract if the processing through an approved Malaysian agency is no longer required.
• For the complete set of labor documents provided by the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, you may access them here.

Fees

A prescribed fee of RM 48.00 (USD 11.35 or PHP 595.00) must be paid per page for the POLO contract verification service.

Procedure

To get started, you will need to book an appointment at the Embassy for the contract verification service provided by OWWA.

• Go to http://philembassyklappointment.biz/ to book an appointment.
• Select the type of consular service. In this case, select POLO Contract verification.
• Pick a date that best fits your schedule.
• Choose a time slot at which you must report in the Embassy.
• Input your first, then last name, birth date, mobile number, and email address. Click “SUBMIT”.
• After creating an appointment, a pop-up will appear on the screen. You can then download or print the letter. The system will also automatically send it to your email address.
• Make sure that you are using the email address that you provided when creating the appointment.
• On the notification pop-up/system-generated email, you will find further instructions on what you need to do to have your contract verified by POLO. Take note of all the instructions given, making sure that you follow each of them as they are stated. This will ensure a smooth transaction at the Philippine Embassy.

Video: HOW TO GET OWWA MEMBERSHIP AND CONTRACT VERIFICATION | PHIL. EMBASSY

In this video, an OFW based in Singapore shares her experience in applying for OWWA membership and having her employment documents and contract verified by the Philippine Embassy in her country. Though this was done in Singapore, the process is pretty much the same, except for the part that Filipinos in Malaysia need to book an appointment first, as specified in the earlier sections of this guide. After booking an appointment, you will need to submit your document in person and settle the fees at the Philippine Embassy.  After which, you will be given a receipt and collection slip and your verified contract will be released a few days up to a week.  Having your contract verified by the POLO is necessary for getting your overseas employment certificate, which you need to be able to return to work from the Philippines thru the Balik-Manggagawa system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please check out these common questions and answers about verifying employment contract at the POLO Malaysia office:

1. How do I submit my documentary requirements?

You will need to submit the necessary documentation in person. This step will only be performed if you book an appointment. Please refer to the section earlier detailing the steps on booking an appointment for this service at the Philippine Embassy.

2. How long does the verification process take?

The processing time for different categories varies depending on the volume of documents received. However, the verification process typically ranges from 5 to 7 working days.

All documents will be placed in the order they were received. This estimate excludes the time required for the interview/inspection process. It also does not include the time spent on completing the submissions.

3. What type of signature on the submitted documents will be accepted?

POLOs do not accept applications with electronic signatures/scanned signatures. Therefore, all signatures must be originally affixed on the document.

4. Will I still undergo an interview? It’s not my first time working here in Malaysia.

The POLO can also ask the Labor Attaché to determine if an interview is necessary. Once the schedule is agreed upon, the applicant will be notified about the interview process.

5. I received an application/documents with compliance/deficiency notes. What does this mean?

This process is carried out to identify areas of concern in your documents that need to be corrected or clarified. A compliance/deficiency note is then sent to the POLO.

When re-submitting the documents, make sure that the compliance note is attached to the letter pack.

Summary

Having your contract verified by the POLO at the Philippine Embassy is a crucial step in certifying the legality of your stay in Malaysia. As authorities are on the prowl to catch illegal residents, make sure to get your contract verified. This way, you can also avail of the full benefits and services offered by POLO as well as the partner agencies f the Philippine Embassy in Malaysia.

Contact Information

Embassy of the Philippines in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
Address:     No. 1 Changkat Kia Peng, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Telephone Nos:     +(603) 2148-4233
Emergency No:     +(6017) 347-5487 (for non-office hours, weekends and holidays)
Fax No:     +(603) 2148-3576
Email:     klpe_malaysia@yahoo.com (Please include your contact details, including phone, if any).
Facebook:     https://www.facebook.com/PHinMalaysia
Office Hours:     Monday to Friday (9:00 am – 4:00 pm)

Google Map Location

Here’s a map guide to the location of PH Embassy. POLO office is also located there: